Governor Darling Announces 19 Counties – 1829

  It Was In 1829, That Governor Darling Announced 19 Counties Within New South Wales 

Governor Darling’s proclamation formalised the division of the colony into counties for administration and land records. The 19 counties covered the settled districts around Sydney and the inland plains of New South Wales.

Sydney Garden Palace - Part 2

Sydney Garden Palace - Part 2 

Garden Palace Part 2 continues the story of the grand exhibition building constructed for Sydney’s 1879 International Exhibition. Designed by James Barnet, the building stood in the grounds of the Royal Botanic Garden and was one of Sydney’s largest nineteenth-century structures. It was destroyed by fire in 1882, only a few years after the exhibition opened.

The Pictures Show Here Are From

the Great Exhibition... The Expo Of 1888. You May Recall That Exactly 100 Years Later In 1988 The World Expo Was Held In Brisbane Queensland. 

It Would've Been A Grand Event To See

The Sydney Crystal Garden Palace and The Great Exhibition of 1851


There are a few photos of the Crystal palace Located at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney Australia. This magnificent structure was built to hole the World Expo in the 1880's. Unfortunately within a couple years of it being built, it burnt down.
It appears to be one of the most magnificent buildings in Sydney for the time, far outweighing the Queen Victroria building etc and other buildings in Sydney of that era. There are only a few photos left.


the Palace was composed almost entirely of iron and glass with wood used only in the fittings and floorboards. The construction used 2300 cast-iron girders, 358 wrought-iron trusses to support the roof, 325 kilometres of sash bars supporting glass weighing more than 406 tonnes and 3230 hollow cast-iron columns which, as well as being the primary supporting infrastructure, served as water pipes to carry off rainwater from the 54.7 kilometres of guttering.

The final structure was an impressive 563 metres long and 124 metres wide with a central transept 22 metres wide and rising to 32.9 metres, specially designed to enclose within the building a grove of tall elms that public opinion would not allow to be cut down. The structure covered over seven hectares of ground and enclosed 934 560 cubic metres of space while galleries added another two hectares to the floor area.

If opening day was a sensation the following weeks exceeded all expectations. Carried from the Midlands and the North by the newly inaugurated popular excursion trains and coastal steamers, visitors to the Exhibition came in numbers that first alarmed, then surprised and finally delighted the organisers. Men, women and children came, they came singly, they came in families, they came, in the end, in droves. On one day in October 109 915 people were admitted to the Exhibition.

Other statistics add to the legend of the Exhibition. It attracted no fewer than six million visitors during the 141 days it was open to the public—many from overseas; an incredible number considering a population much lower, and poorer, than today, and limited transport options—no international flights or coach tours! The Exhibition also achieved several other firsts, including the first public toilets—which brought in a substantial contribution of £1769 to the overall profit of £186 000—and it was the first, and possibly the last, to actually make a profit, part of which was used to provide London with a cultural and educational centre, including the famous Victoria and Albert Museum. The total value of the exhibits was estimated at about £2 million—not including the fantastic Koh-i-Noor (Mountain of Light) diamond, now part of the British crown jewels, and which was considered too difficult to value. The figures clearly show the Great Exhibition in its spectacular Palace was a resounding triumph.

Not surprisingly, the phenomenal success encouraged international emulation and the rest of the world quickly followed suit. Australia’s first international trade exhibition opened in Sydney in 1879. It was housed in a specially constructed large and ornate building called the Garden Palace on land now included in the Botanic Gardens. Unhappily it was destroyed by fire in 1882

This Photo Was Taken On The 27th January 1880

This Last PhotoOf The Palace Was Taken From "Pinchgut Island", which Is Of A Distance Of 1520 Yards 

The Palace Is 

800 Hundred  Feet Long

500 Hundred Feet Broad

Covers 5 & A Quarter Acres In Floorspace 

Arthur Phillip - First Fleet - King George III's Instructions

Arthur Phillip Had Been Given A Royal Commission By King George III Before He Left Portsmouth In May 1787, Appointing HiM Liuetanant General, Or Commander In Chief Over The New Colony .

After Phillip And The Marines Had Finally Got All The Women Convicts Ashore At Circular Quay On February 6th 1788, A Mass Orgy Between the Male Convicts And The Female Convicts Occurred Through The Night. Judge Advocate David Collins Recorded In His

Journal That The Humidity Was Almost Unbearable, And There Was An Intense Storm And Lightning Struck A Tree And Killed 2 Sheep As They Were All Huddled In Their Tents They Could Hear The Howling Of The Dingoes As They Dug The Graves Of The People Who Had Been Freshly Buried At The Very First Sydney Burial Ground

located Near Dawes Point. 

George III. By The Grace Of God. King Of Great Britain, France & Ireland. To Our Trusty & Well Beloved Arthur Phillip Esq.  

We, Reposing A Special Trust In The Prudence, Courage & Loyalty Of You, The Said Arthur Phillip, Of Our Special Grace; Have Seen Fit To Constitute & Appoint You To Be Our Lieutenant General, Or Commander In Chief; In, & Over Our Territory Called New South Wales.  

Starting From The Northern Cape Or Coastal Extremity Known As Cape York, In Latitude 10 Degrees 37 Minutes To The Southern Cape Or Coastal Extremity In Latitude 43 Degrees 37 Minutes South. & All The Land Westward, To The 135th Degrre Of East Longtitude, Including All The Islands Adjacent In The Pacific Ocean, Within The Latitude Name. 

Our Will & Pleasure Is That You Take The Oath Of Office Of Luietenant General & Commander In Chief, For The Due & Impartial Administration Of Justice 

& We Hereby Authorise & Empower You To Keep & Use The Public Seal, For Sealing All Things Whatsoever That Shall Pass The Great Seal Of Our Said Territory, & It's Dependancies. 

Likewise, We Give You Full Power & Authority To Give Oaths;To Such Person, Or Persons As You Will Judge Fit. To Constitute & Appoint Justice's Of The Peace, Coroners, Constables & Other Such Necessary Officers, For The Better Administration Of Justice. 

To Pardon Offences; To Remit Fines & Forfeitures, To Levy, Arm, Muster & Command All Persons Whatsoever,  Civil & Military,  Residing In The Said Territory, For The Resisting Of All Enemies; Pirates & Rebels, At Sea & On Land. 

To Execute Mashall Law In Time Of Invasion, & At Other Times, When, By Law It May Be Executed 

To Constitute & Appoint Masters Of Ships, Lieutenants & Other Such Necessary Officers; To Punish & Execute  Convicts, At Sea, Or During Their Time  Of Abode At Ports Harbours & Bays. 

To Erect, Raise & Build As Many Platforms, Burrows, Cities, Castles & Towns:  & Other Fortifications As You Shall Judge Necessary 

We Also Give You Full Power & Authority To Grant Land, To Control Commerce, To Erect Fair Marts & Markets. 

& We Hereby Command All Citizens, Civil & Military; & All Other Inhabitants To Be Obedient, Aiding & Assisting, To You, The Said Arthur Phillip; In The Execution Of This; Our Royal Commission. 

& In The Event Of Your Absence Or Death From The Said Territory, & It's Dependances, All Inhabitants Are To Be Obedient Aiding & Assisting To Such Person That Will Be Appointed By Us To Be Lieutenant General Or Commander In Chief. 

Witnessed Ourselves At Westminster, On The 2nd Day Of April, In The 27th Year Of Our Reign. 

& For So Doing, This Shall Be Your Warrant; Given At Our Court At At James On The 22nd March 1787, In The 27th Year Of Our Reign 

GOD SAVE THE KING 

5. First Government House

First Government House

Bridge Street And Phillip Street South Western Corner.

Where The Museum Of Sydneyis Now, Is Where The Frst And Original Government

House Stood....

It's The House That Governor Bligh Was Supposedly Hiding Under the Bed When a The Red coats Of The New South Wales Army Corp Were Going to Put Him

under House Arrest. 

Be Chosen By Us To Be Liuetenant General Or Commander In Chief 

Construction Of The First Government House Was Commenced On May 15, 1788. Governor Phillip Moved In Ahortly Before June 4 1789. It Was The Residence of 8 Governors Until 1845

National Day Of The Australian Flag - September 3rd

On September 3rd 1901.... 8 Months After The Australian Constitution was Signed  ... the Australian Flag Was Flown For the First Time. Before That Each Colonial State had Its Own Version

National Wattle Day - September 1st

National Wattle Day 

National wattle day

Since Federation in 1901 When The Constitution Was Signed In Centennial Park Sydney, The Native Wattle Plant Came To Represent All The States Of The Commonwealth. This Is where The Colours Green & Gold Originated From.
In 1913 The Governor General Gazetted that September 1st, the First Day Of Spring Become A National Day Recognising The Wattle Bush, Which Grows In Every State Of The Commonwealth

The Rat Pit - Pitt Street Near King Street, Sydney

THE RAT PIT - 
Pitt Street, Western Side, Near King Street 

A Place Where Dog, Rat And Rooster Fighting Took Place In Sydney 1830's

   I Can Imagine A Group Of Wild Men Meeting In Someone's Cellar Or Somewhere Secret Holding The Dog Fights, And Rat Fights. I Imagime The Cock Fights Didn't Start Till Later When The Colony Of Sydney's Food Shortage Was Over. 

I Also Imagine There was Only Ever Going To Be One a Winner In These Fights To The Death. I Guess Rum Would've Been Wagered In The Beginning Until Governor Macquarie Started The Currency. 

Dog, Cock & Rat Fighting Were Popular "Sports" In Sydney's Early Days. 

In The Sydney Mail Of 31st July 1907, Mr Morris Asher, Describing His Arrival At Sydney Cove in 1838 Says

"I Saw A Dog Kill 60 Rats In One Minute. Horse Racing, Dog Fighting, Cock Fighting, Rat Fighting And Prize Fighting Were All The Rage. Scarcely Anything Else   Was Thought Of, And It a Was Hard For A Young Fellow To Settle Down."

Clancy Of The Overflow - Banjo Paterson

Clancy Of The Overflow - By Banjo Paterson...

This Was One Of The Banjo Paterson Poems That My Grandmother used to make me Recite Word For Word. 

I Went To Waverley Cemetery One day last year Looking for his Grave Site, but I had no Luck, and as No one is interested In the History Of This Country or It's People, there Obviously Wasn't Any Signage, or actually anyone there that could help me on my Quest That Day..... Disappointing. Absolutely No one Seemed to know. 

I'm Going to Go To The Auction Next Saturday Of Another Piece Of Heritage Given To Developers.... The Old Psychiatric Hospital Next To Darlinghurst Courthouse was Recently Pulled Down and All That Is Left Is The Old Residence Of The  Director General (If That Is The Right Title....)  Of St Vincents Hospital Back In it's Hey Day When It Was 2 - 3 Times The Size Of What It Is Now. So This 2 Storey Colonial Residence Which Is The Gardens Of The Psychiatric Part Has A Block Of Units Towering Over It. I Don't Know If I'd Want To live There now. 

The Reason I Mention this Is, Is Because Banjo Paterson Was A Regular Guest.....

Clancy Of The Overflow........

I had written him a letter which I had,
for want of better Knowledge,

sent to where I met him 

down the Lachlan, years ago,

He was shearing when I knew him, 

so I sent the letter to him,

Just `on spec', 

addressed as follows, 

`Clancy, of The Overflow'.

& an answer came directed in a writing unexpected,

(& I think the same was written with a thumb-nail dipped in tar)

'Twas his shearing mate who wrote it,

& verbatim I will quote it:

`Clancy's gone to Queensland droving,

& we don't know where he are.'

In my wild erratic fancy visions come to me of Clancy Gone a-droving 

`down the Cooper' where the Western drovers go;

As the stock are slowly stringing, 

Clancy rides behind them singing,

For the drover's life has pleasures that the townsfolk never know.

& the bush hath friends to meet him, 

& their kindly voices greet him

In the murmur of the breezes & the river on its bars,

& he sees the vision splendid 

of the sunlit plains extended,

& at night the wond'rous glory of the everlasting stars.

I am sitting in my dingy little office,

where a stingy ray of sunlight struggles feebly down between the houses tall,

& the foetid air and gritty of the dusty, dirty city

Through the open window floating, 

spreads its foulness over all

& in place of lowing cattle,

I can hear the fiendish rattle of the tramways & the 'buses making hurry down the street,

& the language uninviting of the gutter children fighting,

Comes fitfully & faintly through the ceaseless tramp of feet.

& the hurrying people daunt me, 

& their pallid faces haunt me

As they shoulder one another in their rush & nervous haste,

With their eager eyes & greedy,

& their stunted forms & weedy,

For townsfolk have no time to grow,

they have no time to waste.

& I somehow rather fancy that I'd like to change with Clancy,

Like to take a turn at droving where the seasons come & go,

While he faced the round eternal of the cash-book and the journal

--But I doubt he'd suit the office, 

Clancy, of `The Overflow'

Advance Australia Fair - National Anthem - Including Original Version

Advance Australia Fair

Australians All Let Us Rejoice, 
For We Are Young & Free
We've Golden Soil & Wealth For Toil
Our Home Is Girt By Sea
Our Land Abounds In Nature's Gifts
Of Beauty Rich & Rare;
In History's Page, Let Every Stage
Advance Australia Fair
In Joyful Strains Then Let Us Sing....
 Advance Australia Fair
Beneath Our Radiant Southern Cross,
We'll Toil With Hearts & Hands;
To Make This Commonwealth Of Ours 
Renowned Of All The Lands;
For Those Who've Come Across The Sea
We've Boundless Plains To Share;
With Courage Let Us All Combine
To Advance Australia Fair......
In Joyful Strains Then Let Us Sing..... Advance Australia Fair...

The Original 1879 Of Advance Australia Fair
 Verse 1
Australia's Sons Let Us Rejoice, 
For We Are Young & Free;
We've Golden Soil & Wealth For Toil, 
Our Home Is Girt By Sea;
Our Land Abounds In Nature's Gifts Of Beauty Rich & Rare;
In History's Page, Let Every Stage, Advance Australia Fair.....
In Joyful Strains Then Let Us Sing.......... Advance Australia Fair

Verse 2
When Gallant Cook From Albion Sailed,
To Trace Wide Ocean's O'er,
True British Courage Bore Him On, 
Till He Landed On Our Shore. 
Then Here He Raised Old England's Flag, The Standard Of The Brave;
"With All Her Faults We Love Her Still"
"Britannia Rules The Wave"
In Joyful Strains Then Let Us Sing...... Advance Australia Fair
Verse 3 
While Other Nations Of The Globe Behold Us From Afar, 
We'll Rise To High Renown & Shine Like Our Glorious Southern Star;
From England Soil & Fatherland, Scotia & Erin Fair
Let All Combine With Heart & Hand To Advance Australia Fair
In Joyful Strains Then Let Us Sing...... Advance Australia Fair
Verse 4 
Should Foreign Foe E'er Sight Our Coast Or Dare a Foot To Land
We'll Rouse To Arms Like Sires Of Yore, To Guard Our Native Strand;
Britannia Then Shall Surely Know, Though Ocean's Roll Between, 
Her Son's In Fair Australia's Land Still Keep Their Courage Green
In Joyful Strains Then Let us Sing...... 
Advance Australia Fair.........