Walking Tour

Sydney, Australia-12/26/2017 -1/1/2018

This morning we are taking a walking tour. The tour is about a 3 hour of easy walk departing from Hyde Park and ending at the Rocks neighborhood.

We are headed to Hyde park to meet with our tour guide for the walk. The meeting point is close to the Statue of Governor Lachlan Macquarie at the entrance of Hyde Park.

Lachlan Macquarie was a British military officer and colonial administrator. He served as the last autocratic Governor of New South Wales from 1810 to 1821 and had a leading role in the social, economic and architectural development of the colony. He is considered by some historians to have a crucial influence on the transition of New South Wales from a penal colony to a free settlement and therefore to have played a major role in the shaping of Australian society in the early 19th century. An inscription on his tomb in Scotland describes him as the father of Australia.

First stop is the Hyde Park Barracks on Macquarie street (really close to Hyde park).

Centrally located opposite Macquarie's town square and the green fields of Hyde Park, this Georgian style building was designed by Colonial Architect Francis Greenway at the request of Governor Lachlan Macquarie. Considered to be Greenway's masterpiece, it was constructed in 1817-18 as a home for the 600 convicts who built it.

You have to buy a ticket to see the inside so we are just looking at the exterior and we will come back another day to visit the interior of the barrack.

The Mint is the oldest public building in the Sydney central business district. Built between 1811 and 1816 as the southern wing of the Sydney Hospital, it was then known as the Rum Hospital.

Financed with 45,000 gallons of rum, Governor Macquarie’s ‘Rum Hospital’ provided 200 beds for convict patients. Today the Mint houses Sydney Living Museums' head office, venue hire spaces, a restaurant, shop and cafe, and is also home to the Caroline Simpson Library & Research Collection.

Standing in front of the State Library is a statue of Captain Matthew Flinders, the man credited with giving Australia its name.

Our guide proceed to tell us about Captain Matthew Flinders best friend Tim the cat.

Perched on a window ledge behind the statue of Captain Matthew Flinders and great explorer's little companion is the ship's cat called Trim.

Trim accompanied Flinders on his famed voyage of discovery Australia from 1802 to 1803 and therefore creating maritime history.

We are now at the Palace garden gate, one of the many entrance of the Botanic garden.

Governor Phillip Fountain is located at the south end of the Botanic garden, close to Macquarie Street. It was created by the Italian sculptor Achille Simonetti and unveiled in 1897 to honor Captain Arthur Phillip, the first Governor of New South Wales. This magnificent 15.24 meter high fountain features a marble pedestal for the 4.5 meter bronze statue of Captain Phillip.

The pedestal features three reliefs of Justice, Patriotism and Education. Below the pedestal are the reclining bronze figures of Neptune (Navigation), Agriculture, Cyclops (Mining) and Commerce. The four marble consoles are embellished with bronze plaques of Aboriginal people.

Between the figures are four giant marble clam shells each surmounted by bronze prows of ships and twin giant sea serpents which feed water into the white marble basins.

The garden is located next to the Business district with plenty of high rise buildings.

We are now at the Museum of Sydney located at the corner of Phillip and Bridge street.

The Museum of Sydney is a historical collection and exhibit, built on the ruins of the house of the first governor, Arthur Phillip.

Edge of Trees is a collaborative installation artwork created by artist Janet Laurence and Fiona Foley. The artwork is a site-specific piece located at the forecourt of the Museum of Sydney, Sydney since its opening in 1995.

The artwork is constructed with 29 vertical pillars made from different materials such as wood, steel, and sandstone collaborating with other organic materials and sound elements. This public art installation has won several awards as it evokes the cultural and physical history of the site.