Old Government House

Situated on the traditional lands of the Burramatta Darug, World Heritage listed Old Government House is the oldest surviving public building in Australia.

Built by convicts, it became the decision-making centre of the colony and served as the ‘country residence’ for the first ten Governors of Australia.

There are 11 places that make up the Australian Convict Sites World Heritage series. They all tell a story of exile from one side of the world to the other and how a new nation was formed from hardship, inequality and adversity. Old Government House is one of those 11 sites – find out more about the others at Australian Convict Sites.

Old Government House sits within Parramatta Park. The Park was established in 1858 on the site of the former Parramatta Government Domain. The current parklands are 85 hectares in size, straddling the Parramatta River on the western edge of the Parramatta central business district.