Old Government House, Parramatta

Old Government House stands in Parramatta Park on the river west of Sydney, begun in 1799 and extended by Governor Macquarie, making it the oldest public building still standing in Australia. Ten early governors used it as their country residence, and it holds the most significant collection of early Australian colonial furniture in the country, shown through guided tours of the rooms. In 2010 it was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list as one of eleven Australian Convict Sites, recognised for what the buildings show about the transportation system that moved more than 160,000 convicts. The surrounding parkland was the governor's domain and remains open ground along the river.

What you actually see

• The Georgian house - Australia's oldest surviving public building, room by room.
• The colonial furniture - the country's leading collection of early Australian pieces.
• The parkland - the former governor's domain along the Parramatta River.
• The convict-site context - interpretation of the UNESCO-listed transportation story.

When to go

Year-round; the house opens on limited days with guided tours at set times, so checking ahead matters. The park is open daily. Summer afternoons in western Sydney are considerably hotter than on the coast.

Honest expectations

Interior access is by guided tour only and on restricted days, and the house is small. Parramatta is a long way from the harbour sights, around an hour by ferry. The surrounding area is modern city centre rather than historic streetscape.

Nearby

Parramatta's other colonial buildings, including Elizabeth Farm, are close by.