Sydney heritage buildings: Cadmans Cottage, Hyde Park Barracks or Government House?
The most impressive heritage buildings in Sydney include Cadmans Cottage and the Museum of Sydney. There’s also the Hyde Park Barracks, Government House and Elizabeth Farm.
As Australia’s oldest city, it’s no surprise that Sydney has the lion’s share of Australia’s top heritage buildings. Some of the heritage buildings in Sydney are just old and photogenic, but many are worth stepping inside too.
Cadmans Cottage in The Rocks is often called Sydney’s oldest house. This isn’t actually true – Elizabeth Farm in Parramatta is older.
13 brilliant experiences in Sydney you should book
- (💲Great value 💲) Tick off several bucket list items on a highlights-packed Blue Mountains day tour.
- Get perfect views of the world’s most beautiful city on a Sydney Harbour helicopter tour.
- Save money with a multi-attraction pass.
- ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Enjoy the romance of a tall ship cruise on Sydney Harbour.
- Eat all you can at the Skyfeast at the top of Sydney Tower.
- See migrating humpbacks – on a whale-watching cruise.
- (Highly recommended ✅) Go behind the scenes of Australia’s most famous building on an Opera House tour.
- Dine as the city lights up on sunset dinner cruise around the harbour.
- Combine beers and stories on a historic pubs tour through the convict-era Rocks district.
- Stand on your board and catch waves during Bondi Beach surfing lessons.
- Go to wombat and kangaroo-spotting hotspots on a Southern Highlands tour.
- Enjoy Sydney’s wild side on a Manly snorkelling & nature walk.
- (🥇Top choice in Sydney) And, best of all, paddle to hidden beaches on a harbour kayaking adventure.
Cadmans Cottage has been rather multi-purpose over the years. It has acted as both a transport HQ and a water police base since construction in 1816. Free guided tours around the cottage are available on the first and third Sunday of every month.
Sydney heritage buildings: Sydney Living Museums
However, most of Sydney’s heritage buildings are lumped together under the banner of Sydney Living Museums. Of the big-hitters, most are to be found around Macquarie Street and the Domain in the north-east of the city centre.
First stop should probably be the Museum of Sydney, which is on the site of the first ever Government House. Nearby is the Justice and Police Museum, inside an old police and court building dating back to the mid-19th century. It now houses excellent exhibits on the whole justice process. This includes a mocked-up magistrates’ court, relics from famous Sydney crimes and lots and lots of gruesome weapons.
Sydney heritage buildings: Hyde Park Barracks
The Hyde Park Barracks is also nearby. This was where up to 1,400 convicts lived at a time during the colonial era. The building was the work of convict architect Francis Greenway, who designed several other buildings in the city. It was completed in 1819. The museum inside the Hyde Park Barracks is arguably the best in Sydney – it explores what life was like in the early days of settlement.
The cream of the crop, however, is arguably Government House. It’s only been open to the public since 1996, but now it’s possible to go on guided tours provided there aren’t any official functions on at the time.
More heritage buildings in Sydney
Venture further afield from the city centre, and other impressive heritage buildings in Sydney include the aforementioned Elizabeth Farm in Parramatta. Take the Parramatta ferry there, and you can explore Australia’s oldest house. Take the ferry to Manly instead, and you can enjoy a walking tour of the Sydney Quarantine Station.
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