Hidden on the grounds of what is now known as Parramatta Park in the western suburbs of Sydney, the
Old Government House was home to the first 10 governors of the Australian colony, including Lachlan Macquarie and Mrs Macquarie.
Why they didn't pick a seaside spot, who knows, but stepping into the surrounds of the Old Government House evokes plenty of rich Australian and Aboriginal history.
The individual craftsmanship of the old colonial Georgian-style home, from thick slabs of sandstone, to recessed two foot wide doorways and hand cut crystal chandelier, can be seen during
daily hour long tours.
Each tour explains the history of the property, painting a picture of early life in the colony; the household, the politics and how it was like for the Aboriginal people. The house is also furnished with pieces from the National Trust's collection of early colonial furniture to help recreate the interior design of a traditional home in the eighteenth century.
The tour takes each group through main rooms of the house, such as where important governmental decisions were made right through to the private quarters of Lachlan Macquarie and Mrs Macquarie's bedroom.
Ghost tours are also run on the third Friday evening each month that recounts the sites' long history, including places within the house where psychics and guides have had ghostly encounters.
There's also the opportunity to soak up the history from across the main courtyard at
Lachlan's Restaurant & Cafe in the Garrison Building, just behind the Old Government House.
