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What do Buckingham Palace and Government House have in common? The answer is Edward Blore, a British architect who was involved in the design of both buildings. Governor Bourke chose to commission an architect from England as he did not believe a local would be up to the job.
Government House has been home to 27 Governors from 1846 to 1996, and the first 5 Governor-Generals from 1901 to 1914. It has come a long way from the canvas tent Governor Phillip pitched in 1788 and is one of the finest examples of gothic revival architecture in NSW. Our current Governor, Professor Marie Bashir AC CVO, is the 37th Governor of NSW and is the first woman to occupy the office. Each Governor has made changes to the house based on their tastes and needs. However, the most dramatic change had nothing to do with preferences; in 1868, the attempted assassination of Prince Alfred forced Lady Belmore to transform the drawing room into a makeshift operating theatre so that surgeons could remove the bullet lodged in the Prince's abdomen.
IMAGE GALLERIES
Go behind the scenes at Government House into a world of meticulous planning and immaculate detail.
HOUSE MUSIC 2012
A sublime program of international artists will bring the Government House ballroom to life.
CLOSURES
OPENING HOURS
Planning a visit? Government House is occasionally closed for Vice Regal functions.
Address: Royal Botanic Gardens, Macquarie Street, Sydney, NSW 2000
Contact: 02 9931 5222
Admission:
- Free
Hours: Click here for details of current opening times
Transport:
- Bus
- Train
- get detailed visiting info
Language guide:





