NSW Parliament House

Advance Australia

Elizabeth Macquarie described her husband as the “Father of Australia”. Macquarie was the first Governor to refer officially to Australia by name in 1817, endorsing the name suggested by Matthew Flinders.

Upon arrival in Australia, Macquarie himself wrote: “I found the colony barely emerging from infantile imbecility and suffering the most severe privations and disabilities; the country was impenetrable beyond forty miles from Sydney: agriculture was languishing; commerce in its early dawn and revenue unknown. The population was threatened with acute famine; the public buildings in a state of dilapidation and the few roads formerly built almost impassable.”

Macquarie was instrumental in the building of the nation’s first, desperately needed hospital. In the absence of any funding form the British Government, he struck a deal with a local business consortium to trade rum to build what is today NSW Parliament House. The ‘Rum Hospital’ as it was known, is a great symbol of his ingenuity to find a solution and advance Australia.

Today, members of the NSW Parliament meet in this famous building to undertake their duties to provide better roads, transport, infrastructure, hospitals, schools, parks and gardens, and better manage the environment and water resources. In every one of these areas and more, Governor Macquarie and his wife left indelible foundations and legacies for Australia that are worthy of celebration.

At this display enjoy the insights of notable Australians who will narrate in projections the stories of visionary projects that have Advanced Australia.

The very design of Macquarie’s own ceremonial street was conceived with his architect Francis Greenway.

‘The observations made by the Commissioner and others, upon the explanation of those plans were…I should make…a city superior in architectural beauty to London…The Commissioner thought with them that I was too grand in my notions of building for this infant colony.’

Francis Greenway quoted in The Australian, 1825

Former NSW Parliamentarian and 2009 biographer of William Charles Wentworth, (published by Allen & Unwin) Andrew Tink will speak to you about the building of the Rum Hospital – part of which is now used by the NSW Parliament.

Whereas His Excellency the Governor…hath deemed it expedient that a general hospital should be erected in the town of Sydney in conformity to a plan… hereunto annexed… Garnham Blaxcell, Alexander Riley and D’ Arcy Wentworth…agree… to erect [the] hospital in consideration whereof [they] shall be allowed…to purchase or to import into this colony the quantity of forty-five thousand gallons of spirits…And during the existence of this contract, His Excellency will grant no further permission for the importation of spirits other than such quantities as the said contracting parties may import….
”

- Extracts from the Hospital Contract, 6 November 1810

It was in 1815 when Francis Greenway proposed to build a bridge from the northern to the southern shore of the harbour. Our narrator will tell the story of Premier Jack Lang who opened the bridge amid controversy and determined leadership to create this giant employment stimulus during the depression. Some 1400 men worked over eight years to build the Sydney Harbour Bridge, a project that ensured a new future for the city.

The Snowy Mountains Scheme is not only an engineering marvel, it is noted as a defining point in Australia’s history, symbolising a new identity as a multicultural and independent nation of enormous resources. Started in 1949 it is one of the most complex hydro power plants in the world. It was almost more notable for creating the largest migration of people across the globe employing in its construction over 100,000 people from over 30 countries – 70% of the workers being migrants. It was completed in 1974 and changed the lives of those working on it and the face of multiculturalism in Australia.

Ermanno Fabian migrated from Trieste in Italy aged just 22 in 1956. Like many scheme workers he needed to work and make money to bring his wife later. He now lives in Sutherland Shire of Sydney and will talk to you about his experience moving to Australia for the revolutionary project.

One of the most distinguished Soprano Opera singers of our time, Australian Yvonne Kenny, will share with us her experience being able to return from the world stage and perform in her own country at Sydney Opera House. The sheer brilliance of the Sydney Opera House design was not only a world class architectural achievement, it has provided a truly appropriate performance home to our own world class performers.

Narrators

The Hon. John Aquilina Introductory address

Yvonne Kenny The Sydney Opera House

Ermanno Fabian Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme

Andrew Tink Parliament House

Dylan Griffin-McDade The Sydney Harbour Bridge

Governor of New South Wales Marie Bashir Lachlan Macquarie

Venue information

Visit the Parliament of New South Wales this month to catch the Plein Air Painting Prize exhibition – a collection of over 30 of the finest examples of ‘plein air’ painting by Australian artists. Painted entirely outdoors, these works capture unique visions of the Australian land and cityscapes that you won’t see anywhere else. Entry to the exhibition is free, with doors open from 8:30 am to 5:45 pm Monday to Friday http://www.pleinair.com.au/

« Back to Locations