Hyde Park Barracks

They barracks were designed to house up to 600 men, but the population of convicts housed there soon grew as high as 1400 men. From 1819 to 1848, it is estimated that up to 30,000 men and boys had been housed there.

In 1848 there was a huge need for women to be brought into the Colony due to a population imbalance and the need for more workers, servants and mothers. Due to this demand, Hyde Park Barracks became the processing centre for 1000s of immigrating women and even many children. In 1862 wards were added to the top floor for women with no means to support themselves.

In 1887 the Barracks were renamed Chancery Square and converted to Government offices and courtrooms where, over the years, thousands of public service employees worked out of cramped and run down offices.

In the late 1970s the Hyde Park Barracks were cleaned up and converted to a museum about their own amazing history. In 2019 the museum was closed to facilitate an $18 million upgrade to create an more contemporary and interactive visitor experience that includes over 4000 original artefacts.

A visit to the Hyde Park Barracks is well worth the nominal cost of admission.

Nearby attractions: Hyde Park, St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney Tower, and the Australian Museum.

Accommodations near Hyde Park Barracks: