Parliament House Sydney

Parliament House is home to the Parliament of New South Wales. It is a two storey Georgian style building with a colonnaded veranda. The original portion is Sydney's oldest public building. Neo-classic additions were subsequently added to both sides to serve as parliamentary chambers.

The oldest part of the building was originally the northern wing of the hospital. It was built under the direction of Governor Macquarie using convict labour and funding from the importing of rum, thus it was nicknamed the 'Rum Hospital'. First occupied by the Chief Surgeon, it was later utilized for law courts and then in 1829 the Legislative Council began to hold meetings on the lower floor. Over time, the needs of the expanding parliament took over the building and required further additions, the latest occurring in 1970.

A major restoration project of the older portions began in 1974. The project was completed in 1985 with a complete restoration of the parliamentary chambers to appear as close as possible to what they were like in 1892.

When parliament is not in session, one hour guided public tours are often available on weekdays

If you are unable to join one of the monthly tours you can still see a much of the inside of Parliament House in an online virtual tour at VR Tours.

Nearby attractions: Hyde Park, Hyde Park Barracks, Royal Botanic Gardens, Art Gallery of New South Wales and Museum of Sydney.

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Facts For Your Visit

Fee: No

Hours: You can view the outside at anytime. Public tours are available on some weekdays, subject to availability. Parliament House is also open to the public on Australia Day - January 26th.

Address: Parliament of New South Wales, 6 Macquarie Street, Sydney, NSW

Official Website: Parliament House Sydney

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