Macquarie Street

Stretching from Hyde Park in the south to the Sydney Opera House in the north, Macquarie Street was once Sydney’s most fashionable street. Governor Macquarie commissioned the construction of many of the colony’s grand public buildings along this strand, some designed by convict architect Francis Greenway. Impressive sandstone residences soon followed, with verandas to capture the beautiful views of the surrounding parklands and Sydney Harbour. In 1816, the completion of Sydney Hospital on Macquarie Street encouraged doctors to set up offices nearby. Also on Macquarie Street, is the State Library of New South Wales, the oldest library in Australia. Among its jewels are the journals of Captain Cook and Joseph Banks as well as Captain Bligh’s log from the Bounty.