Skip to main content Skip to main navigation Skip to search

Queensland and NSW floods 2022

Visit recovery.gov.au to see what help is available.

Close
Home

Top navigation main

  • News & media
  • Jobs
  • Ministers
  • Contact us
Main menu

AWE Main

  • Climate change
    Climate change Driving climate action, science and innovation so we are ready for the future.
    • Climate science and adaptation
    • Australia's climate change strategies
    • Emissions reduction
    • Emissions reporting
    • International commitments
    • Climate Active
    • Climate change publications and data
    • Australia’s National Greenhouse Accounts (Emissions Data)
    Stronger action on climate change

    Stronger action on climate change

    See how the Australian Government is committed to taking more ambitious action on climate change.

    Find out more

  • Energy
    Energy Building a secure and sustainable energy system for all Australians.
    • Energy policy in Australia
    • Energy and Climate Change Ministerial Council
    • Renewable energy
    • Energy publications
    • energy.gov.au
    • Energy Rating
    • Commercial Building Disclosure Program
    • Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS)
    • Your Home
    Decorative image

    Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme

    Guiding energy-efficient design and construction for a net-zero future

    Find out more about NatHERS

  • Environment
    Environment Improving stewardship and sustainable management of Australia’s environment.
    • Bushfire recovery
    • Climate change and the environment
    • Biodiversity
    • EPBC Act
    • Environmental information and data
    • International activities
    • Invasive species
    • Land
    • Marine
    • Partnerships
    • Protection
    • Report a breach of environment law
    • Threatened species & ecological communities
    • Waste and recycling
    • Wildlife trade
    Decorative image

    Read our Nature Positive Plan

    Our plan sets out the Australian Government’s commitment to environmental law reform

    Find out more

  • Water
    Water Improving the sustainable management of Australia’s water supply for industry, the environment and communities.
    • Coal, Coal seam gas (CSG) and water
    • Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder
    • Water policy and resources
    • Wetlands
    Water matters

    Water Matters

    Keep up with the latest news on the department's work in managing Australia's water resources.

    Read the latest edition here

  • Parks and heritage
    Parks and heritage Managing Australia’s iconic national parks, historic places and living landscapes.
    • Australian Marine Parks
    • Australian National Botanic Gardens
    • Booderee National Park
    • Kakadu National Park
    • Christmas Island National Park
    • National parks
    • Norfolk Island National Park
    • Heritage
    • Pulu Keeling National Park
    • The Great Barrier Reef
    • Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park
    The reef

    Great Barrier Reef

    Australia is protecting and conserving this World Heritage Area.

    Find out more

  • Science and research
    Science and research Undertaking research and collecting data to support informed decisions and policies.
    • Climate change
    • Australia's biological resources
    • National Environmental Science Program (NESP)
    • Office of the Science Convenor
    • Australian Biological Resource Study (ABRS)
    • State of the Environment (SoE) reporting
    • Bird and bat banding
    • Supervising Scientist
    Our climate is changing

    Our climate is changing

    Find out more about how climate science helps Australians with the impacts of climate change.

    Find out more

  • About us
    About us We lead Australia’s response to climate change and sustainable energy use, and protect our environment, heritage and water.
    • Accountability and reporting
    • Assistance, grants and tenders
    • Fees and charges
    • News and media
    • Our commitment to you
    • People and jobs
    • What we do
    • Who we are
    Decorative image

    Juukan Gorge response

    Read the Australian Government's response to the destruction at Juukan Gorge and the recommendations

    Read the response

  • Online services
    Online services We do business with you using online platforms. This makes it easier for you to meet your legal requirements.
Department of Climate Change, Energy, Enviroment and Water

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Parks and heritage
  3. Heritage
  4. Governors' Domain and Civic Precinct

Sidebar first - EN - Heritage

  • Heritage
    • About Australia's heritage
      • World heritage
        • Managing World Heritage in Australia
        • Understanding World Heritage Outstanding Universal Value
        • World Heritage listing process
        • World heritage criteria
        • Implications of World Heritage Listing
        • The World Heritage Convention
        • Management of Australia's world heritage listed places
          • Indigenous People & World Heritage
        • Notification of development proposals
      • National heritage
        • National Heritage List criteria
        • The National Heritage listing process
        • Managing National Heritage places
      • Commonwealth heritage
        • Commonwealth Heritage listing process
        • Commonwealth Heritage List criteria
        • Protecting Places
        • Frequently Asked Questions
      • Overseas Places of Historic Significance to Australia
    • Heritage places
      • World Heritage List
      • National Heritage List
      • Commonwealth Heritage List
      • List of Overseas Places of Historic Significance to Australia
        • Anzac Cove
        • Kokoda Track
        • Howard Florey's Laboratory
      • Register of the National Estate
      • Nominating a heritage place
      • Finalised Priority Assessment Lists
    • Indigenous heritage
    • Underwater cultural heritage
      • Underwater Cultural Heritage Act 2018
      • Australasian Underwater Cultural Heritage Database
      • Environmental planning advice
      • Famous Australian shipwrecks
      • Protected zones
      • International agreements
      • Possessing, exporting, importing underwater heritage
      • Education and getting involved
      • Visiting underwater heritage sites
    • Australian Heritage Strategy
    • International projects
      • Papua New Guinea
    • Heritage grants and funding
      • Australian Heritage Grants
        • 2022-23 (Round 5)
        • 2021-22 (Round 4)
        • 2020-21 (Round 3)
        • 2019-20 (Round 2)
        • 2018-19 (Round 1)
      • Community Heritage and Icons Grants
        • 2016-17 round
        • 2015-16 round
        • 2014-15 Round
      • Protecting National Historic Sites
        • 2017-18
        • 2016-17
        • 2015-16
        • 2014-15
      • National Trusts Partnership Program
    • Laws and notices
      • World heritage laws
      • Overseas heritage laws
      • National heritage laws
      • Commonwealth heritage laws
      • Indigenous cultural heritage laws
        • Protection under state and territory laws
    • Heritage organisations
      • Australian Heritage Council
        • About the Council
        • Media releases
        • National heritage assessments
        • Priority assessment lists
        • Heritage strategies and management plans
        • Thematic studies
        • Freedom of Information
        • AHC publications
      • Australian World Heritage Advisory Committee
      • National heritage organisations
      • International heritage organisations
      • Heritage Chairs and Officials of Australia and New Zealand
    • Managing a heritage place
      • Managing National Heritage Places
      • Managing Commonwealth heritage places
      • Referrals under the EPBC Act
        • Controlled actions - what next?
        • Failure to refer actions
        • Preparing a referral
        • What is a referral, an action and 'significant impact'?
        • When do I have to refer actions to the Minister?
      • Changing a heritage place
    • Publications and resources
      • Australian Heritage Database
        • Legal status and heritage place lists
        • Heritage photo library
      • Australian Natural Heritage Assessment Tool

Governors' Domain and Civic Precinct

Francis Robinson, 1885, Panorama of Sydney, November 12th National Library of Australia, nla.obj-136809632

Francis Robinson, 1885, Panorama of Sydney, November 12th National Library of Australia, nla.obj-136809632

National Heritage List inscription date 10 February 2021

The Governors' Domain and Civic Precinct has many features that link to the British penal colony established on the shores of Sydney Cove.

Set in Sydney’s city area, this space is a combination of historic public buildings, parks, and gardens. All together, these tell the story of Australia’s development as a nation from its early colonial beginnings.

Interactions between two peoples

The Governor’s Domain and Civic Precinct is a rich cultural landscape. First Nations people have lived in the area for thousands of years and their connections to the land and sea continue. The Cadigal people are the traditional custodians of the land on which the Precinct is now situated.

For the first several decades after the arrival of the First Fleet in 1788, Aboriginal people and colonisers lived in close proximity, establishing relationships with each other within a wider story of Indigenous dispossession and colonisation.

Gallery

Click an image for a larger view.

Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney St James Church, Sydney The Mint, Sydney Hyde Park, Sydney Former Chief Secretary's Building, Sydney History House, Sydney

  • More images from the Australian Heritage Photographic Library

A society in transition

The Precinct shows a society in transition, growing from a penal colony into an independent settlement.

While the Precinct makes up only part of the early colony, the place demonstrates important early milestones in Australia’s history. These are seen most clearly through the place’s early landscape design, town planning, establishment of civic institutions and architecture.

Establishing a vision

Over the nineteenth century new forms of parliamentary representation were established. This reflected a shift away from military rule to a more independent form of colonial governance.

The layout and contents of the Precinct reflect a commitment to civic planning beyond the settlements’ function as a penal colony.

This is seen in the exceptional collection of historic buildings and open spaces. They show the technical and creative achievements of Governors Phillip, Bligh and Macquarie.

These included Australia's first hospital, public parks and places of worship. Later other civic, legal and government institutions were developed. This helped to cultivate greater independence from Britain.

These changes created the foundation for many other Australian institutions which were copied in other state capitals across Australia.

The Precinct is special for its association with a number of prominent historic figures including Wolarwaree Bennelong, Elizabeth Macquarie, Governor Macquarie and Francis Greenway.

Stories concealed by time

The Precinct includes a rich collection of archaeological material associated with some of Australia’s most important sites that can tell us about British colonisation and the first interactions between colonists and Aboriginal Australians.

These include the site of the first Government House, Hyde Park Barracks, the Conservatorium of Music (former government stables), the Mint and Parliament House (former Rum Hospital), and the Royal Botanic Garden. Each of these places contribute valuable knowledge of Australia’s early colonial history.

The Governors’ Domain and Civic Precinct has outstanding importance because the place can demonstrate historic patterns in Australia’s development as a nation.

Further information

  • Location and boundary map (PDF - 590.36 KB)
  • Gazette notice
  • Australian Heritage Database record
  • Governors’ Domain and Civic Precinct EPBC Act Referral Guidelines
Thanks for your feedback.
Thanks! Your feedback has been submitted.

We aren't able to respond to your individual comments or questions.
To contact us directly phone us or submit an online inquiry

CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

Please verify that you are not a robot.

Skip

Footer

  • Contact us
  • Accessibility
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy
  • FOI
Last updated: 12 September 2022

© Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water

We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.