Governors Phillip & Macquarie Towers


Clad in steel, granite and glass, Governor Phillip Tower (1993) is one of Sydney's tallest buildings (254m including antennae). Its distinctive metallic-bladed top has earned it the nickname ‘the Milk Crate’. It's propped up on zinc-plated columns for a monumental 10 storeys before the tower proper begins. At 145m, neighbouring Governor Macquarie Tower (1994) is a comparative pipsqueak.

These towers were part of the redevelopment of the site of Governor Phillip’s first Government House, which had been semi-derelict for 50 years. At the block’s northern end the house's remnant foundations were converted into First Government House Plaza and the Museum of Sydney.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Museum of Sydney

0.04 MILES

Built on the site of Sydney’s first Government House, the MoS is a fragmented, storytelling museum, which uses installations to explore the city’s history…

2. Macquarie Place

0.1 MILES

Beneath some shady Moreton Bay fig trees is this historic triangle. Look for the cannon and anchor from the First Fleet flagship (HMS Sirius), an ornate…

3. Customs House Library

0.15 MILES

The elegant 1885 Customs House houses this three-level library. There's a great selection of international newspapers and magazines, internet access and…

4. Customs House

0.15 MILES

This elegant harbourside edifice (1885) has a democratic feel to it. It houses tourist information, a library, bars and restaurant options, including Cafe…

5. Justice & Police Museum

0.16 MILES

In a sandstone building that once headquartered the Water Police, this atmospheric museum plunges you straight into Sydney noir. An assemblage of black…

6. Sydney Conservatorium of Music

0.17 MILES

The castellated ‘Con’ was designed in 1817 by convict architect Francis Greenway as the stables and servants’ quarters of Governor Macquarie’s new house…

7. State Library of NSW

0.18 MILES

Among the State Library's over five million tomes are James Cook’s and Joseph Banks’ journals and William Bligh’s log from the mutinous Bounty. It's worth…

8. Australia Square

0.21 MILES

Generally acknowledged as Australia’s first major office tower, Australia Square (1968) was designed by archi-phenomenon Harry Seidler. His 50-storey…