A swathe of splendid sandstone colonial buildings graces this street, defining the central city's eastern edge. Many of these buildings were commissioned by Lachlan Macquarie, the first NSW governor with a vision of Sydney beyond its prison-camp origins. He enlisted convict architect Francis Greenway to help realise his plans, and together they set a gold standard for architectural excellence that the city has tried – and sometimes failed – to replicate over the years.

A statue of Macquarie pointing to his handiwork sits at the Hyde Park end of the street.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Parliament House

0.02 MILES

Twin of the nearby Mint, the venerable Parliament House (1816) has been home to the Parliament of New South Wales since 1829, making it the world’s oldest…

2. Reserve Bank of Australia Museum

0.04 MILES

Hidden inside the Reserve Bank is this surprisingly interesting museum detailing the history of Australia's banknotes, from pre-Federation to the polymer…

3. Sydney Hospital

0.05 MILES

Originally the Rum Hospital, built by two Sydney merchants in return for a monopoly on the rum trade, Australia’s oldest hospital has a grand Victorian…

4. State Library of NSW

0.09 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…

5. The Mint

0.11 MILES

The stately Mint building (1816) was originally the southern wing of the infamous Rum Hospital, built by two Sydney merchants in return for a monopoly on…

6. State Savings Bank Building

0.12 MILES

The Commonwealth Bank has taken over the old State Savings Bank building: it’s a beautiful example of interwar beaux-arts architecture, featuring green…

7. Hyde Park Barracks Museum

0.15 MILES

This noble brick building was designed by the convict architect Francis Greenway to house prisoners arriving in the colony. Now a flagship museum, the…

8. St James’ Church

0.16 MILES

Built from convict-made bricks, Sydney’s oldest church (1819) is widely considered to be architect Francis Greenway's masterpiece. It was originally…