Old Government House: a historic detour from The Hills
For a grounded detour from The Hills, head to Old Government House and Government Domain in Parramatta, Greater Western Sydney. Set within the open lawns and mature trees of Parramatta Park, this is not a recreated colonial site: it is Australia’s oldest intact public building, and its rooms still carry the scale and formality of an early governor’s residence and office. The Georgian building is the reason to come, but the surrounding domain makes the visit feel less like a museum stop and more like a walk through the earliest layers of New South Wales. Inside, the house offers a direct view of colonial administration, domestic life and the systems that shaped the settlement, including the convict era. Outside, the parkland reveals why this location mattered: it was a working government landscape as well as a residence. Start with the house façade, where the symmetry of the verandahs and pale brickwork is especially striking in soft morning light. Then take the paths through Parramatta Park, following the broad lawns towards the river side of the domain. It is an easy way to connect architecture, landscape and the city around it without needing a full-day itinerary. Old Government House is in Parramatta rather than The Hills itself, but it makes sense as a cultural side trip if you want more than cafés or shopping centres on your itinerary. Allow time to walk the grounds after your visit, notice the old trees and open sightlines, and let the setting explain why early governors chose this part of Western Sydney. It is well worth a short detour.
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