Parramatta, NSW
8.5 km (5 hrs )
★★★★☆

Governor Arthur Phillip chose the location of present day Parramatta by April 1788. Originally named Rose Hill in honour of George Rose, secretary to the treasury department of the navy, the fertile plains adjacent to the river were better suited to farming than the original farm established at Farm Cove on Sydney Harbour. The first wheat crop was harvested at Rose Hill in 1789 and the location became the preferred residence of the New South Wales Governors. Rose Hill was renamed Parramatta in 1791 from the Burramattagal Aboriginal word meaning 'place where eels lie down'.

There are over a dozen early colonial buildings located throughout Parramatta, and on this Saturday I had the opportunity to explore two - the Female Factory, established in 1824 to house female convicts and the Old Government House, established in 1799 and home to the early governors of New South Wales. Three of the original convict era buildings remain at the site of the former Female Factory. At present, these are not open to the public, but can be viewed from the outside. There are also a number of historic buildings in the precinct dating back to the hospital and orphan home from the 1850s. The Old Government House is now managed by the National Trust and is open for tours. It was fascinating to step back in time and see and hear about the history of the house and its former residents.

Parramatta is readily accessible by public transport (train, bus, light rail and ferry. The two sites that I visited were within walking distance of the train and light rail. While there are no facilities at the former Female Factory, Old Government House has toilets. There are also facilities in the adjacent Parramatta Park and Parramatta CBD is a short walk away.