Chief Secretary's Building facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Chief Secretary's Building |
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The building viewed from Bridge Street and Phillip Street
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| Former names | Colonial Secretary's Building |
| General information | |
| Status | Complete |
| Type | Government administration |
| Architectural style |
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| Address | 121 Macquarie Street, Sydney, New South Wales |
| Country | Australia |
| Coordinates | 33°51′49″S 151°12′44″E / 33.8635°S 151.2123°E |
| Current tenants |
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| Construction started | 1873 |
| Completed | 1886 |
| Opened | 1881 |
| Cost |
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| Renovation cost | A$32 million (2005) |
| Client | Colonial Secretary of New South Wales |
| Owner | Government of New South Wales |
| Technical details | |
| Material |
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| Floor count | 5 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect |
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| Architecture firm | Colonial Architect of New South Wales |
| Developer | Government of New South Wales |
| Renovating team | |
| Architect | Government Architect's Office |
| Awards and prizes |
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| Official name | Chief Secretary's Building; Colonial Secretary's Building |
| Type | State Heritage (built) |
| Criteria | a., c., d., e., f. |
| Designated | 2 April 1999 |
| Reference no. | 766 |
| Type | Other – Government & Administration |
| Category | Government and Administration |
The Chief Secretary's Building is a famous historic building located in the city of Sydney, Australia. People first knew it as the Colonial Secretary's Building. It sits on three major city streets: Macquarie Street, Bridge Street, and Phillip Street. This grand five-storey building has served the state government for well over a century. Skilled stonemasons shaped warm yellow Sydney sandstone to make its outside walls. Two talented architects designed it in stages. First, Colonial Architect James Barnet guided its early construction between 1873 and 1881. Later, Walter Liberty Vernon added a top floor and a shining dome during the 1890s.
Today, this site remains a busy working landmark. The Governor of New South Wales keeps a formal office within its historic walls. Many rooms now serve the Industrial Relations Commission of New South Wales as legal courtrooms. Leaders made vital choices here during the nineteenth century. These choices helped guide the unification of Australia's colonies into one nation. Because of its rich past, the building holds a proud spot on the New South Wales State Heritage Register.
Contents
Discovering the History of the Historic Building
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In 1856, the British colony of New South Wales gained the right to govern its own local affairs. This shift created new executive roles that needed modern office rooms. Government workers had laboured in scattered, cramped houses built decades before. Department directors wanted their clerks together in one strong building.
The Colonial Secretary of New South Wales led the public service and held enormous political power. Frequently, the Premier also served as this key minister. Leaders chose a central location on Bridge Street near Government House. The spot stood near Parliament House and the Treasury Building. This location symbolized how the minister connected the legislature with the British crown.
How Builders Constructed the Original Offices
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By 1869, officials gathered enough funds to build an office for the Chief Secretary. Colonial Architect James Barnet planned an L-shaped building facing Bridge Street. Workers signed the first excavation contracts in 1873.
Construction costs rose steadily above original estimates as workers brought in fancy materials. Tenders paid for fine marble, timber floors, and solid masonry blocks. By 1878, expenses exceeded seventy-six thousand Australian pounds. Italian artist Giovanni Fontana supplied magnificent statues to decorate the structure. Government teams occupied the rooms in 1881. However, staff grew quickly, and agencies soon ran out of desk space.
Big Expansions in the Victorian Era
The Public Works Department desperately needed extra space for surveyors and engineers. Between 1890 and 1893, teams built a large wing along Phillip Street. This addition connected directly to the older sandstone wing.
Government Architect Walter Liberty Vernon chose to raise the main roof line. He added a fifth level covered by a steep mansard. On top, he placed a central dome clad in light metal. Vernon selected sheets of aluminium, marking one of the earliest architectural uses of that metal worldwide. This clever change provided plenty of offices and helped shield the complex against chimney fires.
Changes Through the Twentieth Century
During the twentieth century, rooms changed whenever departments took on fresh responsibilities. Workers installed special private staircases and updated telephone wires. In the 1920s, staff constructed modern ladies' washrooms as more women joined the public workforce.
After World War II, builders updated lighting and ventilation systems. When workers moved to the State Office Block in the 1960s, courts filled the vacant rooms. Teams started a major sandstone restoration project in the 1980s that finished neatly in 1990.
Exploring the Architecture and Design Details
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The Chief Secretary's Building combines two elegant historic designs. James Barnet used the Victorian Free Classical style for levels one through four. This style features heavy ground-floor stonework, rounded arches, and wide open balconies. Barnet took inspiration from the famous Palazzo Farnese in Rome, which Michelangelo helped design for Pope Paul III.
Walter Liberty Vernon added the upper floors in the Victorian Second Empire style. That French design features high roofs, dark iron trims, and curved gables. The two styles blend together across the sunny sandstone frontages.
Important Sculptures and Grand Street Entrances
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Nine life-size statues grace the building to show visitors what happened in each department. Carvers clearly cut titles into the sandstone above the doorways:
- The entrance at 121 Macquarie Street reads "Colonial Secretary". Sculptor Achille Simonetti of Balmain carved figures representing Mercy, Justice, and Wisdom. Inside stands a pure Carrara marble statue of Queen Victoria by Giovanni Giuseppe Fontana.
- The doorway at 65 Bridge Street is labelled "Public Entrance". Inside stands a carved woman representing New South Wales, resting her hand near a woolly merino sheep. Above the arch rests the NSW Badge set in an ornamental pediment.
- The entry at 44 Phillip Street reads "Secretary for Works" under a stone bust of Queen Victoria. Outer sculptures honour Art, Science, and Labour. An indoor statue depicts King Edward VII when he was the young Prince of Wales.
Splendid Historic Interior Rooms
Inside, fine woodwork made of polished Australian red cedar lines the doorways and staircases. Elaborate plaster mouldings frame ceilings, while decorative stone tiles cover the busy corridors. An antique wire-cage elevator shaft still travels through the tall central stairwell.
Sir Henry Parkes helped pick furnishings and oil paintings for the executive suites. The Executive Council Chamber looks much like it did during the nineteenth century. It displays bronze figures of leaders like Lord Palmerston, plus portraits of explorer James Cook. Many decorative showpieces came straight from the 1879 Sydney International Exhibition. In this room, leaders held the Australasian Federal Convention of 1891, drafting rules that united Australia.
Heritage Significance and Lasting Legacy
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The Chief Secretary's Building is a treasured landmark in New South Wales. State leaders like Charles Cowper and John Robertson worked here while shaping early public schools and land laws. Because the building served continuously since colonial days, its layers show how modern government evolved.
The structure preserves remarkable creative craftsmanship, from Simonetti's statues to Vernon's shining metal dome. A shiny blue plaque placed on the building honours Kathleen Butler. Known as the "Godmother of the Sydney Harbour Bridge", she managed the engineering office here during the bridge's construction.
See Also
- Australian non-residential architectural styles
- History of New South Wales
- History of Sydney
- Architecture of Sydney
- General Post Office, Sydney
Images for kids
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Coat of arms carved into the sandstone facade
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