Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
each New South Welsh man and woman who served. There's a sobering museum, and the
Pool of Remembrance and Rayner Hoff's sculpture
Sacrifice
are particularly poignant.
Pines at the southwestern entry grew from seeds gathered at Gallipoli in Turkey, the site
of the Anzacs' most renowned battle.
ST MARY'S CATHEDRAL
Built to last, this 106m-long Gothic Revival megalith was begun in 1868, consecrated in
1905 and substantially finished in 1928, but the massive, 75m-high spires weren't added
until 2000. The crypt has an impressive terrazzo mosaic floor depicting the Creation, in-
spired by the Celtic-style illuminations of the
Book of Kells
.
CHURCH
The best time to visit is in the early morning and late afternoon, when the sun streams
through the side stained-glass windows (made in Birmingham, England). That's because
this cathedral has an unusual north-south orientation rather than the traditional east-west
one (facing the rising sun), due to its size and the lie of the land.
HYDE PARK BARRACKS
Convict architect Francis Greenway designed this squarish, decorously Georgian structure
(1819) as convict quarters. It later became an immigration depot, a women's asylum and a
law court. These days it's a fascinating (if not entirely cheerful) museum, focusing on the
barracks' history and the archaeological efforts that helped uncover it.
MUSEUM
In 2010 it was one of the Australian convict sites to be inscribed on the UNESCO
World Heritage list. Inside you can learn about the offences for which convicts were trans-
ported to Australia, some of which seem astoundingly petty today.
ST JAMES' CHURCH
James)
Built from convict bricks, Sydney's oldest church (1819) is another Francis Green-
way extravaganza. It was originally designed as a courthouse, but the brief changed: 'Hey
Frank, we need an Anglican church!' The cells became the crypt. Check out the dark-
wood choir loft, the sparkling copper dome, the crypt shop and the cool stained-glass
'Creation Window' from renovations in the 1950s.
CHURCH
Free classical concerts happen at 1.15pm on Wednesdays between March and Decem-
ber. See the website or call for details on daily services.
