Exploring the archaeology of the first Government House
Published on Thursday 19 December 2024
Donors joined Dr Aaron De Souza, Research Manager at Museums of History NSW, for a fascinating bespoke talk and behind-the-scenes viewing of a selection of the more than 140,000 archaeological finds from the site of Australia’s first Government House, where the Museum of Sydney stands today.
The opportunity to see Aboriginal and colonial-era artefacts up close brought the rich history of this site to life as we explored remains of the building itself as well as tangible traces of the events and activities that took place here. Donors learned about the extraordinary layers of history represented in the finds, from deep time (the millennia of First Nations occupation that preceded colonisation) to the original house built in 1788 – an important site of early contact between Aboriginal people and the colonists – and beyond.
I am delighted to share with you Aaron’s recent article ‘Excavating Australia’s first Government House’, which delves deeper into the collection. Aaron explains that as we celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Museum of Sydney in 2025, ‘Museums of History NSW is taking a fresh look at what lies beneath. By applying new perspectives and asking challenging questions of seemingly mundane objects, we gain a deeper understanding of a place where worlds collided and were transformed forever.’
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