1804: The British Empire established a settlement in Hobart.
1805: Governor Collins moved into the first Government House. A new wooden hut in Barrack Square. It was extended with local bricks.
1817: A new Government House was built at the junction of Macquarie Street and Elizabeth Street. Two stories with servants’ quarters and a coach house and stables.
1818: Governor Sorell called an area the Government Domain and Garden.
The Government Domain was a very important military site. It housed the Queens Battery, provided good views of any maritime activity and housed precious gunpowder.
At the time the Governor held a very senior military rank. The Governor needed to live and work near the main military spots.
1842: The grand design proposed by famed convict architect, James Blackburn was accepted and construction began using convict labour and sandstone quarried from the grounds.
1844: A dispatch from the colonial secretary instructed Franklin’s successor , Sir John Eardley – Wilmot to cease the construction and to pull down the walls that had already been erected and to fill in the cellar and foundation excavations.
1855: Construction of the present Government House begins. Designed by the Director of Public Works and colonial architect William Porden Kay, it is a fine example of an early Victorian country house in Gothic Revival style and is one of the largest of its type in Australia.
Sandstone was quarried on site (the excavated holes were made into ornamental pools), cedar and teak were recycled from an old ship, and slate for the roof was imported from Wales.
Furniture was imported from London at Kay’s insistence because he considered there was nothing in the old Government House that was suitable for the new mansion..
1857: Construction was completed.
The 73 room building is in the early Victorian style or neo-Gothic style or Victorian Gothic style.
An asymmetrical two story building of brown and white sandstone. Multi gabled facades with two story bay windows. 3 towers and numerous chimneys. Interior includes the main ballroom with high vaulted timber ceilings.
Much of the furniture ordered especially for the house and shipped out from England is still in daily use.
Outstanding exterior features of the house include bas-relief architectural sculptures, exceptional stonework, and individually carved sandstone chimney pots. The House also features ornately designed English gardens.
The main parts of the construction was completed in 1857 and on the 2 January 1858 Sir Henry Fox Young became the first Governor to take up residence. Internal finishing was completed over the following two years.
1991: The conservatory, which was rebuilt.
Set amongst 37 acres of gardens and sweeping lawns. The garden includes many stone buildings including and an observatory built in 1840 and a lake. The picturesque gardens combine with the building and the setting to create outstanding views. Behind the outbuildings is a large vegetable garden which supplies produce for all the official functions.
Tasmania's Government House is today regarded as one of the best Vice-Regal residences in the Commonwealth. The scale, detail and finish of the entrance hall, grand corridor and state rooms together with their furniture are unequalled in Australia.
2003: Controversy accompanied the appointment of Richard Butler as Governor. He was a former UN weapons inspector and prominent republican. His appointment as the Queen’s representative went from bemusement to unworkable and he eventually resigned.
Today: Government house is home of the Queen’s Representative (the Governor).
There is a public open day once a year and many small official ceremonies for people receiving awards and ceremonies to welcome specific groups to Tasmania. These ceremonies are by invitation only. Most ceremonies are in the gardens or the ball room. I have been to one such ceremony and on the day, like most people, the ceremony was more important than the building. I spent very little time admiring the building, furniture, art works and the grounds.
When wandering on the Domain it is unlikely that will get access to the house or gardens. They are in a very public spot. Very visible and very inaccessible.
Around the world there are palaces and vice-regal homes which are open to the people throughout the year. The government house in Hobart is not. Unlike the adjacent Botanical Gardens, you cannot just turn up and wander around the house or gardens. They have elaborate fences and are open to the public on a few special occasions when very large crowds turn up to view the grandeur and opulence.
Been home to nearly 30 Tasmanian governors.
http://www.govhouse.tas.gov.au/
1805: Governor Collins moved into the first Government House. A new wooden hut in Barrack Square. It was extended with local bricks.
1817: A new Government House was built at the junction of Macquarie Street and Elizabeth Street. Two stories with servants’ quarters and a coach house and stables.
1818: Governor Sorell called an area the Government Domain and Garden.
The Government Domain was a very important military site. It housed the Queens Battery, provided good views of any maritime activity and housed precious gunpowder.
At the time the Governor held a very senior military rank. The Governor needed to live and work near the main military spots.
1842: The grand design proposed by famed convict architect, James Blackburn was accepted and construction began using convict labour and sandstone quarried from the grounds.
1844: A dispatch from the colonial secretary instructed Franklin’s successor , Sir John Eardley – Wilmot to cease the construction and to pull down the walls that had already been erected and to fill in the cellar and foundation excavations.
1855: Construction of the present Government House begins. Designed by the Director of Public Works and colonial architect William Porden Kay, it is a fine example of an early Victorian country house in Gothic Revival style and is one of the largest of its type in Australia.
Sandstone was quarried on site (the excavated holes were made into ornamental pools), cedar and teak were recycled from an old ship, and slate for the roof was imported from Wales.
Furniture was imported from London at Kay’s insistence because he considered there was nothing in the old Government House that was suitable for the new mansion..
1857: Construction was completed.
The 73 room building is in the early Victorian style or neo-Gothic style or Victorian Gothic style.
An asymmetrical two story building of brown and white sandstone. Multi gabled facades with two story bay windows. 3 towers and numerous chimneys. Interior includes the main ballroom with high vaulted timber ceilings.
Much of the furniture ordered especially for the house and shipped out from England is still in daily use.
Outstanding exterior features of the house include bas-relief architectural sculptures, exceptional stonework, and individually carved sandstone chimney pots. The House also features ornately designed English gardens.
The main parts of the construction was completed in 1857 and on the 2 January 1858 Sir Henry Fox Young became the first Governor to take up residence. Internal finishing was completed over the following two years.
1991: The conservatory, which was rebuilt.
Set amongst 37 acres of gardens and sweeping lawns. The garden includes many stone buildings including and an observatory built in 1840 and a lake. The picturesque gardens combine with the building and the setting to create outstanding views. Behind the outbuildings is a large vegetable garden which supplies produce for all the official functions.
Tasmania's Government House is today regarded as one of the best Vice-Regal residences in the Commonwealth. The scale, detail and finish of the entrance hall, grand corridor and state rooms together with their furniture are unequalled in Australia.
2003: Controversy accompanied the appointment of Richard Butler as Governor. He was a former UN weapons inspector and prominent republican. His appointment as the Queen’s representative went from bemusement to unworkable and he eventually resigned.
Today: Government house is home of the Queen’s Representative (the Governor).
There is a public open day once a year and many small official ceremonies for people receiving awards and ceremonies to welcome specific groups to Tasmania. These ceremonies are by invitation only. Most ceremonies are in the gardens or the ball room. I have been to one such ceremony and on the day, like most people, the ceremony was more important than the building. I spent very little time admiring the building, furniture, art works and the grounds.
When wandering on the Domain it is unlikely that will get access to the house or gardens. They are in a very public spot. Very visible and very inaccessible.
Around the world there are palaces and vice-regal homes which are open to the people throughout the year. The government house in Hobart is not. Unlike the adjacent Botanical Gardens, you cannot just turn up and wander around the house or gardens. They have elaborate fences and are open to the public on a few special occasions when very large crowds turn up to view the grandeur and opulence.
Been home to nearly 30 Tasmanian governors.
http://www.govhouse.tas.gov.au/
