February 2 – 6, 2024

As mentioned in the prior post, our outing for the day would be to the  Hyde Park Barracks, directly across the street from the park of the same name.  Joanna and I rode over in an Uber from the Tramsheds while the rest of the gang walked the roughly three miles it took to get there.  It was a very warm day, well above 90-degrees and we sat outside the entrance waiting somewhat uncomfortably until a friendly staff member came out to tell us we could come inside and relax in the cool air-conditioned splendor of the lobby. 

The Barracks are a heritage-listed former barracks, hospital, convict accommodation, mint, courthouse, and now museum and café originally constructed between 1817 and 1819 as a brick building and compound to house convict men and boys.  By the early 1800’s, the governor of New South Wales (Australia), Lachlan Macquarie, had become increasingly disturbed by the male convicts’ behavior in the streets after work.  Convicts had been allowed to find their own lodgings, however, Macquarie thought that barracks accommodation would improve the moral character of the men and increase their productivity.  To this end, Macquarie requested convict architect Francis Greenway to design barracks for 600 men.  Constructed by convicts, the foundation stone was laid by Macquarie on 6 April 1817 and the barracks were completed in 1819.  Macquarie was so impressed by Greenway’s design that he granted him a full pardon shortly after its completion.

Today the museum tells the stories of the thousands of men, women and children held or housed there, and the Aboriginal communities profoundly impacted by colonial expansion.  It is also known as the Mint Building and Hyde Park Barracks Group and Rum Hospital; Royal Mint – Sydney Branch; Sydney Infirmary and Dispensary; Queen’s Square Courts; Queen’s Square.   I found it to be a fascinating and compelling visit, examining the history of Australia through the eyes of those who stayed here, imagining their lives

Internally, the four rooms on each floor were hung with two rows of hammocks, with a 3-foot passage.  The room allowed for each hammock was 7 by 2 feet.  In this way, the long eastern rooms could sleep 70 men each, while 35 men slept in the smaller western rooms.  A view of one of the rooms confirmed just how confining sleeping in these quarters must have been. 

The cessation of convict transportation in 1840 saw a dwindling number of convicts to house.  By 1848, the numbers remaining did not warrant the use of such a large premise and the remaining convicts were removed to Cockatoo Island.  The Barracks became instead the Female Immigration Depot.  Occupying the first two floors, the Depot had the purpose of giving temporary shelter to newly arrived single females until they found positions.  Depending on the arrival of ships, the Depot could be overcrowded or almost vacant.  Single women were encouraged to immigrate to address labor shortages, particularly for maids and servants, and the gender imbalance evident in the Colony.

The Asylum for Infirm and Destitute Women used the top floor, between 1862 and 1886, to provide accommodation and care to 150 women with terminal illnesses who could not afford medical treatment; the senile, insane, and generally destitute women.  Both the Asylum and the Immigration Depot were managed by Matron Lucy Applewhaite-Hicks, who lived on the second floor with her family.  Overcrowding was a constant problem, and the Barracks ceased to provide accommodation in 1886 when the women were moved to new purpose-built facilities at Newington.

Local courts would use the building from that point on until 1975 when the Department of Public Works began extensive conservation works on the buildings that would lead to a series of museums that culminate in what we see today.  It was a fascinating and worthwhile visit and after, we grabbed a quick bite to eat across the street and then split up, Joanna to head over to St. James’s Cathedral and the rest of the gang made their way to the harbor for an afternoon beverage. 

To celebrate the end of the trip, and to enjoy a nice dining experience as we had been eating grab and go since Melbourne, we made reservations at the Little Snail, a French restaurant whose menu appealed to all of us.  Upon being seated, four of us took advantage of a reasonably priced 69Aus ($45) three course menu, which would prove to be the best choice for all.  First up of course would be drinks, starting with an array of cocktails and the bonus of a pitcher of Mimosas. 

I won’t go into all the choices we made, but for starters highlights were the Mushroom and Leek Crepe, the Pate Maison, and the Bouillabaisse de Marseille.  For Beverly it was one last Filet of Beef Tenderloin (Served with potato millefeuille and red wine jus), for Joanna the Loin of Lamb (with wilted baby spinach, maple glazed pommes boulangere and thyme jus) and for me the Cote de Veau (Veal tenderloin with champignon and chardonnay beurre Blanc, served with potato croquette and seasonal greens).

And finally, for dessert, we all enjoyed a Warm Sticky Date Pudding (with butterscotch and French vanilla ice cream), Classic Crème Caramel, Belgian Chocolate Gateau, and a Handmade Profiterole.  We couldn’t have asked for a better way to finish the trip, having experienced many of the same meat-based dishes, but generally without any sauce or upgraded presentation.  Our tab came to 448Aus ($291), less than $60 per person for all that food and alcohol.  Indeed, one pleasant highlight of the trip was how reasonable the food had been.  We’ll cover this more in our conclusion. 

Our flight home, non-stop to Los Angeles, was due to depart at 11:00 am so without having to rush we packed up and headed out to the airport three hours early.  Check in went smoothly and we passed the intervening time enjoying a final coffee and spending the last of our Australian dollars on duty free booze and small food items.  It is a long flight, but equivalent to what it would take us to fly to Europe from the west coast.  And so, our six weeks ended in fine fashion.  We will wrap up the trip in the next and final post. 

Links

Hyde Park Barracks: https://mhnsw.au/visit-us/hyde-park-barracks/

The Little Snail: https://www.thelittlesnail.com.au/