Sydney Opera House conservation plan

–6–5. Detail from a Charles Baylissphotographic panorama ofSydney from the Garden Palacetower in 1879. Reading northalong the Bennelong Point spineare the stables, governmenthouse and Fort Macquarie.National Library of Australia.The fort was intended to prevent clandestine departures from SydneyCove as well as repel ‘surprise… attacks from an enemy’ (ML, A3251,dispatch 25.3.1819).The sixteenth of December 1817 was arguably the most satisfying dayof Macquarie’s official life. Mr Commissioner Bigge had not yet arrivedto blight his public works program, he had breakfasted with friends tocelebrate the completion of Greenway’s South Head Light (namedMacquarie Tower) and on his return he had stoppedat Bennelong’s Point where the ceremony was performedof laying the foundation stone of the new fort… andwhich was this day named Fort Macquarie.At 3 p.m. this same day I also laid the foundation stoneof the new stable for Government House, etc, etc,…This being altogether a very interesting day and an auspiciousone, I presented Mr Greenway… his emancipationdated this day, it being delivered to him at MacquarieTower this morning before breakfast. (Ellis, 77, quotingMacquarie’s Journal, 16.12.1817).The third and largest element to be placed on the Bennelong Pointridge was to be Macquarie’s government house. Fort, stables andhouse were to provide a grand Picturesque composition both from theharbour and from viewpoints on the walk earlier designed by MrsMacquarie around Farm Cove to her ‘chair’ on Anson Point. The housewas never built but Greenway cited the source of his design asThornbury Castle, Gloucestershire (Australian, 4.4.1825). In 1803 Greenwayhad exhibited a work titled ‘Thornbury Castle restored…’ at the RoyalAcademy, so it is clear that he was familiar with the place (Kerr, Joan,