Hyde Park Barracks Domes Restoration Project

The original drum structure was made up of short semi circular lengths of hardwood that were marked with handy roman numerals, to help workman build it on site. This tells us that the dome was probably prefabricated at the Sydney Lumber Yard, corner of Bridge and George Streets, before re-assembly at the Barracks in 1817-19. The present reconstruction has involved prefabrication by John Wallis of Noel T. Leach Builders. The components of the south dome will be assembled on site for the Domes Breakfast talks on Wednesday 29 June 2011. Photo Gary Crockett

Architects and historians turn up in all sorts of funny hats. The new ‘hat’ seen hovering above the guardhouse is a prototype dome assembly, here for a final fitting before going in for good. Great to get a sneak (although brief) glimpse. Issues were sorted in a matter of minutes, with the dome returned to the workshop for some last finicky adjustments. Photo Gary Crockett

map showing location of 11 Australian Convict Sites added to World Heritage List in 2010

The Historic Houses Trust’s decision to reconstruct the guardhouse domes follows the inclusion of Hyde Park Barracks (HPB) with ten other Australian Convict Sites on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Built to house the convicts engaged in Governor Macquarie’s ambitious public works program, the Barracks is itself a product or organized convict labour. Hyde Park Barracks interprets a significant aspect of the evolving Australian convict experience from 1788 to 1868 – the creation of the HPB compound represented the designation of places of incarceration. Previously the whole of the Australian continent had been regarded as a place of exile and, while military personnel were housed in barracks, convicts had been lodged throughout the town. The Barracks saw 50,000 convicts pass through its gates between 1819 and 1848.