Mrs Macquarie's Chair
Encyclopedia
Mrs Macquarie's Chair is an exposed sandstone
rock cut into the shape of a bench
, on a peninsula in Sydney Harbour
, hand carved by convicts from sandstone in 1810 for Governor Macquarie's wife Elizabeth
. The peninsula itself is named Mrs Macquaries Point. It is located at the end of Mrs Macquaries Road which is part of the The Domain
, near the Royal Botanic Gardens
.
Mrs Macquarie was the wife of Major-General Lachlan Macquarie
, Governor of New South Wales from 1810 to 1821. Folklore has it that she used to sit on the rock and watch for ships from Great Britain
sailing into the harbour. She was known to visit the area and sit enjoying the panoramic views of the harbour.
The peninsula sits between the Garden Island
peninsula to the east and Bennelong Point (where the Sydney Opera House
resides) to the west. The chair itself faces north-east towards Fort Denison and the Pacific Ocean
. The area around it on Mrs Macquaries Point is a popular lookout position for the view to the north-west of the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge
.
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
rock cut into the shape of a bench
Bench (furniture)
A bench is a piece of furniture, on which several people may sit at the same time. Benches are typically made of wood, but may also be made of metal, stone, or synthetic materials. Many benches have arm and back rests; some have no back rest and can be sat on from either side. In public areas,...
, on a peninsula in Sydney Harbour
Port Jackson
Port Jackson, containing Sydney Harbour, is the natural harbour of Sydney, Australia. It is known for its beauty, and in particular, as the location of the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge...
, hand carved by convicts from sandstone in 1810 for Governor Macquarie's wife Elizabeth
Elizabeth Macquarie
Elizabeth Macquarie was the second wife of Lachlan Macquarie who served as Governor of New South Wales from 1810 to 1821. She played a significant role in the establishment of the colony and is recognised in the naming of numerous Australian landmarks including Mrs Macquarie's Chair, Campbelltown...
. The peninsula itself is named Mrs Macquaries Point. It is located at the end of Mrs Macquaries Road which is part of the The Domain
The Domain, Sydney
The Domain is 34 hectares of open space in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is located on the eastern edge of the Sydney central business district, near Woolloomooloo. The Domain adjoins the Royal Botanic Gardens and is managed by the Royal Botanic Gardens Trust, a division of the New South...
, near the Royal Botanic Gardens
Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney
The Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney, Australia, are the most central of the three major botanical gardens open to the public in Sydney....
.
Mrs Macquarie was the wife of Major-General Lachlan Macquarie
Lachlan Macquarie
Major-General Lachlan Macquarie CB , was a British military officer and colonial administrator. He served as the last autocratic Governor of New South Wales, Australia from 1810 to 1821 and had a leading role in the social, economic and architectural development of the colony...
, Governor of New South Wales from 1810 to 1821. Folklore has it that she used to sit on the rock and watch for ships from Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
sailing into the harbour. She was known to visit the area and sit enjoying the panoramic views of the harbour.
The peninsula sits between the Garden Island
Garden Island, New South Wales
Garden Island is an inner-city locality of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located to the north-east of the Sydney central business district, north of the suburb of Potts Point....
peninsula to the east and Bennelong Point (where the Sydney Opera House
Sydney Opera House
The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in the Australian city of Sydney. It was conceived and largely built by Danish architect Jørn Utzon, finally opening in 1973 after a long gestation starting with his competition-winning design in 1957...
resides) to the west. The chair itself faces north-east towards Fort Denison and the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
. The area around it on Mrs Macquaries Point is a popular lookout position for the view to the north-west of the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge
Sydney Harbour Bridge
The Sydney Harbour Bridge is a steel through arch bridge across Sydney Harbour that carries rail, vehicular, bicycle and pedestrian traffic between the Sydney central business district and the North Shore. The dramatic view of the bridge, the harbour, and the nearby Sydney Opera House is an iconic...
.