The main building is located on the east side of Macquarie Street in Sydney, the capital of New South Wales.

Built with the initial purpose of a public hospital, unlike the parliamentary buildings of Australia's other capital cities, Sydney's Parliament House is not grand in its architectural appearance.

The chamber is also decorated with seven busts, four depicting early presidents of the council in ceremonial dress and three of other prominent former members in Roman togas.

The building has a power co-generation unit that serves Sydney Hospital and the State Library of New South Wales as well as Parliament House.

[5] The oldest part of Parliament House was built first as the north wing of Governor Macquarie's "Rum Hospital".

As there was no funding from the British government, a contract to build the hospital was arranged involving convict labour and a monopoly on rum imports.

In 1829, the council's membership increased from five to 15 members, and it began to meet in the downstairs northern room of the surgeon's quarters from 21 August.

The walls, originally lined with packing boards covered with hessian and plastered, and the curved iron roof cause problems with acoustics, lighting and ventilation.

[8] In 1861, William Henry Lynn won a competition to redesign the Parliament House in Gothic Revival style, but the project was never completed for unknown reasons.

[9] In 1888, the foundation stone was laid for a new building which would have included a main entrance on Hunter Street (current location of the State Library of New South Wales), leading to a Grand Hall, and another one facing The Domain and the Harbour, with each side having about a 350 feet (110 m) long frontage.

[11] In 1897, another design was produced by Walter Liberty Vernon, which was to be located 240 feet (73 m) away from Macquarie Street, and stretch from Sydney Hospital to the statue of Governor Bourke (now in front of the State Library of New South Wales).

[16] In 1964 a document titled Report and Development Plans for the Eastern Side of Macquarie Street was prepared by the New South Wales Government Architect.

The Mint, Hyde Park Barracks and the Rum Hospital's northern building (part of the current Parliament House) were to be refurbished and adapted for reuse.

The proposed new Parliament House was planned with an extensive civic square with a massive fountain to terminate the view along Martin Place.

An Advisory Committee was established, representing both Houses and all political parties to determine accommodation needs for the Parliament.

To achieve this the construction was divided into a number of stages, including a temporary accommodation building on the parliamentary tennis court and bowling green.

In the main lift lobby Margaret Grafton's tapestry depicts the coat of arms of New South Wales.

Built just 20 years after first settlement, the hospital was part of Macquarie's sweeping building campaign which included schools, barracks, orphanages, churches and storehouses.

[1] The north wing was requisitioned and converted to accommodate the first NSW Parliament House in 1829 because it was the largest public building in New South Wales at that time.

Aside from its significance as the legislative arm of government in New South Wales, Parliament House has played a key role in the history of Australia as two important conventions were held to look at the issues of Federation of the colonies and the drafting of the Australian Constitution.

Parliament House is significant for its association with important social and political figures of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

The Legislative Council is a pre-fabricated cast-iron building, initially shipped to Melbourne from Glasgow, Scotland, before being sent to Sydney as one of the two parliamentary chambers and is still a seat of government in NSW today.

The centre wing, which was erected on poor foundations, was demolished in 1879 and the replacement building, the Sydney Hospital, was finished in 1894.

[1] Parliament House, Sydney was listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 19 April 2002 having satisfied the following criteria.

[1] The place is important in demonstrating aesthetic characteristics and/or a high degree of creative or technical achievement in New South Wales.

Built as part of Governor Macquarie's public building and town planning programs which established infrastructure for the colony.

In December 1792 Governor Phillip proclaimed the open space which became the Botanic Gardens, Domain, Hyde Park and Macquarie Street for government use.

[1] The place possesses uncommon, rare or endangered aspects of the cultural or natural history of New South Wales.