Description of the attraction
Adjacent to the Royal Botanic Gardens is Domain Park, which sprawls over 34 hectares on the eastern end of Sydney's CBD. Today it is a popular place for various concerts and festivals in the open air, as well as just for family recreation of the townspeople.
In July 1788, six months after Arthur Phillip's flotilla entered Sydney Harbor, a small farm was established on the eastern side of the bay. Subsequently, by order of Governor Phillip, an open area for the exclusive use of the Governor was reserved near the farm, called "Phillip's Estate". Despite the fact that in 1792 a ditch was dug around the property to mark its borders, in the following years, the territory of the park was invaded more than once. In 1810, Lachlan Macwire, who became the new governor of the colony, erected a stone wall around the Government Building and the park, separating this area from Hyde Park. After another 7 years, the Domain was already completely fenced, and several gates were built to regulate the horse-drawn traffic. It was only in the 1830s that the park was opened to the public, and the square adjacent to the Government Building was occupied by the Government Gardens. Almost immediately, mass sports events, such as cricket matches, began to be held in the park, despite the fact that they continued to graze livestock here!
Since the 1860s, Domain has been open to the public at night as well - people spent warm summer evenings here, and the park became known as "The Park Whose Gates Never Close". In the future, the park more than once became the site of historical performances, so in 1935 the Czech journalist Igon Kisch addressed a crowd of 18 thousand people with a speech about the danger of the Nazi regime of Nazi Germany.
Domain is still popular with Sydney residents today. On weekends, its tracks are packed with joggers, and soccer and soccer competitions are held on the lawns. An interesting attraction in the park is the Mrs. McQuire Chair, carved out of stone for the wife of Governor Lachlan Macwire. Sitting in it, she could inspect the surroundings and the ships passing in Sydney Harbor. Here, on the territory of the park, there is a place where Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain first set foot on the land of Australia - a memorial plaque immortalizes the historical event.
On the east side of Domain Park is the Art Gallery of New South Wales, and not far from it is an open-air swimming pool. The center of the park offers fantastic views of the Sydney TV Tower.
