Hmmm... 'All welcome' said the sign…read more Walked up the steps to find a locked door, barred windows, and not a sign of opening hours in sight. I'm confused. There's a sign 'Heritage and Visitor's Centre'. It is right next to St Patrick's Cathedral, a small plaque outlines a brief history of the place, it's obviously kept up. But not open. Not searchable on the Cathedral's website. It's not like there's a lack of heritage either. 200 years or so. The Cathedral site once housed the country's first convent, early schools. A shame. If that's anyone's idea of 'welcome', you've got me stumped.

I returned under lowering skies, armed with comfortable shoes and a handy map from the Heritage…read moreCentre. Past the foreshore up to the Queen's Wharf Reserve, round to Hambledon Cottage, Elizabeth Farm and Experiment Farm, the walk itself is clearly marked by yellow signs dotted along the streets. It is a strange experience, seeing built up cityscape in front of you while keeping old photographs and descriptions in mind. Bifocal timewalking, I'll call it. Pleasantly disorienting. With so much to see, I've written separate reviews for the attractions mentioned above, but would like to express my appreciation for the effort the local Council obviously has taken with making visible their local history. I was trailed by a couple of school groups, noisily trudging their way around what seems a much less boring school history excursion than many I remember. Explorers Tree for the 5th time? The Heritage Walk is great kids, trust me, it could be worse. With rain starting to spatter, I snuck off the track after Experiment Farm, so I didn't make it through the main street of Harris Farm proper, or past the barracks. Although, next school hols, I suspect I'll be trailing some little feet along behind me.

We went to Old Government House in Parramatta to soak in the local history. The tour guide there…read moregave me the sweet tip to check out archaeological ruins of convict hut on the way back to the train station - totally worth it!!! It's easy to miss if you don't know what you are looking for - the V hotel. The entrance is above street grade, but you will see the dig site below you, as you walk up the steps. It's impressive enough from above, but look for a door to go straight down to the exhibit, just right of the outdoor cafe seating. An elevator is available, too. Lots of good information boards. The site just opened this month (Dec 2017). What a treat! Read more about it here: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/business/remains-of-200yearold-wheatsheaf-hotel-unearthed-during-excavations-in-parramatta/news-story/1d166328b32652cb4a752a8fb5a90c0f

This spot, being also part of the now Judges Precinct, is actually part of the old Nursing school…read moreand associated buildings and as such, was formally named to reflect that! How DARE anyone "rename" it as "Phillip Ruddock Heritage Centre" as it had nothing to do with him!!

Part of the Harris Park Heritage Walk, Queen's Wharf Reserve marks the spot where Governor Phillip…read morefirst landed in Parramatta. It can't help having, to me, a kind of eerie vibe. It's a lovely patch of green space by the foreshore, mangroves at the edges, waterbirds picking long-leggedly, lots of shade to sit under. But with even an ounce of imagination, it becomes a very historically fraught place, one which makes me think about the changes this spot of land and its people have undergone. To add to the, perhaps unwitting memorial-type atmosphere, there's actual memorials to the HMAS Parramatta(s) and their crews too. For me though, it's the implied memorial that gets to me. All the peoples of the past, most never recorded, who walked along the foreshores and who met each other here. The often disastrous consequences of those meetings. How the landscape itself has become shaped and manicured, lost its wildness. A place to think, and to remember.

We went to Old Government House in Parramatta to soak in the local history. I knew that a lot of…read moreinvestment went into the suburb, and was curious about the train stop on the way to the CBD. Did not realize the significant history Parramatta played in the survival of the original colony. This house was the seat of major agricultural work that produced food that fed Sydney. We paid for the volunteer led tour ($14?) and was pleased by the quality of information provided. Our guide was kind enough to allow the young boy in our group unlock the tour with the large key and ring the bell :) You can see the care that this group has put towards preserving this space. If you like history, and don't mind a trip to the Western suburbs, I would definitely recommend the visit to Parramatta Park and Old Government House.

From the owner: Wander through the elegant Georgian house, get up close to rare colonial furniture, textiles and…read morehomewares, and hear the real stories of convicts and the first ten Governors of New South Wales. Bring a picnic to enjoy in the surrounding parklands overlooking Parramatta River.

In 1996 St Patrick's burnt down, churches, perhaps unsurprisingly, are often targets of arson. I…read moreread an article once about the artists invited to help rebuild this historic cathedral, and was curious to see what they had done. I'm not a church-goer, and certainly not a Catholic, but don't mind the odd trip to a church for historical interest. In the lack of a Chartres, we have to make the most of what we've got. The gates in front of the doors give you the first clue that you're in for something different. Modern metalwork, like empty stained glass windows, they're striking. I quietly made sure there was no service on (there's no sign at the front specifying visiting times, only that you don't enter when in liturgical use, and to respect the sanctity of the place, which is fair enough). Inside, which is the old cathedral, is lighter, and more open than I expected, with stained plexi-glass windows now. To the left is a life size statue of Mary Mackillop (now sainted) with flowers offered in front of her. As I crept down the sides, curious to see the little chapels, one has a very flayed medieval-medical illustration version of the Jesus with visible heart theme, another a very old sculpture of the madonna, I walked past some brushed glass doors and nearly jumped out of my skin when I spied a blurry priest inside. Confession boxes that look like booths at a Specsavers. The new Cathedral, built to the left, is minimalist in design, all pale wood with a lightfixture/artwork of the crown of thorns taking up most of the visual space in the centre. The lowkey pulpit is centre, ground level, which is quite a change (and change of meaning) compared to traditional church architecture. Interesting.

On a historical wander around Parramatta, I thought I'd better do the dutiful thing, and check this…read moreout. Was surprised to find one of the best local history exhibitions I'd ever trod my weary way in to. In through the glass doors and I was met by a cheery smile from the gentleman staffing the Visitor Info counter and by a welcome blast of arctic-level aircon. Twas rather warm. Past the old (mail?) cart and a giant photo of Lennox Bridge (just outside) in times previous, down a somewhat underlit corridor and I found myself in the 'Parramatta People and Place' exhibition. With an emphasis on migrant contribution and a larger than usual recognition of Indigenous history (although it never really feels enough), the exhibit presents a wonderful collation of poignant objects and info spanning the history of the city. There's a lace christening gown made by convict women at Darlinghurst jail, who were later housed in the infamous Parramatta Female Factory. Leather shoes found in an archaeological dig. An artwork reconising the work of the nine Swann sisters - you don't see CV's like 'wife, mother, dentist, activist for international peace' often enough. There's a haunting poem by Oodgeroo Noonuccal honouring the Darug people, and the photo of Samuel Marsden, the notorious 'flogging preacher' which shows he had a drunkard's nose. The exhibition's free, there's a lovely spot to sit overlooking the river while the kids play on a big pirate ship, and a moving exhibition upstairs about the Chinese community's part in local history next to the Local Studies and Family History Library. A real treasure.

I had to write a piece on an historical site and decided to write about the Female Factory at…read moreParramatta - an unused site (except for parts that are now Cumberland Hospital) that used to be a gaol in colonial times. A friend and I went to the actual site to see what it was like for ourselves, took a few photos etc, but because it was unused there was no information we could have gotten other than from our own observations. Luckily, Parramatta Heritage Centre is like a miniature museum cum historical library with all the information I could possibly need for this paper. They also have exhibitions on site, and a permanent one called Parramatta: People and Place which is all about the Burramatta Aboriginal people and European settlement of the area. The information centre upstairs is volunteer run, and I have to say they are amazing people - I don't think people realise how much of a good job they do here. The man I spoke to was a great storyteller, providing me with a verbal account of what he knew of the Female Factory and pointing me towards some great sources. It's a great opportunity to find out more about the area, meet tons of interesting people, or like me, research and write up a decent essay.