Sydney Customs House Museum: Georgian Architecture

Customs House, Sydney, NSW, is located in the heart of Circular Quay, within easy access of The Rocks, Sydney Harbour and The Sydney Opera House.

Customs House, Sydney, is located in the heart of Circular Quay, within easy access of The Rocks, Sydney Harbour and The Sydney Opera House.

Customs House was the entry point for newly arrived goods, people and ideas flowing into Sydney.

Today, Customs House, Sydney, is a heritage-listed museum space, visitor attraction, commercial building and performance space. There are galleries, a museum, bars and cafes.

Custom House, George-street, Sydney, 1827-1830,
This building was subsequently used as the Post Office, hence the mail couch in the picture, which is
reproduced from an engraving made in 1S33. Sydney Mail (NSW : 1912 - 1938), Wednesday 19 September 1917

Designed by colonial architect Mortimer Lewis, the current Customs House, was built in 1845.

The formation of Circular Quay
was reported in the "Herald" on
September 28, 1840. The construc-
tion was done by convicts, many of
whom laboured in chains. (1,)

From the 1860s, Customs House was surrounded by wool stores, warehouses, inns and the bustling activities of a busy port.

The 'Star of Peace' moored at East Circular Quay, Sydney, NSW, in the 1860s, SLSA

Customs House, Circular Quay, NSW, 1870, SLNSW

Customs House set back off Alfred St...Circular Quay, Sydney...1875-1878 (State Library NSW)

Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), Friday 25 May 1894

Customs House was enlarged by James Barnet from 1883–1889: A grander portico entrance, and an extra floor, a clock and two wings along the sides, were added.

This horsebus was captured outside Customs House at Circular Quay, Sydney, NSW, in 1900.National Archives of Australia

 SHIP INN, CIRCULAR QUAY, ABOUT TO BE PULLED DOWN.Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1871 - 1912), Saturday 21 September 1901 (the original
Ship Inn, which was built about 1860 on reclaimed ground, of which it is said the old ship '' Governor Bligh" formed the foundation)

Circular Quay and Customs House, Sydney, NSW, 1902, Powerhouse

YOUNG-STREET, CUSTOM HOUSECORNER, TERMINUS OP THE NEW TEAM CIRCLE., Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1871 - 1912), Wednesday 13 May 1903

Customs House, Circular Quay, Dated: c.1903, Museums NSW

CIRCULAR QUAY, LOOKING NORTH-WEST FROM THE CUSTOMS HOUSE. Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1871 - 1912), Wednesday 13 May 1903

Panorama of Circular Quay, Sydney, NSW, from a ship's mast, 1903, by Melvin Vaniman, SLNSW

Men looking at vehicles including tram cars and a 1913 Caldwell Vale motorised tractor displayed in Sydney, N.S.W. during 'Manufacturers Day'. According to a researcher, this was probably in preparation for a parade in front of the Customs House and looking towards East Circular Quay. The building at the right is probably the Goldsborough Mort warehouse, which is the site of today's AMP building.

Building : the magazine for the architect, builder, property owner and merchant.Vol. 22, No. 133 (12 Sept., 1918)

The historic Circular Quay  
is not the least of Sydney’s beauty spots,  
and all credit is due to the Harbor Trust  
in their past efforts to make the structures  
on the Quay of utility, artistic as well as  
purposeful. In the centre of the picture  
there long has stood the dignified and  
handsome Customs House, which, in re-  
spect to its architecture, stood out in bold  
prominence, beautiful to the eye and sub-  
stantial as befitted its public purpose.  
With such a basis to work on it is incom-  
prehensible how any architect could have  
produced such an abhorrent, unsightly  
excresence as that lately attached to the  
Customs House.
Building : the magazine for the architect, builder, property owner and merchant.Vol. 22, No. 133 (12 Sept., 1918)

CIRCULAR QUAY, SYDNEY, TAKEN From THE AIR. Australasian (Melbourne, Vic. : 1864 - 1946), Saturday 9 September 1922

Newcastle Sun (NSW : 1918 - 1954), Monday 9 November 1931 (During the Great Depression)

'TOASTRACK' TRAM IN FRONT OF CUSTOMS HOUSE, CIRCULAR QUAY, SYDNEY< NSW, 1941, RAHS

Using a giant hammer in much the same way as a pile-driver,
workmen are now busy demolishing the air raid shelters outside
the Customs House at Circular Quay.
The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954) Thu 27 Jun 1946

Circular Quay, NSW, Australian Women's Weekly (1933 - 1982), Wednesday 4 December 1957

Around Custom House

Customs House, Sydney, NSW

Customs House, Sydney, NSW

Places To Go

City of Sydney Customs House
31 Alfred Street
Sydney
CONTACTS
9242 8551
General admission is free.

Customs House

 History walks