The Customs House is a historical landmark in Sydney, situated on the Circular Quay. Built between 1844 and 1845, it was the main administrative building of the Customs Department until 1990. It was then was taken over by the Sydney City Council and was used for exhibitions and private events. And after a major refurbishment in 2003, it also housed the Sydney City Library.
In the basement of the building is a model of Sydney's central business district measuring 4.2 x 9.5 metres, which can be viewed from above through a glass floor. The mock-up, which weighs one tonne, was built in 1998. You can also see paintings and photographs of the building itself, created throughout its throughout its history.
It's said that it was from this spot that the Eora Aborigines watched the First Flotilla the arrival of the First Flotilla in Sydney Harbour in 1788. It was also here, in 1790. the convict David O'Connor was hanged here, and his spirit is said to still roam around the Custom House, offering a glass of rum to all comers.
The sandstone building on Circular Quay was initiated by Colonel John Nathaniel Gibbs, Chief of Customs for a record 25 years - from 1834 to 1859. He persuaded the Governor of the colony of New South Wales George Gipps, citing the growing turnover of Sydney's maritime trade. The two-storey Georgian-style mansion was designed by architect Mortimer Lewis. Its highlight was the 13 huge windows on the façade, which provided a panoramic views of Sydney Harbour and the ships passing through it. Colonel Gibbs himself, who lived in the house opposite, could watch the construction of the Customs House from the verandah of his Wotonga estate (now the Admiralty Building).
In 1887, the building was partially demolished and enlarged to three storeys under the direction of James Barnett, the architect. Over the next century, various elements were added to the Over the next century, various elements were added to it, most notably during the World War I, but the main parts of the Customs House have been preserved in their original form.
