Cadman’s Cottage, built in 1816, is Sydney’s oldest house. You can see it at 110 George Street, The Rocks.
This sandstone residence on the shore of Sydney Cove took two years to build and was constructed between 1815 and 1816. It is the only surviving smaller building from that time period when Sydney was first settled.
The building is of Georgian design, and was designated as the ‘Coxswain’s Barracks’, and was attached to Governor Macquarie’s stores and dockyard.
It gets its name from John Cadman, who was the last government Coxwain (pronounced Cox’un) to live there. A coxwain is a ship’s pilot… somebody who knows the harbour particularly well, and who goes out to incoming ships to help steer and guide them in safely to their assigned berth, or to the dockside where they will be unloaded or discharge their passengers.
Cadman’s Cottage now houses the Sydney Harbour National Parks Information Centre. You can book tours at the center to go and see Fort Denison (Pinchgut Island) and other tours of Sydney Harbour, such as the Heritage Tour of the ‘Gruesome Tour’.
Phone 02 9247-5033 for further details.
Picture Credit: Wikepedia.
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