Before your visit: Get Ready to Explore
Welcome, History Detectives!
Before travelling back in time to colonial Sydney, let’s get ready for our investigation. Where is Hyde Park Barracks? Who lived there? What clues can we find about life over 200 years ago?
Complete the activities below to prepare for your virtual excursion!
Where are we going?
Hyde Park Barracks
Queens Square, Macquarie Street, Sydney NSW 2000
Traditional Country: Gadigal Country
Your Detective Mission:
Look closely at the map and answer the questions below in your history notebook.
1. Find Hyde Park Barracks on the map. What street is it on?
2. Identify a nearby landmark. What is its name?
3. Why do you think the Barracks was built near the centre of colonial Sydney?
Begin your Investigation!
Where are we going?
Hyde Park Barracks stands on Macquarie Street in Sydney, on Gadigal Country. It opened in 1819 and first housed male convicts.
Your Mission:
1. Find Hyde Park Barracks on a map of Sydney.
2. Name one nearby landmark.
3. Why might this location have been important in colonial Sydney?
Travel back in time
Hyde Park Barracks was designed by convict architect Francis Greenway and opened in 1819. Convicts lived here while working in colonial Sydney.
Your Mission:
1. Who designed Hyde Park Barracks?
2. What year did it open?
3. How many years ago was that?
4. Why do you think convicts were housed together?
Look for historical clues
Historians study sources to learn about people from the past. Look closely at the photograph of the convict sleeping quarters.
SEE: What objects and details can you see?
THINK: What do you think it was like to sleep here?
WONDER: What question would you like to ask about convict life?
Key word flashcards
Master these key historical terms before starting your investigation at Hyde Park Barracks. Read each word and test your understanding of what it meant in colonial Sydney.
Convict
A person found guilty of a crime and sentenced to serve time, often transported overseas from Britain to penal colonies in Australia to work on government and private projects.
Barracks
A large, secure building or complex of buildings designed to house a large number of people together, such as soldiers or convict workers, under close supervision.
Artefact
An object made, used, or modified by humans in the past. Archaeologists found thousands of items hidden under the floorboards at Hyde Park Barracks, including clothing, tools, and pipes.
Primary source
Firsthand evidence created during the historical period being studied, such as diary entries, original building plans, colonial letters, and physical objects.
Before we explore the Barracks
Before you start your virtual excursion, let’s learn a bit more about Hyde Park Barracks!
Standing on Gadigal Country in Sydney, Hyde Park Barracks opened in 1819 and first housed male convicts. Today, it is a museum where you can explore historical objects, photographs, and stories to learn what life was like in the past.
As you explore, remember to think like a historian: look closely, ask questions, and search for evidence!
Think like a historian
Historians act like detectives, investigating the past using historical sources.
Before your visit, think about these questions:
- What do you already know about convicts in Australia?
- Why do you think people built Hyde Park Barracks?
- What objects or clues could help us understand convict life?
- What would you like to discover during your virtual excursion?
Share your ideas with a partner or write them in your history notebook.
Your first challenge!
Before exploring Hyde Park Barracks, look closely at the building in the photograph.
Imagine you are a historian seeing this building for the first time. What can its appearance tell you about the past?
SEE: Describe two features you see on the building.
THINK: Why do you think the builders used strong materials like brick and stone?
WONDER: Write one question you want to investigate during your virtual excursion.
Write your answers in your history notebook and share your ideas with a partner.
