Treasury Building, Sydney, New South Wales

The Intercontinental Hotel is positioned near Circular Quay and the Opera House near Sydney Harbour.

In 1849, just before the NSW gold rush, a new building for the Colonial Treasurer and Auditor was commissioned from the Colonial Architect, Mortimer Lewis. The building, in the former garden of First Government House, was finished in 1851.

Its design owes a great deal to the Travellers Club of 1829 in London?s Pall Mall. The two separate offices were demarcated by an interior dividing wall.

The party wall was knocked down in 1873 when the Treasury took over the Audit Office?s area. The Government Architect, Walter Vernon, added a large fire-proof Strong Room for the safety of documents in 1896-8, and in 1898-1900 he provided a Link Building. The impressive Macquarie Street portico seen here, dates to these works of 1898-1900. The NSW Premier?s Department continued to be there until 1967.

In the 1980s when the governement offices were in some distress, the site was converted into a luxury hotel.