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The Custom’s House is one of the most important heritage sites of Sydney. As a witness to first days of European settlement in Australia, the house had been an integral part in the social and cultural life of Sydney since 1845. The house sits on an area where the Eora community first saw the settlers trooping in, and since its inception, the house had been working as a doorway to the people and the merchandise entering Sydney. History of Custom’s House: The Customs House of Sydney had lived through a number of changes which have transformed it from a plain Georgian building to a fashionable neoclassical one. The building had been constructed in the 1840s to serve as the centre of customs operation in the Quay. However, with the turn of the century and the advent of aviation, the quay lost its importance as a customs operation zone. The Australian Customs services subsequently abandoned the old building in 1990, and the City of Sydney has since then been preserving it as one of the foremost heritage sites of Sydney. It was restored and equipped with modern amenities in 1994, and now stands as a principal attraction of Sydney. Customs House Today: Playing a key role in the European settlement in Sydney, the Customs House is now a bustling complex offering every form of amenity to the Sydney dwellers. The renovated Customs House spreads over several floors to guarantee a relaxing visit.
The stately building now includes- - A public library with an extensive collection of national and international titles
- A magazine and Internet room and lounge on the ground floor allows visitors to read the daily newspapers, both local and international
- A huge model of the city of Sydney is fixed below the glass floor
- Young Alfred, the ground floor restaurant of the House serves a delicious spread on the dining tables
- Cafe Sydney is another restaurant on the top floor of the building, offering excellent food and view of the city
- Barnet Long Room is a grand and spacious hall, ideal for parties and occasions
- The Custom Square is the building’s courtyard and can be hired for parties and commercial launches and events.
- The 4th floor has the City Exhibition Space which features an interactive exhibition tracing the development of Sydney's
- The world class interiors have won Customs House the NSW RAIA Interior Architecture Award in 2006. The building has also been credited by the lighting society for its wonderful lighting arrangement. Address
31 Alfred Street,
Circular Quay, NSW 2000
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