The story of this place
Convicts hand-carved this sandstone bench in 1810 for Elizabeth Macquarie, the governor's wife, who sat here watching for ships arriving from Britain. In an age when communication with 'home' took months or years, every sail on the horizon meant news, supplies, or perhaps someone she knew from a life half a world away. Her lonely vigil captures the isolation and longing of early colonial settlers. The spot still offers one of the most iconic views in the Southern Hemisphere—but imagine waiting months for a letter, hoping for a familiar face among the disembarking passengers.