National Trust Centre
Built in 1815 as a military hospital and later repurposed as the Fort Street Model School, this early example of adaptive reuse reflects early-19th-century shifts in architectural styles
10am–4pm
About the building
Located on Gadigal Country overlooking The Rocks, the former military hospital at Observatory Hill is among Sydney’s oldest surviving public buildings. Governor Lachlan Macquarie ordered its construction in 1815, and Lieutenant John Watts designed a two-storey Georgian building featuring wide verandahs to capture harbour breezes. By 1849, the site was transformed into Fort Street Model School, the first government coeducational school and a training institution for teachers. Colonial Architect Mortimer Lewis reimagined the hospital, removing its verandahs and creating a grand neoclassical facade with Corinthian columns and arched openings, giving the building its commanding civic presence.
In 1856, architect Henry Robertson added a sandstone classroom wing, now part of the SH Ervin Gallery. The Fort Street School educated generations until its relocation in the 1970s, after which the complex was entrusted to the National Trust of Australia (NSW). Today, the National Trust Centre and the SH Ervin Gallery preserve and interpret this heritage, while spaces such as the Annie Wyatt Room honour the Trust’s founder. The site remains a landmark of Sydney’s cultural and architectural history, while offering sweeping views across the CBD.
Built
1815
Architect
Lieutenant John Watts
Alterations
Mortimer Lewis, 1849; Henry Robertson, 1856
Acknowledgements
National Trust of Australia (NSW)
Find out more about this building here
National Trust Centre
Upper Fort Street, Observatory Hill
Entry details
Sydney Open visitors can explore the ground and first floor areas of one of Sydney’s oldest public buildings, with two exhibition rooms highlighting the National Trust’s collections of furniture, objects and archives. Next to the main centre is the SH Ervin Gallery, featuring the Portia Geach Memorial exhibition; please note that a separate entry charge applies to visit the gallery, not covered by the Sydney Open ticket
10am–4pm
3.30pm
Need to know
Accessible featuresThe ground floor is accessible from the car park level. The upper levels are not open for viewing. Accessible toilet available
Toilets availableBaby changing facilities
Photography allowedFood and drink availableNational Trust Café
