In the Parliament’s chambers, the past has a way of coming alive. 

In 1824, the order arrives from Westminster – a council must be formed to advise the Governor of New South Wales on proposed legislation.  

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Currency, smuggling, debts and the rights of convicts are urgent and divisive issues, demanding tact and compromise as well as a firm hand.  

A judge, a doctor, two soldiers and an explorer embark on the task of turning a penal colony into a nation… 

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Throughout 2024, Parliament of NSW proudly celebrated the Bicentenary of the NSW Legislative Council and the birth of Australia’s first legislature. 

To mark 200 years since the newly-established Council sat for the first time on 25 August 1824, Parliament held an Open House, a free event that allowed the public to explore the architecture and history of one of Australia’s oldest public buildings and take part in a range of activities, including a historical re-enactment of this first sitting. 

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Parliament commissioned  Deadhouse Productions to produce ‘The First Council: How a Modern Government was formed’ to introduce audiences to this significant moment in history.