Mrs. Macquarie’s Chair is an exposed sandstone rock cut into the shape of a bench, on a peninsula in the Sydney Botanical Gardens, hand carved by convicts from sandstone in 1810 for Governor Macquarie’s wife Elizabeth. The peninsula itself is named Mrs. Macquaries Point. It is located at the end of Mrs. Macquaries Road near the Royal Botanical Gardens
Mrs. Macquarie was the wife of Major-General Lachlan Macqaurie, Governor of New South Wales from 1810 to 1821. According to local folklore, Mrs. Macquaire used to sit on the rock and watch for ships from England sailing into the harbor. She was known to enjoy the panoramic views of the harbor.
The peninsula sits between the Garden Island peninsula to the east and Bennelong Point (where the Sydney Opera House is located) to the west. The chair itself faces northeast towards Fort Denison. The area around it on Mrs. Macquaries Point is a popular lookout point for viewing the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
I first heard of Mrs. Macquaries Chair on an episode of The Amazing Race Asia (yes, I watch the international versions of The Amazing Race!). Leg 4 of Season 1 had teams racing through Sydney looking for their clue. What I loved about this unusual chair (or rock formation if you prefer) is the view from it. A few steps from the rock, and I was treated to one of the best views of Sydney. I saw not one, but two of the most famous manmade structures in Australia; seeing the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House from high up on a hill was such a thrill! It is so weird whenever you see something in real life, as opposed to seeing something only in a book. If you wanna see Sydney, but prefer the view from the confines of nature as opposed to the noisy waterfront near Circular Quay, take a seat on Mrs. Macquaries Chair! It sure is comfy!
