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Captain Arthur PhillipPrint Page Print this page

(State Library of New South Wales)
(State Library of New South Wales)

Photographs supplied by Peter F Williams / Sandra Brown / Chris McLaughlin

The statue, also known as Governor Phillip Fountain, commemorates Captain Arthur Phillip (1738 - 1814) who was the first Governor of New South Wales from 1788 to 1792.

The statue of Captain Phillip stands at the top of a rectangular marble pedestal which contains three bronze reliefs of Justice, Patriotism and Education. This pedestal is flanked by the reclining bronze figures of Neptune, Agriculture, Cyclops and Commerce. Supporting this are paired dolphins separated by four marble consoles embellished with bronze plaques of Aboriginal people. Four giant marble clam shells surmounted by four bronze prows of ships feed the water into white marble basins.

The statue was unveiled by Lord Hampden on the 22nd June 1897 on the celebration of the 60th year of the reign of Queen Victoria. The sculpture was commissioned by Sir Henry Parkes as part of the 1888 Centennial celebrations and completed in 1897.

Arthur Phillip (11 October 1738 – 31 August 1814) was an English Royal Navy officer and the first Governor of New South Wales who led the British settlement and colonisation of Australia. He established a British penal colony that later became the city of Sydney, Australia.

After much experience at sea, Phillip led the First Fleet as Governor-designate in the Australian settlement of New South Wales. In January 1788, he selected its location to be Port Jackson (encompassing Sydney Harbour).

Phillip was a far-sighted governor who soon saw that New South Wales would need a civil administration and a system for emancipating the convicts. But his plan to bring skilled tradesmen on the voyage had been rejected, and he faced immense problems of labour, discipline and supply.

The arrival of the Second and Third Fleets placed new pressures on the scarce local resources, but by the time Phillip sailed home in December 1792, the colony was taking shape, with official land-grants and systematic farming and water-supply.

Phillip retired in 1805, but continued to correspond with his friends in New South Wales and to promote the colony's interests.

 

Location

Address:Mrs Macquaries Road, Royal Botanic Gardens, near Macquarie Street, Sydney, 2000
State:NSW
Area:AUS
GPS Coordinates:Lat: -33.864903
Long: 151.213377
Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.
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Details

Monument Type:Statue
Monument Theme:People
Sub-Theme:Government - Colonial
Designer:Achille Simonetti
Link:http://adb.anu.edu.au/

Dedication

Actual Monument Dedication Date:Tuesday 22nd June, 1897
Front Inscription

Captain Arthur Phillip R.N.

First Governor of New South Wales

1788 - 1792

This monument was unveiled by the Rt. Hon: Viscount Hampden, Nineteenth Governor on the 22nd June 1897

That being the date of the celebration of the completion of the sixtieth year of the reign of  Her Majesty Queen Victoria

Source: MA,H, ADB
Monument details supplied by Monument Australia - www.monumentaustralia.org.au