The Watchtower
Dated to c.1822, the Macquarie Watchtower was originally built to house a small detachment of troops assigned to watch the bay for smugglers and misguided vessels. In the following years, it functioned as accommodation for a caretaker of the monuments on the headland, a coastal customs station, the site of a public school and the home of former customs officers. The current structure is a remnant, following a fire in 1957.
The Watchtower is located on the northern headland of Gamay/Botany Bay, an area central to First Nations knowledge and custodianship. The land has also been shaped by maritime navigation, military defence, telecommunications and enduring community presence, making it a place where local and global histories intersect.