Passage Of Time Marked In Gold

Located within the grand dame herself, the Queen Victoria Building, are two great clocks. These hang majestically from both ends of the celling. This one is the Great Australian Clock hanging at the northern end of the building.

This clock weighs in at a staging 4 tons and measuring 10 metres tall. It also lays claim to be the world’s largest hanging animated turret clock. This clock took 4 years to build, with its installation arriving in June 2000. It had a final cost of $1.5 million.

The clock is designed to tell the story of Australian history from both European and Indigenous perspectives through the use of 27 paintings, 33 picture scenes, 867 light bulbs and over 130 hand carved figurines with a number of these items being animated. Major events that are depicted include the arrival of the first fleet, the crossing of the Blue Mountains as well as the terrible annihilation of Aborigines people in Tasmania and the Stolen Generation of the early 1900’s.

The Great Australian Clock also includes 32 smaller clocks showing major city times around the world. It is decorated with a 24-carat gold coated dome, doors and numerals. This clock indeed is worthy of the grandest buildings in Sydney. Wander you way inside next time you spend 24 hours in Sydney.

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IMAGE CREDIT: John Walter