When Lachlan Macquarie arrived at Port Jackson, the colony of New South Wales was in turmoil. The military uprising that had led to the overthrow of the previous governor, William Bligh, had left Sydney society fragmented and dissipated. Over the next decade, Macquarie focused his boundless energy on building a prosperous future for the Australian colonies, yet, when he left, it was under a cloud of criticism and dispute.

An exhibition at the Mitchell Wing of the State Library of New South Wales, curated by Warwick  Hirst, celebrates the 200th anniversary of the arrival in Sydney of Governor Macquarie.