Sirius cannon

The cannon was landed shortly after foundation of the colony in 1788. On 8 January 1907, after the discovery of the cannon and an anchor from the Sirius wreck, at the request of the Premier of NSW, the City of Sydney agreed to the excision of an area from Macquarie Place Reserve for the artefacts to the placed. This plan was never realised but the anchor and cannon were still installed in the reserve that year.

A brass plate on the base reads:

On 26 February 1917, Council approved £4 to make and fix a new timber shaft for the Sirius anchor and timber wheels for the cannon.

In 1934, the City of Sydney assumed control over the items. In 1989, ownership of the artefacts was questioned. The National Maritime Museum wished to have the originals placed in the museum and to have bronze replicas cast to replace them in situ. In 1987, a memorial replica of the Sirius anchor was given to Nagoya, Sydney’s sister city in Japan.

Investigators revealed that the Royal Navy and the state government owned the anchor and the cannon. Following a meeting between authorities, it was agreed that the most appropriate location for the artefacts was in Macquarie Place. It was also agreed that the National Maritime Museum would carry out all necessary conservation measures.