Bicentennial Square, formerly known as Centenary Square, is located in the heart of Parramatta, New South Wales, Australia. It faces the 1883 Town Hall and St John's Cathedral.
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Centennial Memorial
To celebrate the colony's centenary, in 1888 the Borough Council erected - at a cost of some 600 pounds - the Centennial Memorial, an elaborate clock and drinking fountain.
Procession
In order to mark the bicentennial in 1988, in 1986 the Parramatta City Council commissioned a sculpture by artist Richard Goodwin. The sculpture Procession was created, and sits near the Town Hall.
Time Capsule
To mark the opening of the Church St Mall in 1986, a time capsule was buried under one of the square's gardens by JA Crosio, the minister for water resources at the time.
Near the Square
A great deal of Parramatta's rich history lies just outside Bicentennial Square. Of particular note are :
Murray Bros Department Store
On the corner diagonally opposite the square, Murray Brothers erected the town's first Department Store in 1926; and other major stores soon followed. This was also the site where Rev. Samuel Marsden once lived.
WWI Memorial
Outside the nearby St John's Cathedral stands a memorial to those who served in WWI. This takes the form of a stone arch and plaques; and was erected in 1917.