Hospital venues for hire

Thank your for your interest in hiring a venue located within historical Sydney Hospital and Sydney Eye Hospital.

Please note that the information outlined in this section does not relate to the hire of these venues for filming or other commercial purposes.  Please refer to ‘Filming Requests’ below.

Sydney Hospital is Australia's oldest, and traces its beginnings to the arrival of the First Fleet in 1788. The hospital has been a resident of Macquarie Street since 1811, and its collection of historical buildings combined with its continuing provision of excellence in health care, makes it one of the city's most enduring and well-known institutions.

The unique heritage site, located in one of Sydney's premier districts, provides the perfect combination of historical ambience coupled with the comfort and efficiency of technologically advanced venue choices.

The following venues are available for hire:

Claffy lecture theatre

The NSW Minister for Health formally opened the Frank Claffy Lecture Theatre in 1999. The theatre is actually an original hospital ward, dating from 1894, which has been redesigned into a modern and technologically advanced function centre.

This venue has the following features: 

• seating capacity up to 120 
• overhead projector 
• slide projector (allowing single and dual slide projection) 
• digital Data Projector for PC presentations with Laptop 
• projection screen 
• video player - for recording of function and for presentations 
• 5 disc CD player in stereo 
• podium microphone and 2 lapel microphones 
• provision for central control from the podium 
• lectern 
• tape deck 
• white board 
• the facility also has an audio mixer and feedback exterminator

Worrall lecture theatre

The Worrall Lecture Theatre also dates from 1894, and was originally an operating theatre. The venue is circular in shape, comes complete with stained glass windows, and has been redeveloped into a functional lecture theatre.

The Worrall Lecture Theatre contains the following facilities: 

• overhead projector
• white board
• video
• television
• slide projector, with remote controls
• amplifier and sound system

Boardroom

The Sydney Hospital Boardroom, which dates from 1894, has been refurbished to fully reflect its original design at the turn of the last century. The stately room contains an important collection of hospital memorabilia including original concept drawings of the hospital, making this the ideal venue for an event requiring a touch of class or prestige. The room contains an elegant boardroom table and seating for 20 people.

The heritage aspects within the Boardroom mean that utilisation is restricted to certain events. Please clarify at the time of booking should you require further information.

Norman Rose sitting room 

Named after a distinguished Medical Superintendent, the Norman Rose Sitting Room is situated in the heart of the hospital and is a fitting tribute to the architecture and furniture of the early twentieth century. It can comfortably accommodate 12 people seated.

Staff dining and staff sitting rooms 

The Staff Dining and Sitting Rooms are both large rooms (20 metres x 20 metres), square in shape, dating from 1894. The Staff Dining Room has a parquetry floor, and the Sitting Room is carpeted. The two rooms are located adjacent to one another, and can be used for the one event if desired. Both rooms will accommodate 50 people seated, and 200 if used for a stand up event. These rooms are ideal venues for a cocktail party, and the Staff Dining Room is perfect for a sit down dinner.

Chapel

The Chapel of St Luke the Physician is one of the hospital's best kept secrets. Nestled within the Worrall Building, the Chapel has been fully restored and features stained glass windows, a beautiful fresco, and original fittings including gas flues. An assortment of memorial plaques within the building play tribute to those many people who have contributed to the hospital over the years. This is the perfect venue for a small and intimate wedding service. The Chapel can seat 70 people, and is non-denominational. 

Courtyard

The Sydney Hospital Courtyard has become a favourite venue for filmmakers, eager to capture an image of a bygone era. The Courtyard is dominated by the Robert Brough Memorial Fountain, and is graced on four sides by historical buildings dating from 1869 and 1894. The Courtyard is paved, and offers a unique outdoor experience for your next event. Elegant backlighting of the buildings and fountain ensures that the venue retains its ambience long after the sun has gone down.

Filming Requests

Sydney Hospital’s unique heritage buildings and Courtyard have a distinctive European style which photographers and makers of films and commercials cannot resist.  The hospital has played host to a number of film visits such as ‘Babe II’, commercials for Toyota, and the Billy Connolly and Judy Davis film ‘The Man Who Sued God’.

All filming and photography requests should be referred to the Area Corporate Communications Unit.  The contact number during business hours is +61 2 4253 4871 or if after hours call the on-call media number +61 422 003 764.

The Area Corporate Communications Unit will prepare a filming licence or location agreement prior to any filming taking place.

Catering

Provision of catering through the hospitals catering service is a possibility, depending on numbers and catering commitments at the time of booking. Hospital caterers can supply catering along the lines of morning and afternoon tea consisting of tea, coffee and orange juice with cake/biscuits/scones, and open sandwiches with tea, coffee and orange juice for lunch. Catering costs vary, depending on your requirements. Please indicate on your booking form if you require catering.

Technician

If you are hosting a conference or seminar, and plan to utilise the Claffy Lecture Theatre, you will most likely require the services of a technician to utilise the technology in the Theatre. Please advise on your booking form and we will organise this for you. The costs for a technician vary according to the time of the function.

 

Parking

The hospital is unable to provide parking.  Undercover parking is available in the commercial car park located on the hospital site.

Access

On arrival at the hospital, the hirer should contact the Security Office (adjacent to the Emergency Department entrance) or call them on +61 2 93827090 to organise access to the venue. On completion of the booking, the hirer is required to telephone security to inform them that they are vacating the premises.

Further information

For further information about venue hire please call 9382 7111.