Australia's first great architect-the "grand stylist" of early Sydney. Greenway was born in Bristol in 1777 to a building family. In his mid-30s he was found guilty of forging a financial document and sentenced to death (later commuted to 14 years transportation). He arrived in Sydney as a "gentleman convict" in 1814 and immediately impressed Governor Macquarie, who allowed him to set up Australia's first private architecture practice, which was in George Street.

He was granted a full pardon in 1818 after completion of the Macquarie Lighthouse, and went on to design many of Sydney's buildings including the Female Factory in Parramatta, the District Courts, St James Church, Queen's Square and the brilliant St Matthews at Windsor. Greenway also introduced the first Australian system of progress payments for work completed.

Commissioner Bigge's review of colonial expenditure cancelled many of Greenway's larger projects, describing his work as "too grand for an infant colony." Greenway was dismissed after Macquarie's departure in 1822, but refused to vacate his government-built house until his death in 1837.

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