79 Lower Fort Street, Millers Point, Heritage-listed building in Millers Point, Australia

79 Lower Fort Street is a two-story sandstone corner building with stone walls, a slate roof, and painted timber joinery characteristic of early Victorian Regency design. The structure retains original features including timber details on the east facade and early commercial signage still visible on its walls.

79 Lower Fort Street was built around 1840 by an unknown builder as the Young Princess inn, licensed first to Joseph Farris and known as the Whalers Arms by 1847. It alternated between public house and grocer's shop, was titled Brown's Family Hotel in 1867 as a residential annexe to the Hero of Waterloo opposite, and from 1870 traded solely as a grocer's shop. It joined the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.

The building reflects how early 19th-century Sydney used its harborside spaces for commerce and gathering, with hospitality and retail trades shaping daily activity. The visible stonework and timber elements show how people built structures meant to serve both practical business needs and social functions over many decades.

Visitors can view the exterior architecture and facade details from the street, where the full design of the building is visible. The best vantage point is from Lower Fort Street itself, which allows you to see how the corner structure is positioned within its harborside setting.

The "Whalers Arms" name survives beneath peeling paint on the cornice, and early advertising signs are painted directly on the exterior stone walls. The corner window was originally a doorway, and the verandah has since been removed.