Aside from the Body Politic of the Crown (i.e. the Queen of Australia), the office of Governor of New South Wales is the oldest constitutional office in Australia. Captain Arthur Phillip assumed office as Governor of New South Wales on 7 February 1788, when the Colony of New South Wales, the first British settlement in Australia, was formally founded. The early colonial governors held an almost autocratic power due to the distance from and poor communications with Great Britain, until 1824 when the New South Wales Legislative Council, Australia's first legislative body, was appointed to advise the governor.

Between 1850 and 1861, the Governor of New South Wales was titled Governor-General in an early attempt at federalism imposed by Earl Grey. All communication between the Australian colonies and the British Government was meant to go through the Governor-General, and the other colonies had Lieutenant-Governors. As South Australia (1836), Tasmania (January 1855) and Victoria (May 1855) obtained responsible government, their Lieutenant-Governors were replaced by Governors. Although he had ceased acting as a Governor-General, Sir William Denison retained the title until his retirement.
In accordance with the conventions of the Westminster system of parliamentary government, the Governor nearly always acts solely on the advice of the head of the elected government, the Premier of New South Wales. Nevertheless, the Governor retains the reserve powers of the Crown, and has the right to dismiss the Premier. This power was last exercised in 1932, when Sir Philip Game dismissed Jack Lang.

When the Governor dies, resigns or is absent their duties are carried out by the Lieutenant Governor of New South Wales.

The Governor of New South Wales previously used Government House as a residence, office and official reception space. However, in 1996, at the direction of Premier Bob Carr, the Governor has not used it as a residence. The Governor's present day office is the historic Chief Secretary’s Building nearby, at 121 Macquarie Street.
See Governors of the Australian states for a description and history of the office of Governor.

The first Australian-born Governor of New South Wales (or of any Australian state) was Lieutenant General Sir John Northcott (appointed 1946). All subsequent governors of NSW have been Australian-born except for Gordon Samuels, who was born in the United Kingdom but emigrated to Australia at an early age. Northcott's successor, Lieutenant General Sir Eric Woodward (appointed 1957), was the first born in New South Wales.

List of Governors of New South Wales

Living former governors

Currently, only one former governor is alive. The most recent governor to die was Gordon Samuels (1996–2001), on 10 December 2007.