BEAUTIFUL HISTORICAL BATHURST
- The WEST Journal
- 8 hours ago
- 6 min read
Most often associated with the Bathurst 1000 at Mount Panorama/Wahluu, Bathurst’s greatest claim to fame is in fact as Australia’s oldest inland settlement and Gold Rush region. Heritage listed buildings from its 1815 inception pepper the Bathurst city landscape, home to bars, restaurants, boutiques and accommodation full of character and certainly many stories to tell. Bathurst is found on the Traditional Lands of the Wiradjuri People, the original custodians of the Bathurst Region and the People of the Three Rivers - the Wambuul (Macquarie), the Calare/Kalari (Lachlan) and the Murrumbidgee.
Bathurst is the kind of town that asks you to slow down, matching its historic surroundings. Every visit to a cafe, restaurant, pub or store is met with genuine warmth and hospitality. You’re greeted with a smile, asked about your day and invited to stand still and enjoy the conversation. Care is a big part of the hospitality scene here, matched by local produce offered in delicious and diverse ways.
Known affectionately as BX by Bathurst locals, this shorthand term reportedly stems from military radio communications during the Second World War. You’ll see it referred to all over the city, on Bathurst merchandise and even on beer cans by local brewery Reckless Brewing, with the BX Lager announced as the ‘Beer of Bathurst’. Spending time here, you’ll soon find Bathurst is a city embracing their local artisans and business owners, full of live music, social activities, farm and agricultural produce, sporting events, beautiful parks and standout food.
Making your way to Bathurst is a lovely journey whether by train, bus or car. Taking the train, you arrive at the heritage Bathurst train station, dating from 1876. Take time to admire the Victorian Gothic design, ornate detailing and the ‘Chiefly Engine’ restored locomotive, once driven by Australian Prime Minister Ben Chiefly. The station is central to everything and is an ideal place to start.
Turning left on Havannah St, a short stroll away is the Bathurst Rail Museum and its cafe,
Ly Café at Refreshment Room Bathurst, the perfect spot to enjoy a leisurely coffee and plan your day. Take a seat in the sun with a restored 1904 train carriage as your view, one of less than 40 carriages of its kind still in existence. The Bathurst Rail Museum highlights the social history of Bathurst and its story as a railway town, with Australian Prime Minister Ben Chiefly (1945-47) as one of its most famous residents. Ben Chiefly features throughout the museum, with his career in the railways highlighted, including qualifying as the youngest first-class engine driver in NSW in 1914.
The centrepiece of the museum is the largest public HO scale model railway in Australia, which you’ll need to see to believe. On certain Saturdays you’ll also catch the local market held in the museum grounds, ideal for unique souvenirs to take home.
Bathurst is an easy city to navigate, with its streets in a grid-like system. Most action centres around William St, George St and Keppel St, with the heritage heart of the city at the town square. Kings Parade is an open landscaped park home to the Carillon, Evans and Boer War Memorial monuments, and was once the site of a large market building from 1869 with fruit and poultry markets, as well as holding rallies and political debates.
Nearby is the State Heritage listed Bathurst Courthouse, built in 1880 and designed by James Barnet, Colonial Architect of NSW. It’s a stunning piece of Victorian architecture, with its beautiful copper clad dome and colonial design. Next door is the Bathurst District Historical Society Museum, housed in Bathurst’s old post office built in 1877. For a great sense of life from the 1800s, this is a must stop on your trip to Bathurst. Colonial Bathurst is captured with textiles on display, gold mining equipment, Cobb & Co. coach references, local stories, a real-life penny farthing and a dedicated bush rangers exhibit on the top floor. Bathurst is known for the Ribbon Gang, a group of over 80 escaped convicts who roamed the Bathurst district engaging in bushranging activities, and some of this fascinating history is captured in this exhibit. Pick up some excellent heritage booklets before you leave which will share the history of buildings throughout Bathurst streets and give you a great sense of life from the past as you explore.
Head down Keppel St and make your way to The Hub for lunch, one of the most popular cafes in town. Serving local Fish River Roasters Coffee Co., there’s a hearty menu on offer and a lovely leafy courtyard to enjoy. The cafe is abuzz and full of locals and visitors alike, service is friendly and efficient, the food local, in-season and cooked to absolute perfection. No wonder the locals love it! This is a café to come back to time and time again.
Exploring Bathurst, you’ll notice the streets are lined with heritage street lamps (105 in total). Once lit by kerosene then gas, they are now powered by electric and still illuminating the streets of Bathurst at night. As you explore the streets of Bathurst, council wayfinding signs are a great guide and there are Victorian, Federation and Inter-war period buildings to be admired. A passionate history buff’s dream city!
Machattie Park, opened in 1890, is a wonderful place to take a stroll amongst majestic trees and gardens, with heritage centrepieces including the Bandstand, the Caretakers Cottage and the unique Crago Fountain.
And what’s a day of exploring without stopping for a treat! Located on the corner of George and Church St, Annie’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream Parlour is the pick of the day. Annie’s takes you back in time with retro style seating and pink decor reminiscent of a 1960s diner, not to mention all your favourite flavours on offer.
From here, take the time to explore Bathurst’s streets, peruse local shops or visit one of the many museums in town. The Australian Fossil & Mineral Museum features some of the rarest specimens of mineral crystals and fossils from around the world. Housed in the old 1876 Bathurst Public School building, get up close to a Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton, dinosaur eggs and learn about the periodic table through Lego.
For dinner, Bootleg Dining - housed in the heritage Royal Hotel building – is a beautiful premium dining experience, and another option you can’t go past is The Victoria. A champion of the live music scene, the energy here is electric, full of people that love good food, good service and a lively atmosphere! Serving local beer and wine and with a big beer garden out the back hosting live performances, the food to match is delicious. The Victoria feels like a locals place, with elevated food, staff that make you feel like part of the scene and live music that will keep you out way past your bedtime.
The next morning, if the Bathurst Farmers Market is on then it’s a must visit, offering local produce, good quality coffee and a chance to chat with the locals. The Oxford on William St is a great choice for a hearty brunch or lunch, recently renovated with plenty of seating inside or out. References to Bathurst’s motoring industry is highlighted in the décor, with a whole stairwell wall covered in photos from motor sporting history.
If you have a car, the 52 room Abercrombie House, one of the original pioneer homes of Bathurst, is a great option, or a trip to one of the local wineries and Bathurst Grange Distillery just outside of town. For immersive gold rush history, then make your way north to Hill End and join Jhob’s Gold Panning Tours for a day of fossicking and how to correctly pan for gold. Who knows what golden nuggets still remain!
One of the most unique and fun things to do - whether a motorsport fan or not - is to head to Mount Panorama and take a ‘hot lap’ at the Motor Racing Circuit. Driving the very same route that nine-time Bathurst 1000 “King of the Mountain” winner Peter Brock would have taken and all the champions of the track. Open to the public outside of race periods, it’s a scenic 6.2km route along winding road (23 corners) and some of the steepest gradients of any track in the world. Wind your window down, cruise the curves and stop at the peak for panoramic views of Bathurst from the John Hinxman Vista. What a thrill!
Originally planned as a scenic drive during the Depression years of the 1930s, it quickly started hosting motorcycle and car races not long after it opened. Mount Panorama/Wahluu is a significant site in Wiradjuri culture, being a place of ceremony for thousands of years before motor racing began on the mountain. It was officially dual named in 2015 to recognise the site’s connection to country and its significance to Wiradjuri culture.
Once you’ve completed your hot lap (or two), next door is the National Motor Racing Museum, the perfect place to learn about the history, winners and stories the mountain wants to tell. Bathurst certainly is a city where Australian heritage meets high-octane thrills. WEST invites you to visit a city steeped in some of Australia’s oldest colonial history, revving with motorsport energy, and wrapped in regional, hospitable charm. Travel with West.
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