Bathurst

Bathurst New South Wales

We drove to Bathurst New South Wales from Lithgow, after visiting the Abercrombie Caves The main reason for our visit was to see the National Motor Racing Museum at Mount Panorama. While in the town, we took the opportunity to look around and experience what the town had to offer.

We stayed at the Quality Hotel Bathurst, which was clean and comfortable, with friendly staff.  Breakfast was including with our stay and was delicious and filling. For dinner, we went to the Bathurst RSL, where we had a great meal at a good price.

Abercrombie House

Abercrombie House located on the outskirts of Bathurst gives the visitor an insight into the life of the rich. Open to the public, to help fund its upkeep, cost of the interior is accessible. Ample parking is available on the grounds in front of the house.

The father of the current owner spent time in China and the decorations reflect this. We were fortunate that the owner was there during our visit, and he spoke about the origin of some of the decorations and furniture on display.

You are free to wander around the house, but are asked not to enter closed doors or pass through roped off areas.

The exterior of the house and surrounding garden make an interesting addition to the building A  collection of old cars rusting in one field and an old blacksmith’s barn being worth seeing.  Went beyond our expectations.

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Chifley Home

This house was the residence of Ben Chifley and his wife Elizabeth from 1914 until his death in 1951 and hers in 1962. The house has been maintained as a museum since 1973 as a memorial to the late Prime Minister and his family.

Interesting from an historical point of view, we only looked at the outside, but guided tours are available at limited days and times if you are interested.

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Court House

This heritage listed court house on Russel Street is a very impressive building designed by James Barnet. Opened in 1880, and still in use it can be best viewed from across Russel Street in Kings Parade where the whole facade can be seen. Next door is the Conservatory of Music, so we heard classical music while we looked at the court house!

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George Evans Expedition Statue

Located at the George Street end of Kings Parade, this large monument commemorates George Evans, the first European to survey the area. In addition, the local aboriginal people who assisted him in his journey are also commemorated.

This is a large and impressive monument and celebrates the founding of Australia’s first large inland town.

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Machattie Park

We parked here for a walk through the city centre and relaxed under the shady trees while we had lunch. There are some lovely trees and plenty of places to sit in the shade and relax. Very popular with both tourists and locals.  Great place to visit and relax.

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National Motor Racing Museum

The National Motor Racing Museum is probably the largest draw card for Bathurst, outside of the main race held there annually. The collection of racing cars and bikes is impressive and any motor sports fan could spend hours here.

The range of racing cars is extensive and includes utes, touring cars, F1, rally and even a solar powered car. The Bathurst 1000 has a section to itself, with Ford on one side and Holden on the other.  The other makes are also present, with Jaguar and others represented.

There is a small section with the busts of famous winners and a history of the race.

There is also an impressive collection of motorbikes and rally cars and a good selection of old open wheel racers.

Many of the exhibits are loan and rotated regularly, so it’s worth checking if there is a particular vehicle you want to see. 

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Railway Station

The railway station is a beautiful old building not far from the Chifley Home. Parking is easy because it has its own huge car park. Outside the station building is a preserved steam train, locomotive 5112.  Nice to be able to get up close and have a really good lock at this huge train.

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South African War Memorial

The Boer War memorial stands at the southern end of Kings Parade, not far from the Carillon.

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St Stanislavsky College

The towers of this college are visible from many places in Bathurst, so we drove over to see it close up. An interesting building to look at, but we simply took a photo and moved on.

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Uniting Church

We saw this old church from Machattie Park, so spent a few minutes checking it out and took a picture.

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War Memorial Carillon

The Bathurst War Memorial Carillon is a 30.5 metre tall tower structure located in the centre of Kings Parade, in the centre of Bathurst’s CBD. A memorial to the soldiers who lost their lives in the two World Wars, the 35 cast bronze bells are rung daily at lunchtime. The picture really does not do it justice, it does look great, and you can have a close look from the outside to the inside.  Definitely worth a look. 

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What Did We Think of Bathurst?

So, if you are visiting Bathurst New South Wales for a race meeting, or the National Motor Racing Museum, spend some time in town. There is a lot to see and do.

To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.