Fast facts
- Classified by the National Trust and known for the main street's deep, shady verandahs
- A rural centre for wheat, sheep, cattle and poultry
- 535 km south-west of Sydney, population 950
Why go there
This picture-postcard town is listed by the National Trust. Its old-world charm lies in its buildings – the verandahs, ornate lacework and carefully restored facades.
History
In the 1850s, Lockhart was known as Green’s Gunyah, after a certain Mr Green, who set up a roadside shack that became a watering hole for travellers on their way to Narrandera.
Today's New Gunyah Hotel stands on the site of this early 'hotel', and the ruins of the original stables can be seen at the rear of the site.
Lockhart was named by the Commissioner of Crown Lands in 1896. The railway reached the town in 1901, and from then on the town prospered as a wheat producer.
Things to do
- Admire the beautifully restored building facades and verandahs while wandering around the town's craft and antique shops.
- Step through the town's history – etched into the main street's pavement.
- Stretch your legs on the walking tracks at Galore Hill. Check out Morgan's Cave, where bushranger Dan 'Mad Dog' Morgan is said to have hidden while on the run.
- Explore The Rock Nature Reserve – be sure to walk the dog track to the summit and scan the far horizon for a glimpse of Mt Kosciuszko.
Events
- The Picnic Races, in October, are a big social event and race meet for the shire.
Don’t miss
- A visit to the Lockhart Museum, which has a sizable collection of vintage machinery.
- A moonlight wander through town, to enjoy the twinkling fairy-lights that brighten up the town’s historic buildings each evening.
- Noske’s Chinese Crossing – a must for history buffs. The dry-stone carriageway across Yerong Creek was built by Chinese migrants using rocks cut from a nearby quarry.
