Bathurst
The National Motor Racing Museum, Bathurst
Bathurst
On the banks of the Macquarie River in the Central Tablelands of NSW, the vibrant regional centre of Bathurst is rich with history and gold rush heritage. With Mount Panorama-Whaluu rising in the distance, it’s also the home of Australian motor racing and a hotspot for motorsport enthusiasts.
Highlights
History and heritage
Bathurst is Australia’s oldest inland colonial settlement, thanks to the discovery of gold in the region during the early 1850s. The elegant architecture and historic homes are on show around town, including the grand Bathurst Courthouse and Abercrombie House, a Scottish-baronial mansion from the 1870s that offers tours, high tea and music performances.
Abercrombie House, Bathurst
Museums and galleries
The Australian Fossil and Mineral Museum boasts a Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton and kids will love the miniature railway at the Bathurst Railway Museum. The Bathurst Regional Art Gallery is home to a wonderful collection of Australian paintings and contemporary artworks – join a tour to get an insider perspective.
Australian Fossil and Mineral Museum, Bathurst
A motorsports icon
Most Australians associate Bathurst with motorsports thanks to Mount Panorama-Wahluu, one of the world’s most famous circuits. It hosts a number of international racing events, including the Bathurst 12 Hour and the Bathurst 1000. When it's not in-use for racing, the public can take a spin around the course. Visit the National Motor Racing Museum right next to the track.
Mount Panorama Motor Racing Circuit, Bathurst
Outdoor adventures
Explore the Abercrombie Karst Conservation Reserve, famous for its spectacular Abercrombie Caves, a series of limestone arch caves. Join a guided or self-guided tour and walk through The Archway, the largest natural limestone bridge in the Southern Hemisphere, and enter another world – one bushrangers used as a hideout and miners made into a makeshift dance hall.
The Reserve is also a wildlife sanctuary with wallabies, kangaroos, wombats and many different birds. Follow the Grove Creek Falls walking track through picturesque bushland to dramatic views of the falls, while the nearby Mount Gray walking track takes you to historic mine relics. Camping is available as well as a guest cottage and cabins.
Abercrombie Caves in Abercrombie Karst Conservation Reserve, near Bathurst
Exciting events
The exciting events calendar is full of activities throughout the year, including the annual Royal Bathurst Show in January, the Inland Sea of Sound music festival in February and the Bathurst Winter Festival in July. Keep an eye out for the Bathurst Arts Trail Open Studio Weekends and visit artists in their studios and galleries.
Bathurst Winter Festival, Bathurst - Credit: David Roma
Eat and drink
Enjoy Bathurst’s restaurants and cafes, which make the most of local produce. Get brunch at Harvest Cafe and Store. Enjoy pizza and cocktails at Church Bar, set in a former Anglican school house, or head to Vine and Tap for contemporary Italian cuisine.
Wine aficionados can discover the region’s cool-climate wines at cellar doors, and at the National Cool Climate Wine Show in October. Craft beer fans should make a beeline for Cosmo Brewing, while Stone Pine Distillery makes superb handcrafted spirits and Bathurst Grange produces whisky and gin using sustainable artisan practices (be sure to take a tour of the heritage estate and working farm, which dates back to 1823).
Fried house made potato gnocchi in burnt butter sauce at Vine and Tap, Bathurst - Credit: Vine and Tap
Getting there
Bathurst is just over three hours’ drive from Sydney and 3.5 hours from Canberra. You can also catch the train direct from Sydney daily, which takes around four hours, and hire a car to explore the region. There are plenty of places to stay, including motels, B&Bs, historic houses, farm stays and campgrounds.
