Explore Bathurst NSW

Bathurst ~ New South Wales

Bathurst, on the banks of the Macquarie River in the Central Tablelands of New South Wales, is located 205 kilometres west of Sydney.

It is an interesting regional city with a rich history, stunning heritage buildings, fascinating museums, and it’s home to Mount Panorama and the Bathurst 1000.

Bathurst was proclaimed a town on the 7th May 1815 and is Australia’s oldest inland settlement.

During our time in Bathurst, we explored Mount Panorama and the National Motor Racing Museum. Then we wandered around the City admiring the heritage buildings and Macchatti Park. We also visited the Fossil and Mineral Museum and Abercrombie House.

Mount Panorama

No visit to Bathurst is complete without experiencing Mount Panorama. This iconic racing circuit is home to the legendary Bathurst 1000, attracting motorsport enthusiasts from around the world each October. 

When races aren't on, the track transforms into a public road, allowing visitors to drive the 6.2 km circuit, whilst sticking to the 60 kilometre an hour speed limit and appreciating the challenging twists and turns that professional drivers navigate at high speeds. 

The 6.2 kilometre track has 23 corners and some of the steepest gradients of any track in the world. The current fastest official lap record at Mount Panorama Circuit is 1:56.6set by Jules Gounon in a specially prepared Mercedes-AMG GT3 during the 2024 Bathurst 12 Hour event. 

You can also wander along the boardwalk to the John Hinxman Lookout to see great views over the track.

National Motor Racing Museum

The National Motor Racing Museum is next to the entrance at Mount Panorama and is open 6 days a week from 9.00 am to 4.30 pm, it is closed on Tuesdays.

The National Motor Racing Museum celebrates the rich history of Australian Motor Sport, with a particular focus on Bathurst and Mount Panorama.

There are more than 100 racing cars and motorcycles, along with numerous other memorabilia that tell the story of motor racing in Australia. The displays cover all facets of motor sport from the 1920s to the present. The stories of drivers and events are told through original trophies, race suits, leathers, race footage and photographs.

The Victors Walk

The Victors Walk is a pathway on Russell Street in the Bathurst CBD, with a black and white chequered design.

The walk features plaques that celebrate the winners of the Bathurst 1000 and other major motor racing events. 

City Centre

The City streets of Bathurst are lined with stunning heritage buildings, boasting a wealth of historical landmarks. 

The Bathurst Courthouse, opened in 1880, is considered one of New South Wales' finest public buildings. 

The Bathurst War Memorial Carillon is situated in the Bathurst Town Square. It was officially opened on November 11, 1933, to honour the men from Bathurst and the district who served in the Great War. It is one of Bathurst’s most iconic landmarks, and it is over 30 metres tall. This awe-inspiring Carillon has automated bells that chime every hour.

There are several lovely heritage churches in the city centre. The Royal Hotel dates back to the 1840s and was recognised as the town's finest hotel. Carrington House on Keppel Street is an impressive building that was built in 1889 as a Masonic Hall.

Machattie Park

Machattie Park is located behind the courthouse and was officially opened to the public in 1890. It was built on the site of the old Bathurst jail and is a historically significant example of a late 19th-century Victorian country town park.

In 1891, the lovely Cargo Fountain was built in the park. This is a relaxing place to sit and enjoy the park. There is also a Begonia House that is open from 9.00 am to 3.00 pm during the Begonia season.

Other 19th-century Victorian design elements included in the layout of the park are the lovely bandstand, Caretakers Cottage, Fernery and Lake Spencer.

Australian Fossil and Mineral Museum

The Australian Fossil and Mineral Museum is located in the centre of the city, in the old 1876 public school buildings. It is open 6 days per week from 9.00 am to 4.30 pm; it is closed on Wednesdays.

The museum is home to the Somerville Collection, the lifelong work of Warren Somerville AM. His collection showcases some of the rarest and unique specimens of mineral crystals and fossils from across the globe. 

There are more than 5,000 pieces, and the collection is displayed to offer a deeper understanding of Earth's life development. One of the museum's highlights is the impressive Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton.

The museum also has different exhibitions during the year, when we visited there was a dinosaur pet shop-themed exhibit.

Abercrombie House

Abercrombie House was built between 1870 to 1878 and is one of Australia’s finest, and most eccentric stately homes. 

It is open Saturday and Sunday from 9.00 am - 5.00 pm and Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 10.00 am to 4.00 pm.

This large, three-storey, 40-room mansion in the Scottish Baronial style is

located 7 kilometres from Bathurst. It was originally built by Bathurst pioneers, the Stewart family.

Since 1969, it has been the home of the Morgan family, who have spent the last 50 years restoring and maintaining the magnificent house and its outbuildings and grounds and sharing it with the community.