Bathurst is probably one of the most underrated weekend getaway destinations close to Sydney. We’ll admit it took us a while to visit, but after the first time, we quickly booked a second trip! The city boasts the country’s most famous race track (which you can drive around yourself when it’s not in use), the most weird and wonderful array of crystals and fossils I have ever seen in my life, an atmospheric old stately home, boutique gin distillery and of course hundreds upon hundreds of resident kangaroos.
In the surrounding area you’re spoilt for choice, with incredible wild swimming spots, mysterious caves, a huge waterfall and several old gold mining villages. It’s definitely a region that has something for everyone.
Here are all the things you shouldn’t miss on a trip to Bathurst.
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1: Marvel at the largest arch in the Southern Hemisphere
2: Take a dip at the stunning Wallaby Rocks
3: Catch a sunset at Evans Crown
4: Marvel at the most weird and wonderful crystal display
5: Check out the latest exhibition at the Regional Art Gallery
6: Take on the Mount Panorama Circuit - in your own car!
7: See the gold mining town frozen in time
8: Indulge at Annie’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream Parlour
9: Look around the beautiful stately home - Abercrombie House
10: Step back in time at Australia’s oldest surviving gold town
11: Admire the gorgous Grove Creek Falls
12: Spot the friendly locals
13: Picnic beside the pretty rock pools at Flat Rock
14: Stock up on all the goodies at the local farmers market
15: Dine in a picturesque church
16: Taste award winning gin at the Bathurst Distillery
Things to do in Bathurst
1. Marvel at the largest arch in the Southern Hemisphere
Archway Cave is a fabulous self guided adventure at Abercrombie Caves. Not only do you get to see the largest arch in the Southern Hemisphere, but you’ll also explore the giant chambers inside the cave.
Although there are plenty of pretty formations, it’s more about the overall grandeur of the huge cavern. Our favourite bit was crossing the rickety swing bridge, which offers incredible views in every direction.
The walkway has been done beautifully and there’s enough lighting inside the cave to see everything, but it’s not so bright as to be garish and distract from the feeling you’re in a dark and mysterious cave.
Although we think the ticket price is fairly high for a self guided tour ($20 per person), we really loved it and I imagine maintaining the walkways is an expensive business.
The trail to get to the cave is just 400m and very easy. Once inside you can explore for about 150m each way, but don’t miss the little side trail to some tiny chambers just to the right of the swing bridge.
2. Take a dip at the stunning Wallaby Rocks
Wallaby Rocks is an absolutely beautiful wild swimming spot, with high cliff walls and clear green water. It might be just a minute from the road, but as soon as you arrive it feels worlds away.
The tall cliffs give it a dramatic feel and the clear water is really inviting. There are some shallow parts close to the river bank, but it’s deep enough for a proper swim as you near the cliffs.
We chose to swim in the section which is straight down the first hill that you see from the car park. It only takes a minute to reach the water.
There’s another path to the right of the car park, but it leads to an area which has a bridge over the top of the river, which detracts from the wild feeling you’ll find at the first spot.
The car park (which is tiny but never seems to get busy) can be found on the Hill End road between Sofala and Hill End. Look for the bridge that is 5km west of Sofala (co-ordinates -33.075000,149.650278), and just before it you will see a dirt track turn off the to the left (southern side of the road).
3. Catch a sunset from Evans Crown
Evans Crown is a weird and wonderful collection of giant granite boulders that can be reached via a short walking trail. You’ll find split rocks, balancing boulders and even some small boulder caves.
It’s one of those bizarre landscapes that really makes you stop and stare. Although it looks like a really fun area for some scrambling, you are asked not to as it’s a sacred site for the local Wiradjuri Aboriginal people.
We still managed to find a great spot for sunset which could be reached using dirt paths and then a rocky slope, which we detail in this guide.
Although the trail to the top of Evans Crown is mainly uphill, it’s well maintained and pretty easy. Once at the top the formed path ends and you can make your own route.
4. Marvel at the most weird and wonderful crystal display
I have never seen an array of gemstones even close to those at the Australian Fossil and Mineral Museum. Some of the stones are so weird and wonderful that they don’t even look real.
The colours are extraordinary, and even those who might think that they aren’t interested in gemstones will likely lean in for a closer look.
As well as the incredible array of crystals - which unbelievably, are someone’s private collection - you’ll also see some fascinating fossils too. And I do mean fascinating.
We’re talking thylacines (Tasmanian tiger) and giant wombats, they even have dinosaur eggs. It’s a fun place to visit and the museum is really well laid out and doesn’t overwhelm you with walls of text!
5. Check out the latest exhibitions at the Regional Art Gallery
The exhibitions at the Bathurst Regional Art Gallery are ever changing, so those we saw will probably not be the same as when you visit, but no doubt the standard is always really high.
We saw a great exhibition on the work of Brett Whitely, which was beautifully put together and also made a little interactive with the chance to download a Spotify playlist of his favourite songs to paint to.
They also had a map you could take to visit sites around the area that had inspired his work.
There was also a great 2D room by Anastasia Parmson which felt like we’d stepped into that famous cafe in South Korea (if you’re on Instagram you’ll know the one we’re talking about).
It’s hard to believe such a great gallery is free - although donations are very welcome.
6. Take on the Mount Panorama Circuit in your own car!
Even if you know nothing else about Bathurst, you’ve probably heard of the Mount Panorama Racing Circuit. Outside of race times you can actually drive the circuit yourself - although you won’t be breaking any records as you have to drive to the speed limit!
Whilst you might not be able to tear around the track, it’s still a lot of fun to drive the circuit with its ups and downs and tight corners.
All the advertising along the barriers on the sides of the road really do make you feel like you’re on a race track, and it’s a novel experience.
The whole circuit is 6.2km and you can check to make sure there aren’t any upcoming events which close the track here.
7. Explore the gold mining town which is frozen in time
Hill End is a former gold rush town (the largest piece of gold ever discovered was found here) but this one is a little bit different to others in the area.
The government purchased the village in the 1960’s and handed it over to the National Park Service.
When you arrive you’ll see all the signposts are Parks NSW signs, like you’d find on walking tracks, and it all feels a little surreal.
Despite the fact it’s a government owned village it still has residents and it’s a wonderful place to explore.
There are plenty of old heritage buildings, walking tracks, and lookouts, but if you only have limited time the one thing you can’t miss is the History Hill Museum.
The private museum has an eclectic mix of over 10,000 gold rush artefacts and plenty of fascinating commentary to go with them. You could spend all day here if you tried to see everything, but even a quick wander will be a fun education into the local gold mining history.
My favourite part of the museum however, was the 175m long gold mining tunnel. You can wander through the tunnel and really get a feel for the mining conditions, before emerging above ground via seven old wooden ladders (optional). I’m sure if this was a government museum it wouldn’t be allowed and that made me love it all the more!
If you want to visit History Hill you need to bring cash because entry is via a donation box.
8. Indulge at Annies Old Fashioned Ice Cream Parlour
When I first saw Annies Old Fashioned Ice Cream Parlour I wondered if it would be a bit gimmicky; more about the aesthetics than the ice cream, but it turns out you can have both!
The inside is decked out like an old fashioned ice cream parlour, the kind that always makes me think of America, and you can enjoy your choice of sweet treat in a candy coloured booth.
We tried the banana ice cream, as well as the chocolate honeycomb and both were great - although the latter was definitely our favourite!
There’s a huge array of ice cream flavours, as well as things like pancakes and waffles.
9. Look around a beautiful stately home
If you’re the kind of person that loves looking around other people’s homes (guilty!) then you have to visit Abercrombie House.
It’s not one of those heritage houses which is like a show home, this is a real family home and you’re invited to look around at your leisure.
As well as all the grand features, like stained glass windows and beautiful artwork, the walls are also decorated with signed pictures of the Beatles and the children’s university degrees.
It’s not incredibly polished, with everything in its place, and it’s all the more interesting for it. I really enjoyed the fact that this gorgeous heritage building was much more than just a tourist attraction.
As well as the house tour, you can also wander the grounds and if you’re travelling with kids (8 years and up) you can even take them on a special children’s night tour!
10. Step back in time at Australia's oldest surviving gold town
I love quirky old gold mining villages and Sofala has to be one of the most atmospheric.
Strolling down the streets and admiring all the old buildings really does feel like you’ve stepped back in time, or maybe like you’ve suddenly entered an open air museum.
There isn’t a whole lot to do here, but you can wander the streets, stop for a drink in the tavern or cafe, and even visit the old gaol.
We just so happened to visit when most things were closed, but in the end we didn’t mind because the streets were interesting just to wander.
Sofala is very close to Wallaby Rocks and on the way to Hill End, so you could do all three in one day if you have the energy!
11. Admire the gorgeous Grove Creek Falls
Grove Creek Falls is a stunning waterfall which cascades into a deep gorge. The lookout is above the waterfall and only takes a couple of minutes to reach (it’s a 100m walk each way).
From here you get a great view of the falls and the tree lined gorge, which is reminiscent of some of the beautiful spots we saw along the Waterfall Way.
People used to go down to the bottom of the falls too, but the path is in disrepair and can be quite dangerous now, so we’d recommend sticking to the top.
You’ll want to visit after recent rain to really see the falls at its best. It’s just down the road from Abercrombie Caves, so it makes sense to combine the two on the same day.
12. Spot the friendly locals
A lot of kangaroos call Bathurst home and you can find them just minutes from the city centre. Although you might spot them in several places, the best place to head to is the Kangaroo Boundary Road Reserve.
There’s a kangaroo walk you can take (aptly named the Kangaroo Walking Track) but even just stopping at the parking spaces on Boundary Road (by the John Cousins Walking Trail) will no doubt treat you to some good sightings.
We saw dozens in the reserve by the parking area and didn’t end up needing to do the walking track at all - although I’m sure it’s lovely!
13. Picnic beside the pretty rock pools at Flat Rock
If you’re looking for a gorgeous picnic spot with the added bonus of nearby swimming holes, then Flat Rock is the place to head.
Although there is green space and picnic tables beside the car park, we preferred to lay out a blanket right beside the water.
Depending on where you set up, it’s either a few seconds or few minutes walk, which makes it perfect when you don’t want to carry all that food too far. The pools are a lovely place to cool off, but they’re not as beautiful as Wallaby Rocks if you only have time for one.
Note that if there has been a lot of recent rainfall the creek rises and accessing some of the pools requires walking through the water.
14. Stock up on all the goodies at the local Farmers Market
The Farmers Market is only held once a month, but if your visit happens to coincide you’ll be in for a treat. It’s raucously popular so I’d recommend coming earlier rather than later as things sell out. You’ll find everything from gin and wine and cider, to jam, honey, cheese, cakes and so much more.
There are also stalls which sell food which can be eaten at the market, including some delicious smelling Romanian dishes, bacon butties and pies. There’s also a coffee van.
I think one of my favourite things about the market was that as well as some established businesses in the area, there were also people selling baked goods made in their kitchen at home.
It is mainly a food market, but there were a few other stalls selling things like house plants and lemon myrtle products.
The markets are held on the fourth Saturday of each month from January to November and on the third Saturday of December (at time of writing).
15. Dine in a picturesque old church
We don’t usually include restaurants in our things to do guides, but the Church Bar is a little bit different. For starters it’s located in a picturesque old church with a gorgeous ivy covered exterior, and if it’s a warm evening you can enjoy it from the pretty patio area.
Secondly the wood fired pizzas are divine, the mozzarella is easily the best I’ve tried in Australia! And on that note if you want to eat here then you need to like pizza, because that’s all there is on the menu. However, it’s definitely one of those places where they do one thing and do it really well.
If you don’t fancy pizza, then it’s worth stopping by for a drink, particularly if you come between 5-6pm for happy hour!
16. Taste award winning gin at the Bathurst Grange Distillery
Sadly the distillery was closed when we tried to visit, but we’d heard such good things that we thought we should include it anyway.
You can learn how their award winning whisky and gin is made on a 45 minute distillery tour, which also includes a tasting. It’s a family run business and the tours are just $15 and get rave reviews. We’ll definitely be stopping by next time we’re in the area.
All tours must be booked in advance via their website.
Where to stay in Bathurst
Rydges Mount Panorama Bathurst
The rooms at the Rydges are modern and spacious and come with kitchenettes. The hotels has great views and an outdoor pool if you’re visiting in the warmer months.
You can check out the reviews and prices on:
The Mill Apartments
If you prefer to stay in apartments to hotels, the Mill Apartments which are located in an old heritage building are a great choice. They are stylishly furnished, have lots of space and kitchenettes for self catering if you don’t want to dine out.
You can check out the reviews and prices on:
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