Bathurst

Bathurst tells its story in many different ways: at the motorsport venue of Mount Panorama, in museums dedicated to railway and racing history, and in gardens and parks. You can shape your trip around the experiences that interest you most—from a lap of the racetrack to exhibitions and discoveries for younger children.

Experience and understand motorsport

Mount Panorama is a public road. Visitors may walk or cycle around the racetrack. Be cautious and wear highly visible clothing. So you can experience the circuit not only as a motorsport venue, but also by exploring it under your own steam; plan a lap on foot or by bike.

The National Motor Racing Museum shows just how deeply motorsport is embedded in Bathurst’s identity. It focuses on the history of Australian motorsport, particularly Bathurst and Mount Panorama, which are regarded as the spiritual home of Australian motorsport. On display are more than 100 racing cars and motorcycles, as well as trophies and photographs. If you’re interested in the stories behind racing, this offers a different perspective from driving on the public racetrack.

Railway history and natural history

The Bathurst Rail Museum brings the social history of Bathurst as a railway town to life through personal memories and artefacts. Its centrepiece is Australia’s largest publicly accessible HO-scale model railway. The dedicated Kids Central Space also features a permanent Brio layout, one of the largest in the world, designed for creative play by young children. The museum thus combines historical insights with a play area specifically aimed at young visitors.

A very different collection awaits you at the Australian Fossil and Mineral Museum. It permanently houses the Somerville Collection, with more than 5,000 objects. The museum is an entertaining and educational destination for families wanting to explore the natural history of our planet. If you like to fill your days with a variety of themes, you can focus on natural history here and railway history at the Rail Museum.

Homes, art and gardens

The Chifley Home and Education Centre is located in the former home of Prime Minister Ben Chifley and his wife, Elizabeth. It offers a glimpse into how the Chifleys lived in the 1940s. The Bathurst Regional Art Gallery is one of the oldest regional galleries in New South Wales. The two places appeal to different interests: the domestic life of a historical family and art in a regional gallery.

There are also distinctive places to discover outdoors. The Ohkuma Japanese Gardens shape their garden setting with a dry waterfall, a small bridge and traditional Japanese plants. Machattie Park is a public recreational space in the centre of Bathurst. Its design, laid out in 1890, remains largely unchanged and includes, among other features, the Band Rotunda and Gardener’s Cottage. So, alongside its museums, Bathurst offers green spaces, each with its own character.

More things to consider when planning your visit

The Bathurst War Memorial Carillon is an instrument and memorial with 47 bells, located in the centre of King’s Parade in Bathurst. Announcements are made for regular Saturday performances by local carillonneurs, which are promoted in New South Wales. Miss Traill’s House is open on Sundays from 12:00 to 15:30—a specific time window to bear in mind when planning your visit.

For travel between Sydney and Bathurst, the Bathurst Bullet train makes one return trip daily. If you’d like to visit more local pages, you’ll find Yetholme, Hill End and Brewongle here.

For the main travel overview: Bathurst Regional Council.