Bathurst is a vibrant regional city located just a few short hours drive west of Sydney. Locals and visitors alike enjoy the best of country life with all the conveniences and facilities of modern living.
Set in a wonderful natural environment, Bathurst is one of the region’s most beautiful cities, offering a diversity of attractions, activities and facilities.
Historic sites and architecture, cultural facilities, the famous Mount Panorama motor racing circuit and the growing wine industry all contribute to making the city an appealing destination.
Useful Facts
Size: 306 km 2
Population: 40,000
Climate: Warm summers, beautiful autumn and spring colour, and clear, crisp winters. Average temperature range is 12° to 27°C in summer and 1° to 12°C in winter. The average annual rainfall is 638mm.
Transport
Road: 200km west of Sydney
Rail: 3.5 hours from Sydney (daily service)
Airport: Bathurst (6 flights daily)
Local: Jones Bros Bus Company and Bathurst Buslines operate in town
Education
Employment
Major employers are in the education, manufacturing, retail, trade and health sectors as well as mining support services, and distribution businesses.
Dining
The Bathurst region is a delight for food and wine lovers. Dining experiences range from fast food outlets to gourmet menus from award winning restaurants. Fresh local produce combines with international influences to provide great dining experiences.
Bathurst excels in the production of vibrant and distinctive cool climate wines. Wine buffs can sample award winning wines right from the vineyard or stock up on Bathurst wines from one of the local bottle shops.
Sport
Bathurst has a state of the art, all year round, Aquatic Centre, an Indoor Sports Stadium, 18 hole Golf Course and a Hockey Complex which includes water and sand based fields as well as numerous grass fields.
Other sporting facilities include grounds for AFL, Athletics, Cricket, Netball, Rugby League, Rugby Union, Tennis, Football and Touch Football. Bathurst has over 70 different sporting groups and organisations in the region from Academies of Dance, croquet, aero, pony clubs, through to the football, rugby, cricket and cycling.
Bathurst is also home to the internationally renowned Mount Panorama Motor Circuit. The spiritual home of Australian motorsport has been well and truly established through the staging of 46 consecutive Bathurst 1000 races (formerly 500).
Arts & Culture
The Bathurst Region offers a vibrant cultural life. There are many activities and centres which offer an opportunity to immerse yourself in the art and culture of the region.
Located two blocks from the main central business district, Keppel Street offers an historic arts and culture precinct. From local produce to unique homewares stores and patisseries, Keppel Street offers a unique shopping experience. Keppel Street is also home to the Bathurst Library and Bathurst Regional Art Gallery.
Bathurst features three theatres, the Conservatorium of Music, two galleries, four museums, a library and 5 screen cinemas.
Aboriginal Culture
The Wiradjuri people were known as the people of the three rivers: the Wambool (now known as the Macquarie River), the Kalari (the Lachlan River, from which the electorate takes its name) and the Murrumbidjeri (the Murrumbidgee River).
Wiradjuri country is the largest in NSW, stretching from the eastern boundary of the Great Dividing Range. Drawing a line from the present towns of Hay and Nyngan approximates the western boundary. While Gunnedah and Albury mark the northern and southern boundaries of Wiradjuri country.
The Wiradjuri lands were signposted with carved trees which marked burial grounds. Carved trees have been found at the junction of the Macquarie and Campbell Rivers at O’Connell. (This tree can be seen on display in the Bathurst Historical Museum).
Bora rings were located on key sites like Wahlu (Mount Panorama) where initiations and other important ceremonies were held. The caretaker’s cottage in McPhillamy Park is believed to be constructed from the stones of three bora rings where, for thousands of years, the Wiradjuri held initiations and corroborees.
