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Was Jack Fagan in league with the gold robbers?

The beautiful historic City of Bathurst is the oldest inland settlement in Australia and is also home to the famous Mount Panorama Motor Racing Circuit.  Situated on the picturesque Macquarie River, it is also one of the fastest growing regional Centres. It is a comfortable 2.5 hour drive from Sydney via the Blue Mountains, either by the Great Western Highway or the Bells Line of Road.  Bathurst has achieved an enviable perfect balance, offering all the conveniences of a cosmopolitan city with the laid back lifestyle of a rural environment.

The crossing of the Blue Mountains in 1813 opened up the interior of NSW and in 1814, Surveyor George Evans discovered the Bathurst Plains.  On the 7^th of May 1815, Governor Lachlan Macquarie declared the site for the town and named it after the Secretary of State for the Colonies, Lord Bathurst. Settlement soon followed with the first land grants being issued to free settlers in1818.

A conflict between the indigenous Wiradjuri people and the white settlers developed to a point where martial law was declared in 1824 but was eventually repealed later that year.

The renowned English Biologist Charles Darwin visited Bathurst in 1836. He was author of the revolutionary works about evolution, titled The Origin of the Species. A plaque commemorating his visit can be found in Bathurst’s Machattie Park.

The first gold discovery in Australia was made near what is now known as Tarana by James McBrien in 1823. Later gold discoveries at Ophir in 1851, Hill End and Sofala began the Gold Rush Era, turning the quiet settlement of Bathurst into a boomtown.  The famous Holtermann Nugget, the largest piece of reef gold on record, was discovered in 1872 by Louis Beyer and Bernard Holtermann near Hill End.

Transport to the region was greatly improved when in 1862, Bathurst became the headquarters for the famous Cobb & Co Coaching company. An impressive cavalcade arrived in Bathurst in June from Victoria and the group was so large there were not enough stables or accommodation and they had to camp on the flat area near Dennison Bridge, now known as Morse Park. James Rutherford and his partners had purchased the company in 1861, was to become an important figure in the Bathurst community. An original restored Cobb & Coach is on display at the Bathurst Visitor Information Centre.      

Attractions and Things to Do in Bathurst

You are definitely spoiled for choice when it comes to activities and entertainment in Bathurst. There are cultural events galore with regular art exhibitions, theatre performances at Bathurst Memorial Entertainment Centre and monthly musical performances at Jenolan Caves, which provides an undeniably spectacular venue to appreciate beautiful music. Bre&d on the Bridge and Bre&d Under the Stars are magnificent outdoor events showcasing delicious local produce and regional wines. The local Farmers Market, held every fourth Saturday, allows visitors and locals to sample fresh seasonal produce.

For the motor enthusiast it wouldn’t be a visit to Bathurst without a lap of Mount Panorama, the famous racing circuit of the Bathurst 1000. Then enjoy a visit to the National Motor Racing Museum where you can experience the excitement of speed and race around the track in a simulator. This can be followed by the Victor’s Walk in Russell Street, which displays plaques commemorating previous race winners. Of course there is always the excitement of the great race itself which can be experienced every October.

Rich in historical treasures, Bathurst provides some stunning architecture in many of the city’s buildings and historic homes.  Some of these are open to the public and definitely worth a visit including Chifley Home, the marital residence of Australian Prime Minister Ben Chifley who was born and raised in Bathurst and held office from 1945-1949. One of his government’s impressive achievements was the building of the Snowy Mountains Hydro Electric Scheme. Other significant historic homes include the magnificent Abercrombie House and Miss Traill’s House and Garden. Bequeathed to the National Trust by Miss Ida Traill, a fourth generation descendant of pioneers, her former home contains a unique collection of Victorian and Edwardian furniture and memorabilia.

The Australian Mineral and Fossil Museum houses wonderful displays of rare fossils and minerals from around the world and has Australia’s only complete Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton, making it the perfect place to uncover the natural history of our planet.

Golf, fishing, horse and bike riding are very popular outdoor activities in Bathurst. Cycling is particularly popular, with many events and rides taking place including the ‘B2B’ Blayney to Bathurst Charity Participation Bicycling Event.  Fishermen can throw in a line at Ben Chifley Dam or fly fish along the banks of the Macquarie, and other local rivers. For the more daring, there’s the Bathurst Skate Park, for a skate boarding run, or you could venture into bushranger hideouts at either Jenolan or Abercrombie Caves.  

I love the diversity of the weather in the Central West.  You know what they say… 4 seasons in one day (makes it hard to dress in the morning)!  This is particularly true in Blayney where it can change radically from a sort of frosty Ukraine winter’s morning to an icy Alpine winter’s day to a sort of bracing Himalayan-style, gale-force blizzard winter’s afternoon… and then suddenly change dramatically, do a complete turn around and switch to an absolutely delightful and surprisingly cold (but fresh) sub-zero Antarctic evening complete with icebergs in the duck pond (I knew my son shouldn’t have named his model boat “Titanic”).

While we’re on this topic, which of you misguided fools out there thinks that Blayney is the coldest place on the face of the Earth?  We hear this a lot and it certainly doesn’t do a lot for our local pride.  I mean, it’s not actually cold…IT’S THE WIND CHILL!!!

And besides, everyone knows that Oberon is the coldest place in Australia!

Blayney History & Environs – Attractions & Things to Do

The BillyCart Bash was a Smash!

Big turnouts are expected for the Blayney Show this weekend with the first horse events being run in the region since the outbreak of Equine Influenza. Competitors bringing horses to the show are reminded that they must continue to follow current EI movement requirements. Amongst the many attractions at this years Blayney Show will be a Climbing Wall, Mechanical Bull and the Tyrepower Tube Rolling Extravaganza. A large variety of merchandise will be for sale from the dozens of stalls booked in and this year Blayney will host the Central West Dahlia competition. After you’ve been to the show why not have your say about how you think it went by writing a blog or forum on OurPatch.

The Royal Bathurst Show is nearly upon us and this year it’s going to be bigger and better than ever. Held over 3 days from Friday 29 February to Sunday 2 March, this exciting annual event showcases the region’s rural activities and arts & crafts and has entertainment and activities guaranteed to appeal to every age group. This year the Bathurst Show will feature the largest collection of amusement rides in Western NSW and kicks off on Friday evening with a Live Band competition and a fireworks display. Further events involving family entertainment on Saturday followed by the major fireworks spectacular are expected to help in attracting record crowds this year.

The equine influenza that has disrupted horse events across NSW since August last year should only have a minimal impact on the Royal Bathurst Show this month. Show executive secretary John Ovenstone said the Bathurst Agricultural, Horticultural and Pastoral Association were optimistic . “We’re very positive about prospects. Our schedule for horse events went out some weeks ago,” Mr Ovenstone said. “Of course there are still residual impacts of EI that everyone is dealing with in NSW [and] we’ll only be able to rely on exhibits from Green Zones.

Go and check it out as there will certainly be plenty to entertain the whole family.

So with this year’s event looking to be a runaway success, why not have YOUR SAY about YOUR SHOW? We invite you to register on our OurPatch and share with the community your thoughts about this exciting local event. And after the show, let us know how it went.

Remember, if it’s in our community, it’s in OurPatch.

Royal Bathurst Show Bathurst Showground, Kendall Avenue Bathurst, NSW 2795 Telephone: 02 – 6331 3175 Email: bathshow@lisp.com.au Website: www.bathurstshow.com.au

Get out those old crates, grab your hammers and nails and put on your crash helmets because the Blayney BillyCart Bash is back! Set to provide a real boost to Blayney, the inaugural running of the new Blayney BillyCart Bash is being held at Church Hill, Blayney on Sunday 17 February.

Organised in conjunction with the Blayney Council Tourism Committee, the event has drawn entries from as far away as Sydney and the South Coast. There are even participants from the ‘old days’ who will be revisiting Blayney to re-run the ‘thrill of the hill’.

“By attracting Race competitors from all age groups, as well as the business & corporate sector, we aim to encourage community participation in a fun and challenging event and to promote Blayney Shire as a tourist destination,” said chairman of the Blayney BillyCart Bash Committee David Kennedy.

Mayor of Blayney Shire, Ted Wilson is confident of the success of the event; “It’s going to be a huge day designed to provide a fabulous experience for all members of the community,” said Mr Wilson. “And all monies raised will be returned to the community for recreational purposes”.

With safety a primary consideration, stringent guidelines on billycart construction and protective gear have been set in place and there will be different gradient levels for each age group. St John’s Ambulance and the police are in consultation with the committee and will attend on the day.

”With bookings from stallholders and billycart entries rolling in the day promises to be a lot of fun for families. There will be food, activities, entertainment and stalls – something for everyone” said David Kennedy.

By sponsoring this event local businesses are helping to promote the whole of the Blayney community. Quality Building Supplies and Blayney Mowers are offering a 20% discount to cart builders for items like timber and wheels.

Why not have your say about the Blayney BillyCart Bash? OurPatch invites you to register on our site and tell the community how you feel about this exciting local event.

Remember, if it’s in our community, it’s in OurPatch.

For more information or to download an entry form go to the Blayney BillyCart Bash website at: http://www.blayney.local-e.nsw.gov.au/community/9241.html OR contact David Kennedy at Raine and Horne Blayney on 6368 3200.

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