The National Motor Racing Museum
Abercrombie House
Ben Chifley Home
Bathurst Regional Gallery
Jenolan Caves
Miss Trails House and Garden
Australian Fossil and Mineral Museum
Bathurst Goldfields Observatory Tours

Bathurst Goldfields Tours - Gold Tour

Bathurst Goldfields, a reconstruction of a gold mining village which has a mine, a working stamper battery crushing ore, operative steam engines, a miner’s hut, a blacksmith’s forge and gold panning as water cascades down through the ponds.
A visit takes the form of a guided tour starting in our indoor museum, explaining the history of gold discovery in New South Wales and the working environment of a gold miner. Guests are introduced to the difference between fools gold, reef and alluvial gold. Our display includes a model of the Holterman nugget, mining tools, minerals from around the world and documents from the gold rush era. The museum displays an extensive collection of general household items that were in use in the Victorian home along with a display of real gold stands allowing our tour guide to discuss the wide variety of uses for gold & various techniques for mining.
The tour then continues through our outdoor museum to the Chinese gatehouse where you will be shown through our temple housing artifacts and a pictorial display of the Chinese on the goldfields, the guide then discusses the problems and prejudices the Chinese encountered and are able to see how the Chinese work practices and lifestyle varied from the European miners. The guide will then do a demonstration of old style blacksmithing in our working black smith shop before heading to the steam shed where we will have our working steam driven winding engine, stamper battery & steam whistle in action. The guests can also visit our outdoor museum where they will see a working California bucket pump, whim and poppet head and old school house.
The gold tour will take approximately 2 hours and it is recommended that all guests wear enclosed shoes whilst touring in our outdoor museum.

Bathurst Goldfields Observatory Tours
(Maximum of 30 people at one time)
Bathurst Observatory Educational Facility is an observatory where the public can come and view a variety of objects through our main optical telescope. All tours are conducted with our experienced astronomer who will show you the many wonders of the southern hemisphere’s night sky.
It is housed in a 6.7m dome which can hold around 30 adults. Through it you may see the wonders of the planets of our solar system, or maybe view distant galaxies that are millions of light years away, or vast gas clouds, called nebula, in our galaxy. Tour content varies through the year, but there is always something great to see.
Please keep in mind observatory tours booked are maximum of 30 people at a time, and is subject to clear weather.

Australian Fossil and Mineral Museum – home of the Somerville Collection.

World class and exquisitely beautiful, the Australian Fossil and Mineral Museum is home to the internationally renowned Somerville Collection, the lifetime work of Professor Warren Somerville.
Be mesmerized by the stunning display of rare fossils and minerals from around the world and come face to face with Australia’s only complete Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton. 
Professor Warren Somerville AM found his first fossil specimen at Borenore near Orange when he was just nine years old, an event which inspired him to embark on a lifetime of collecting. Over sixty years later, the Somerville collection of fossils and minerals is one of the most spectacular in the world.





Situated in the heart of Bathurst, the Australian Fossil and Mineral Museum is housed in the 1876 Public School building.  Highlights from the mineral collection include crystals from over 100 Australian mine sites, spectacular and significant mineral specimens from around the world as well as diamonds, sapphires, emeralds and other gems.



Features of the fossil collection include dinosaur skeletons, dinosaur eggs, Australia’s largest collection of fossils in amber, some of the oldest fossils of early forms of life, and a large collection of Australia’s unique opalised fossils.

224 Howick Street Bathurst (next to the Post Office)
Open: 10am – 4pm Monday to Saturday and 10am – 2pm Sunday. 
Phone 02 63315511
Web: www.somervillecollection.com.au
Admission Charges apply

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Miss Trails House and Garden
Bequeathed to the National Trust by Miss Ida Trail, this property is administered by the National Trust.
Located at the corner of Russell and Peel Streets, Miss Trail’s House (c.1845) is a colonial Georgian home which contains the collection of the Lee family who were amongst the very first European settlers to the west and pioneering settlers in the Bathurst district.
The house, horse paddock, 19th century cottage gardens and the memorabilia collection by Miss Trail and her family provide an accurate window into the past

Amongst the collection is a convict-painted portrait of Emily Kite.
Nearby in Mitre St is the facade of the carefully restored Bathurst Hospital (1880s).
Opening Times: Friday, Saturday, Sunday & Monday 12.30am - 3.30pm


Jenolan Caves
Jenolan Caves is regarded as Australia’s most spectacular limestone caves. A variety of tours and activities are available including tours of the world renowned show caves, adventure caving tours and bushwalking. You will see beautiful formations in pinks, oranges, browns and milk-white in these amazing caves. There are nine show caves and four adventure caves open to the public with guided tours every day of the year. Also available are night tours, theme and specialty tours and adventure caving.
There is plenty to do at Jenolan, see some wonderful scenery by exploring the many walking tracks, open archways and the Blue Lake, or take a stroll down the Jenolan River to Jenolan’s own fully operational hydro plant.
Take your time, relax and explore the magic that is Jenolan’s underworld.
Between tours, enjoy the free above ground activities or a leisurely picnic lunch by the Blue Lake. Guided tours can be arranged - $23.00 per person




Bathurst Regional Gallery
Bathurst Regional Art Gallery is located on historic Keppel Street. A modern, well-equipped and highly celebrated regional gallery it focuses on Australian art from 1955.
There is a strong Lloyd Rees collection, Australian ceramics from the late 1960s, the artists of Hill
End from 1945 and Australian Sculpture collection.
The Gallery averages 16 exhibitions annually with the program mix made up of touring shows, exhibitions researched from the permanent collection, Hill End Artists in Residence and local artists.
Many artists have been drawn to the area over the years, including Lloyd Rees and Russell Drysdale. As a youth Brett Whiteley boarded at The Scots School in Bathurst and continued to frequent the area until his death in 1992.
The gallery is open from 10:00am - 5:00pm Tuesday to Saturday & 11:00am - 2:00pm Sundays and public holidays, Mondays by appointment only. The Gallery is closed during exhibition change-overs.

Ben Chifley Home

Chifley Home at 10 Busby Street, Bathurst was the only marital home of Australia’s 16th Prime Minister Ben Chifley and his wife, Elizabeth. The house contains its original collection of household furnishings and personal belongings together with ceremonial gifts presented to Ben Chifley as Commonwealth Prime Minister from 1945 to 1949. The house is a time capsule of everyday Australian life during the 1940s and 1950s.

This significant historic home is available for special tours for community groups and schools. For further information and bookings, contact Bathurst Visitor Information Centre:
Phone [02] 6332 1444.
Detail information and a web-site education kit on Chifley Home can be accessed through:
www.chifleyhome.org.au

Abercrombie House
Abercrombie House was built by James Stewart (c.1870s).
The 40 room historic mansion was originally the home of the Stewart family – Bathurst Pioneers.
It is know the home of the Morgan family who brought it in 1969 and have spent almost thirty years on a program of the restoration and redecoration.
It is one of the largest private homes in the central west covering 210 squares, with 29 fireplaces, 7 staircases, more then 40 rooms with a ballroom with ceilings 28 feet high.

The National Motor Racing Museum

Located at Murray’s Corner and right beside the internationally famous Mount Panorama motor racing circuit, has a collection of over 50 racing cars and a similar number of bikes.











The collection represents most of the eras and categories of Australian and overseas motorsport.
A visit to the Mount Panorama circuit is not complete without a visit to the Museum. School groups, car and bike clubs, seniors groups etc. will all enjoy the experience of re-living past motor racing from all over the country. Memorabilia includes photos, trophies, flags and posters and there is a mini documentary on the history of the circuit.

The Museum Shop stocks a wide range of quality clothing, souvenirs, DVDs, posters and race programs from the past. The prices are quite reasonable. Become a member and you get a 10% amongst other benefits.