Littleton at Napoleon Reef is tucked away (about 2 minutes) off the Great Western Highway about 15 minutes east from the centre of Bathurst. While we correctly say 15 minutes, the actual time of travel from the gate at Littleton to the outskirts of Bathurst is around 8 minutes. There is a long stretch of 80 and 60 kph before the centre of Bathurst. (Beware the white station wagon on the side of the road in the 60kph section taking photos of speeding cars.)
Bathurst is located approximately 200kms
west of Sydney which translates to a comfortable two and a half hours drive from
Sydney and three and a half hours from the National Capital, Canberra.
The City of Bathurst is the oldest inland settlement in Australia. It was
proclaimed a town in 1815 and, with the discovery of gold, experienced rapid
growth in the 1850s and '60s.
The town was gazetted as a city in 1885. Bathurst has superb examples of early
1800's architecture with an abundance of heritage buildings. The main streets
are a delightful mixture of old and new, with charming cast iron Victorian
lamp-posts adorning busy shopping centres.
Mount Panorama has over 6kms of public road which, at each race meeting,
transforms into the world-renowned Mount Panorama racing circuit. The circuit
becomes the focus for over 1 billion people worldwide each year. The big
V8 race happens in October which brings thousands of people to Bathurst and
accommodation becomes very hard to find.
NOTE: Some people believe it is a one way system because that's the way the cars
race and we have seen idiots driving like it is a one way system. It is not and
in the interests of safety we always travel anticlockwise (like in the race) to
avoid meeting wannabe racing drivers head on.
Bathurst prides itself in its education facilities, with education being one of
the largest employers in the city. Charles Sturt University (University of the
Year 1997) has a campus located in Bathurst. The Western Institute of TAFE, a
growing institution, has expanded its facilities in the past twelve months.
There are numerous public and private high schools and the Conservatorium of
Music.
A full listing of "Whats On" can be found here on the Bathurst Regional Council website or by date here
Places to see in Bathurst and surrounds
Whilst driving around " The Mount " be sure to call in at the vineyard, Bathurst Goldfields, Clarke's Orchard for fresh fruit (in season of course) and the National Motor Racing Museum
Other great attractions include
Historic Abercrombie House
Ohkuma Japanese Garden
Bathurst Observatory
Chifley Home
Bathurst has plenty of shopping opportunities though we do miss Grace Bros. You will find it much more peaceful shopping in Bathurst and easier to park.