Bathurst offered a pleasant change of pace, a welcome distraction from the straight lines and endless horizons of the open road. We rolled into town with the intention of doing the tourist thing, and Bathurst certainly delivered.
The architecture alone is worth the visit. The Bathurst Courthouse, for example, is a stately building that speaks to a bygone era of civic pride.
Its dome, the clock, the imposing columns… it’s all rather impressive. We half expected to see bewigged barristers emerging, arguing over land rights and livestock.
The city's Machattie Park is a delightful splash of colour and manicured greenery. The flowerbeds were a riot of spring blooms, the trees were in blossom, and the air was filled with the sweet scent of… well, flowers. It’s a very peaceful space, perfect for a stroll.
The park is well maintained and quite extensive.
One could easily spend an afternoon wandering around its various nooks and crannies.
Even the more utilitarian buildings possess a certain charm. The old bank building on one of the main corners, now repurposed, still stands proudly, a testament to Bathurst’s prosperous past.
One can only imagine the transactions that took place within those walls, the dreams financed, the fortunes made and lost.
And then there’s Annie’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream Parlour. We couldn’t resist stepping inside. The decor is a bit… enthusiastic, shall we say, but the ice cream was perfectly acceptable.
Sometimes a bit of kitsch is exactly what one needs on a long road trip. The racing-themed decorations were a nod to Bathurst's famous motor racing circuit, though we're more accustomed to traveling at rather more sedate speeds than the cars that frequent that particular stretch of bitumen.
The Cathedral of St Michael and St John is a magnificent example of Gothic Revival architecture, a red brick behemoth that dominates the skyline.
It's a sobering reminder of the enduring power of faith, or at least, the enduring power of architects with a penchant for pointed arches.
We also took a detour through the Bathurst Conservatory. It’s a rather lovely little oasis, filled with ferns, statues, and a general air of Victorian tranquility.
It was a welcome change from the harsh glare of the midday sun and a reminder that even in the heart of a bustling town, one can find a quiet corner to contemplate the finer things in life, like the arrangement of ferns. It was a fitting end to our day in Bathurst.
