Saturday Afternoon
We arrived in the outskirts of Bathurst and headed straight for the Mount Panorama motor racing circuit. When it’s not being used as a racetrack, it’s a public road, so obviously we had to give it a try! The Esses in particular were a lot of fun, and although we weren’t racing, there was definitely some adrenaline pumping as we crossed the finish line! And of course, we each had to take a turn…
We checked into our accommodation, which was a little bit quirky – The Original Hat Factory Apartment!
While it kind of feels like you are driving into a scrap yard, the apartment itself was lovely, spacious and with beautiful stained-glass windows and original features. It has everything you need for a longer stay too.
It was only a short walk from there into the city centre, so we wandered over for a spot of shopping, stopping for an ice cream at Annie’s Ice Cream Parlour and generally just orientating ourselves.
We hadn’t planned anywhere to eat, but found Pantano’s Bar and Grill on the main street. It looked popular, so after a quick glance at the menu we decided this was the place for us! After only a short wait, we got a table and ordered. The service was great, the beer not so much and the food was slow but delicious. We both had the pork belly, and shared a sticky date pudding for dessert. Would definitely recommend both!
Afterwards, we found a bit of a hidden bar, the Church bar. The beer was much better here, and the cocktails also looked good. The woodfired pizzas smelt delicious – one to remember for the next visit!
A Sunday Exploring
For breakfast on Sunday we tried out The Hub on Kepple street. We definitely should have booked this one – it was so busy – but we did eventually get a table. The breakfast was as delicious as the reviews promised, and I can see why it is so popular.
Our next stop of the morning was the Australian Fossil and Mineral Museum. We used our NSW discover vouchers so it was essentially free. As well as the fossils and minerals, they currently have a Dino-Store pet shop exhibition, which I enjoyed far more than I expected – everything you need to think about before you get a pet dinosaur! The size of the pooper scooper alone was enough to put me off…
Afterwards, we walked around to King’s parade to see the War Memorial Carillon and the South African War Memorial, really striking amongst the flower beds in the centre of the city.
Opposite the Carillon is the Courthouse, a stunning Victorian building worth a photo or two (see featured image). Behind the courthouse is Machattie Park, a Victorian country town park and very pleasant to walk around.
Both the Fernery and the Begonia house were open, so we popped in for a quick look. The buildings themselves were beautiful, let alone the display of flowers.
We stopped for a quick lunch at the Venue café before heading out to Boundary road reserve. There are walking tracks through the reserve and you can see a number of kangaroos and other native animals. It was pretty intimidating watching the mob of kangaroos on the move!
Once we had completed the loop, we headed back to the car. And it was time to head home!
We had a lovely weekend in Bathurst, and as it’s so (relatively) close, I’m certain we will be back for another 24 hours in Bathurst soon!
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