Bathurst is a city of multiple identities…one of those rare places that manages to be all things to all people. There’s a distinctly-refined air here, but the heritage of Australia’s oldest inland settlement doesn’t intimidate its contemporary lifestyle.
Yes, there’s a whiff of conservative elitism in its posh private schools and dignified historic homes, but a young, university population reveals a spirited underground soul. Bathurst is anything but a living pioneer museum.
Among its monuments and memorials, alternative, innovative and inspired elements keep the eyebrows elevated. Surprises as vibrant as the hip bar Webb & Co Beverage Emporium which wouldn’t be out of place in New York, and as obscure as turning a corner away from the roar of highway traffic and hearing a rooster crow.
But for a real personality switch, visit in October when this city of elegant architecture, parks and culture, goes high octane with the running of the Bathurst 1000 race on the world’s most dramatic motor racing circuit.