Museums Bathurst

Today is International Museums Day! To help celebrate, we thought we'd share some interesting facts about our four diverse museums. Museum which opened first: Chifley Home, opened by Gough Whitlam in 1973. Then the National Motor Racing Museum, Australian Fossil and Mineral Museum, and lastly Bathurst Rail Museum. Museum which attracts the most locals: Bathurst Rail Museum, with around 55% of all visitors living in Bathurst - plenty of them loving the BRIO layout in Kids Central! Museum which has the oldest object in our collections: Definitely the Australian Fossil and Mineral Museum’s banded iron specimen, which is about 3 billion years old Largest object in our collections: Chifley Home – the Home itself! Not only is the building our largest “object”, but it is also listed on the State Heritage Register. Museum which has had the most visitors: National Motor Racing Museum! With over 780,000 since it joined Bathurst Council in 1997, and over 14,000 already this year Museum with the most volunteers: Bathurst Rail Museum – our volunteers assist with the maintenance and development of the model layout and are fantastic in answering visitor questions. 📸 Volunteer Phil with students at the Bathurst Rail Museum; Fossil display at the Australian Fossil and Mineral Museum; the National Motor Racing Museum's replica mini on the track during the 2026 12 Hour; the crowd at last week's popular @museumsofhistorynsw event at Chifley Home. @visitbathurst @bathurst_council

Tickets for our Steam Social are selling fast, so get in now to avoid disappointment! With music from the @_mitchell_conservatorium 's CONnections Big Band, canapes included, and a @recklessbrewingco bar, this will be a social event not to be missed! Tickets just $30 or $25 for members, available at the Bathurst Rail Museum, or link in bio. @visitbathurst @bathurst_council @benjaminfry @transportheritagensw

Our carriage CBA 547, used by patrons of the Ly Cafe Refreshment Room, is an example of a popular group of carriages that became known as American Suburban or 'Cowboy' cars, as they were based on samples sent from the United States. After arriving in Bathurst, it lived for a time at the Visitor Information Centre before being moved to its current home at the Bathurst Rail Museum in 2019. CBA 547 weighs 19 tons and features a timber body and underframe, resting on composite steel/timber four-wheel bogies. It was built in NSW in 1904 and entered service in 1905. Eventually retired in November 1974 after 69 years of service, it is one of less than 40 cars of its kind still in existence in the world. #bathurstrailmuseum #brm #railmuseum #rail #trains #railhistory #bathurstrail #otherwaystothewest #visitcentralnsw #centralnswtourism #bathurstbucketlist #visitnsw #destinationnsw #150yearsbathurstrail

We were absolutely stoked to welcome @museumsofhistorynsw for their SOLD OUT presentation at Chifley Home and Education Centre today! The talk was fascinating, and the objects on display were even better. It was such a wonderful opportunity to see items from their collection, some of which related directly to Bathurst and even right within the Chifley Home. @visitbathurst @bathurst_council

It's here! The Steam Social will be held on Saturday 6 June, 6pm. To celebrate the visit by a @transportheritagensw steam locomotive and 150 years since the railway arrived in Bathurst, the Bathurst Rail Museum is inviting the community to dance the night away with the Mitchell Conservatorium's CONnections Big Band at the Steam Social. Cocktail refreshments will be available and @recklessbrewingco behind the bar. Tickets now on sale! Link in bio @visitbathurst @bathurst_council @artsoutwest #bathurstlocals #bathurstbucketlist

Lest we forget. Text in video reads: On 15 August 1945, Prime Minister Ben Chifley announced the end of the war against Japan. “Let us remember those whose lives were given that we may enjoy this glorious moment and may look forward to a peace which they have won for us. Let us remember those whose thoughts, with proud sorrow, turn towards gallant, loved ones who will not come back. On behalf of the people and the Government of Australia I offer humble thanks to the fighting men of the United Nations whose gallantry, sacrifice and devotion to duty have brought us to victory. Nothing can fully repay the debt we owe them nor can history record in adequate terms their deeds from the black days that followed September 1939 and December 1941, until this moment.” Lest we forget. #anzacday #anzac #museums #bathurstmuseums #museumsbathurst #visitbathurst #bathurstnsw #loveyourmuseums #loveyourmuseum #culturalexperiences #bathurstlocals #bxlocal #chifleyhomeandeducationcentre #chifley #benchifley #australianprimeminister #australianlabor #alp #australianhistory #australianpolitics @bathurst_council @andrewgeecalare @paultoolemp @oldparliamenthouse @hotelkurrajong @visitbathurst

Then, Now and on the Layout//Tarana Railway Station There are only two stations on our layout that are still in use today - and one of them is Tarana. Tarana Railway Station opened on 22 April 1872, with additions in later years including another platform, a signal box and a footbridge. It was the junction line for Oberon, which was shut down in 1979. Tarana railway station was listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999 In recent years, the Tarana Station building has undergone a major restoration project, and now boasts new passenger facilities 📸 Tarana Railway Station, courtesy Bathurst District Historical Society. Tarana Railway Station today, photo by David Roma, courtesy Transport Asset Manager NSW. Tarana Railway Station on our model layout. #museums #bathurstmuseums #museumsbathurst #visitbathurst #bathurstnsw #loveyourmuseums #loveyourmuseum #culturalexperiences #bathurstlocals #otherwaystothewest #visitcentralnsw #centralnswtourism #bathurstrailmuseum #brm #railmuseum #rail #trains #modeltrains #modelrailway #railhistory #bathurstrail #150yearsbathurstrail @visitbathurst @bathurst_council

Steam Spam 🚂🚂🚂 As we are gearing up for the Bathurst Steam Weekend in June, we thought we'd wade through some archival photos to share some steam loco love! 📸 3001 passing through Bathurst yard; 36 Class shunting at Georges Plains, 1956; 5904 at Tumulla crossing loop, 1970 (all courtesy Laurie Anderson) and 3801 and 3813 lead the Western Endeavour, Orton Park, 1970 (photo by Denis Chamberlain, courtesy Vince Byers); the Flying Scotsman in Bathurst 1989 (Fred Smith Collection); Engine 179 #museums #bathurstmuseums #museumsbathurst #visitbathurst #bathurstnsw #loveyourmuseums #loveyourmuseum #culturalexperiences #bathurstlocals #bxlocal #otherwaystothewest #visitcentralnsw #centralnswtourism #bathurstbucketlist #visitnsw #destinationnsw #railhistory #bathurstrail #150yearsbathurstrail

Learning at the Railway Institute The adoption of new technologies, such as more powerful locomotives in the 1920s, created new requirements to upgrade the skills of railway employees. In 1920, rather than have employees pay for classes, the NSW Railway Commissioners decided to make educational programs free for all employees through the Railway Institute. Institute classes provided the main means by which an employee could acquire the knowledge necessary to qualify for skilled positions and promotion. Subjects offered by the Railway Institute included accountancy, boiler-making, electrical trades, fitting and turning, locomotive engineering, railway safety, shunting, signaling, station management and time keeping. Ben Chifley was a Life Member of the Bathurst Railway Institute. He joined the railways in 1903 and had become a qualified locomotive driver by 1913. He was actively involved in the educational activities of the Bathurst Institute and was a highly regarded teacher. 📸 Railway Institute building in 1924, courtesy Australian Railway Historical Society; NSW Railway Institute Council 1937-38, courtesy Bathurst District Historical Society; the Railway Institute today, housing the Bathurst Rail Museum #museums #bathurstmuseums #museumsbathurst #visitbathurst #bathurstnsw #loveyourmuseums #loveyourmuseum #culturalexperiences #bathurstlocals #bxlocal #otherwaystothewest #visitcentralnsw #centralnswtourism #bathurstbucketlist #visitnsw #destinationnsw #bathurstrailmuseum #brm #railmuseum #rail #trains #modeltrains #modelrailway #railhistory #bathurstrail #150yearsbathurstrail

We are really looking forward to welcoming @museumsofhistorynsw to Chifley Home & Education Centre in a few weeks for a fascinating presentation from their experts, with an opportunity to view original collection material such as wallpaper, trade catalogues and architectural pattern books. Book now, link in bio! 10.30am, Thursday 7 May @visitbathurst @bathurst_council @centralnswtourism @otherwaystothewest #museums #bathurstmuseums #museumsbathurst #visitbathurst #bathurstnsw #loveyourmuseums #loveyourmuseum #culturalexperiences #bathurstlocals #bxlocal #otherwaystothewest #visitcentralnsw #centralnswtourism #bathurstbucketlist #visitnsw #destinationnsw

Steam Weekend tickets are on sale!! 🚂🚂🚂 We are excited to welcome Transport Heritage NSW back to Bathurst over the June long weekend, who will once again be offering steam train rides. Get your tickets online now: .au/experiences/bathurst 📸Two 36 class locomotives at Wimbledon Station, 1964. NSW State Archives #museums #bathurstmuseums #museumsbathurst #visitbathurst #bathurstnsw #loveyourmuseums #loveyourmuseum #culturalexperiences #bathurstlocals #bxlocal #otherwaystothewest #visitcentralnsw #centralnswtourism #bathurstbucketlist #visitnsw #destinationnsw #bathurstrailmuseum #brm #railmuseum #rail #trains #modeltrains #modelrailway #railhistory #bathurstrail #150yearsbathurstrail @centralnswtourism @bathurst_council @otherwaystothewest

Celebrating the launch of the 150th anniversary of rail in Bathurst, entry to the Bathurst Rail Museum is FREE on Saturday 11 April! Open 9am-4.30pm, see you there - toot toot!! 🚂🚂🚂 #bathurstrailmuseum #brm #railmuseum #rail #trains #modeltrains #modelrailway #railhistory #bathurstrail #150yearsbathurstrail #museums #bathurstmuseums #museumsbathurst #visitbathurst #bathurstnsw #loveyourmuseums #loveyourmuseum #culturalexperiences #bathurstlocals #bxlocal #otherwaystothewest #visitcentralnsw #centralnswtourism #bathurstbucketlist #visitnsw #destinationnsw @bathurst_council @artsoutwest @centralnswtourism @otherwaystothewest @paultoolemp @andrewgeecalare