BATHURST Bathurst is encounted when travelling the Sydney to Dubbo (or vice versa) on the Great Western Hgy. Bathurst is a very attractive city and the visitor will delight in what is on offer. Bathurst was founded at the terminus of Cox's Road on the orders of Governor Lachlan Macquarie who selected the site on 7 May 1815. It is the oldest inland town in Australia. The name Bathurst comes from the surname of the British Colonial Secretary Lord Bathurst. It was intended to be the administrative centre of the western plains of New South Wales, where orderly colonial settlement was planned. Bathurst is often referred to as Gold Country as it was the site of the first gold discovery and where the first gold rush occurred in Australia. Today it is education; tourism and manufacturing that drive the economy. Internationally known racetrack Mount Panorama is also a landmark of the city. Bathurst has a historic city centre with many buildings remaining from the gold rush period of the mid to late 1800s. The Court House in particular is a gem. The Congregational Churches are all quite stunning buildings. The Catholic, Presbyterian and United particularly so. Bathurst down town has two museums; a heritage and dinosaur museums. The Bathurst War Memorial and gardens are quite beautiful and symbolic. With few exceptions most of the hotels in Bathurst are rebuilds. Today, Bathurst is synonymous with motorsport, being the site of the Mount Panorama motor racing circuit. The circuit is a public road when not being used for racing and is a popular tourist attraction for visitors to the city. So when visiting allow more than three days. Heritage diary