Overview
Be charmed by antiques, live music and local art at Hartley Historic Site’s free open day. Book a guided tour to learn more about this 19th century village on the western edge of the Blue Mountains.
- When
Free open day: Sunday 3 May 2026, 9am to 3pm.
Paid guided tour times:
- 10am to 11am
- 11am to 12pm
- 12pm to 1pm
- 1pm to 2pm
- Accessibility
- Medium
- Grade
- Easy. Most suitable for adults and children over 5.
- Price
-
Entry to the open day is free, guided walking tours are ticketed. Adult $15 per person. Child (5 to 16 years) $10 per person, children under 5 free. Concession $10 per person. Family $35 for 2 adults and 2 children.
- Meeting point
- 51 Old Great Western Highway, Hartley NSW 2790
- What to
bring - Drinking water, hat, clothes for all weather conditions, sunscreen, raincoat, sturdy shoes
- Bookings
- Bookings required for guided tours. Book online or phone 1300 072 757 for more information.
Bring your family and friends to Hartley Historic Site on Sunday 3 May 2026 to enjoy a free open day for all ages. Come any time from 9am to 3pm to venture inside select historic buildings, browse local markets, get crafty in art sessions with Arts OutWest and bop along to live music.
If you’d like to go on a guided walking tour, you can also make a booking with a discovery ranger and learn about the rich and layered history of this small town. Discover its significant and sometimes colourful role in the growth of the NSW colony and early tourism in Australia.
Then wander through quaint shopfronts and get to know local business owners. Don’t miss the popular Postmistress Cafe and Store, Gold Rush Antiques, Talisman Gallery, and the Hartley Visitor Centre and Kew-Y-Ahn Aboriginal Gallery.
The outside grounds of Hartley Historic Site are dog friendly, provided dogs are always kept on a leash. Stretch your legs on the Rowsons River walking track or the Bells Rock Heritage walking track.
Be sure to book online to secure your place on one of the guided tours.
Local alerts
For the latest updates on fires, closures and other alerts in this area, see https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/things-to-do/guided-tours/hartley-discovery-day/local-alerts
Operated by
- NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service
Park info
- in Hartley Historic Site in the Sydney and surrounds region
Hartley Historic Site is open every day but access may be limited at times due to fire danger, school bookings or organised events.
Visitor info
All the practical information you need to know about Hartley discovery day.
Getting there and parking
Get driving directions
Hartley Historic Site is located west of the Blue Mountains.
From Mount Victoria, travel west along the Great Western Highway, then turn left into the village after 10km.
Parking
Free parking is available in designated parking areas which will be managed by authorised traffic control staff who will help with directions.
Maps and downloads
Accessibility
Disability access level - medium
For the free open day:
- People using wheelchairs can access some buildings with assistance and portable wheelchair ramps are available upon request. Other buildings are not wheelchair accessible.
- There is an accessible toilet located on site.
- There is a designated disabled parking spot available on site.
On the guided outdoor tour:
- You may need assistance to access some areas with a wheelchair during the guided tour.
- There are some steps, steep slopes, rough surfaces and obstacles such as potholes, tree roots and rocks on this outdoor tour.
Visitor centre
-
Hartley Historic Site Visitor Centre
Farmers Inn, 51 Old Great Western Highway, Hartley 2790 - 10am to 1pm and 1.30pm to 4pm. Closed Mondays, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
- 02 6355 2117
Learn more
Hartley discovery day is in Hartley Historic Site. Here are just some of the reasons why this park is special:
Aboriginal meeting place
Hartley Historic Village is set in a landscape of great and continuing importance to Aboriginal people who have lived on and passed through this land for thousands of years.
A tor, or cluster of granite rocks known as Kew-Y-Ahn to local Aboriginal people, is said to have been a meeting place for the Wiradjuri People from the west and Gundungurra People from the east.
Excellent bushwalking on historic roads
The Hartley area is great for bushwalking. Kew-Y-Ahn Bells Rock Heritage Walking Track is a 600m return walk to a striking granite tor with valley views. Rowsons River walk is a 1km loop by the river and Rowsons Hut remains.
Outside the village, you may like to set out on Lawson's Long Alley, Lockyer's Pass or Berghofer's Pass. Hartley’s rural setting is welcoming and peaceful – perfect for a picnic or a satisfying stroll.
- Gold Rush Antiques Nestled in the heart of Hartley Historic Site is Gold Rush Antiques. Browse through a beautiful selection of antiques, while enjoying an immersive shopping experience near Lithgow.
- Hartley Historic Site Visitor Centre Stop in at Hartley Historic Site Visitor Centre to find out about the history of the buildings and village, book tours, and stock up on snacks and drinks.
- The Postmistress Cafe and Store The Postmistress Cafe and Store is in Hartley Historic Village, midway between Mount Victoria and Lithgow. Oozing rustic charm, this quaint cafe is the perfect stopover when visiting Hartley.
The story of settlement
This exceptionally well-maintained village is of national historical significance as a substantial early nineteenth-century settlement. It tells modern visitors a great deal about the expansion of European development in inland Australia and the beautiful old buildings illustrate the changing role and fortunes of Hartley from first settlement of the inland to the beginning of the motor transport era. Discover more interesting facts at the visitor centre or buy a ticket for a self-guided tour. Large groups can book in advance on (02) 6355 2117.
- Former St Bernards Church Take a tour or arrange an event at Former St Bernards Church in Hartley, a lovingly preserved example of colonial sandstone architecture.
- Friends of Hartley Historic Site Hartley Historic Site offers a stimulating mix of volunteer opportunities, from cataloguing historic objects, to leading tours and helping out at the visitor centre or in the garden. Join up for this one-of-a-kind program today.
- Gold Rush Antiques Nestled in the heart of Hartley Historic Site is Gold Rush Antiques. Browse through a beautiful selection of antiques, while enjoying an immersive shopping experience near Lithgow.
- Hartley Courthouse This fine example of colonial architecture allows you to imagine the convicts, magistrates and members of the public passing through its doors. Book a guided tour through Hartley Historic Site Visitor Centre.
- Hartley Discovery Day Be charmed by antiques, live music and local art at Hartley Historic Site’s free open day. Book a guided tour to learn more about this 19th century village on the western edge of the Blue Mountains.