Hartley Courthouse
Hartley Historic Site
Overview
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.
- Type
- Historic buildings/places
- Where
- 44 Old Great Western Highway, Hartley, NSW, 2790 - in Hartley Historic Site in Sydney and surrounds
- Accessibility
- Medium
- Price
-
Courthouse and church $8.80 per person.
- Opening times
Take a self-guided tour of Hartley Courthouse Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 1pm and 1.30pm to 4pm.
- Bookings
- Call or email Hartley Historic Site Visitor Centre to make a booking. Book in advance for large groups, school groups, special needs groups or other pre-arranged visits.
- Hire this venue
Hartley Courthouse is available for events and function hire.
Hartley Courthouse was designed by colonial architect Mortimer Lewis in the Grecian Revival style. Still largely intact and constructed solidly of locally quarried sandstone, it is an imposing building, as it was designed to be.
The three doorways provided entrances for prisoners, the public and magistrates and visitors can examine the cellblock that housed prisoners and convicts. Many notorious bushrangers and cattle thieves were kept here and inside the cells, with their bars and bolts still in position, you can imagine the thoughts of men used to roaming the country locked up tight in this remote prison.
As the convict system faded into history, and Hartley was bypassed by the new railway, the need for a courthouse here diminished. Benefits were held in this grand old building during World War II, and nowadays visitors can wander through, reading the interpretive signs and imagining the building’s vivid colonial past.
Also see
-
Hartley Historic Site Visitor Centre
Stop in at Hartley Historic Site Visitor Centre to find out about the history of the buildings and town, book tours, and stock up on snacks and drinks.
-
St Bernards Church
Take a tour or arrange a wedding at St Bernards Church in Hartley, a lovingly preserved example of colonial sandstone architecture.
-
Hartley Courthouse
Providing a rare vivid glimpse into Australia’s colonial past, Hartley Courthouse is the perfect venue for history buffs, or for those just looking for a venue hire option with a uniquely historic flavour.
Map
Map legend
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/historic-buildings-places/hartley-courthouse/local-alerts
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 Courthouse.
Getting there and parking
On entering Hartley Historic Site:
- Hartley Courthouse is located on the right as you enter the village
Road quality
- Sealed roads
Vehicle access
- 2WD vehicles
Weather restrictions
- All weather
Parking
Street parking is available nearby to Hartley Courthouse. Bus parking is available.
Best times to visit
There are lots of great things waiting for you at Hartley Historic Site. Here are some of the highlights.
Spring
Enjoy the village as the days grow warmer and the trees are in blossom.
Summer
Bring the kids in the school holidays and step inside the amazing coolness of Hartley Courthouse, with its thick sandstone walls.
Weather, temperature and rainfall
Summer temperature
Average
12°C and 25°C
Highest recorded
38.4°C
Winter temperature
Average
1°C and 13°C
Lowest recorded
–8°C
Rainfall
Wettest month
January
Driest month
September
The area’s highest recorded rainfall in one day
179mm
Facilities
Drinking water is not available in this area, so it’s a good idea to bring your own or purchase from the visitor centre.
Toilets
- Flush toilets
Picnic tables
Carpark
Maps and downloads
Accessibility
Disability access level - medium
Assistance may be required to access this area. There is a portable wheelchair ramp.
Permitted
Pets
Dogs are permitted in Hartley Historic Site, but you’ll need to keep them on a leash at all times.
Prohibited
Smoking
NSW national parks are no smoking areas.
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 Courthouse is in Hartley Historic Site. Here are just some of the reasons why this park is special:
Aboriginal meeting place
Hartley was once a meeting place for the Wiradjuri from the west and Gundungurra tribes from the east. In colonial times, Hartley Courthouse served as a mustering point for Aboriginal people.
Excellent bushwalking on historic roads
The Hartley area is great for bushwalking along the early roads. After your visit to the village, you may like to set out on Lawson's Long Alley, Lockyer's Pass or Berghofer's Pass. Check out the Lithgow Town and Around website for details. The rural setting of Hartley is welcoming and peaceful – perfect for a picnic or a satisfying stroll. Explore the interesting remnants of heritage plantings surrounding the buildings in the village and keep an eye out for the many birds that thrive amid the gardens and native forest.
- Hartley Historic Site Visitor Centre Stop in at Hartley Historic Site Visitor Centre to find out about the history of the buildings and town, book tours, and stock up on snacks and drinks.
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. You can find out all sorts of interesting facts at the visitor centre and educational groups can book tours with advance notice on (02) 6355 2117.
- A Moment in Time exhibition Augustus Earle's (1793-1838) painting, 'A Moment in Time', courtesy of the National Library, is one of several images incorporated in the exhibition being shown at Corney's Garage in Hartley Historic Site.
- 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 Historic Site Visitor Centre Stop in at Hartley Historic Site Visitor Centre to find out about the history of the buildings and town, book tours, and stock up on snacks and drinks.
- Hartley historical tour On this interactive Stage 3 (Years 5-6) History excursion, students visit key sites in the Hartley Historic Site colonial village: the courthouse, the gaol and St Bernard’s Church. They'll explore the history of how this key colony developed.
- St Bernards Church Take a tour or arrange a wedding at St Bernards Church in Hartley, a lovingly preserved example of colonial sandstone architecture.
