Type

Historic buildings/places

Where

47 Old Great Western Highway, Hartley, NSW, 2790 - in Hartley Historic Site in Sydney and surrounds

Accessibility

Medium

Opening times

St Bernards Church is:

• Open for pre-booked tours or Catholic services
• Please contact Hartley Historic Site on (02) 6355 2117 or email for further information.

Hire this venue

St Bernards Church is available for events and function hire.

Please note

• Catholic ceremonies are held at St Bernards with prior arrangement
• Other denominations may hold services with the approval of the Parish Priest
• For tours, please book ahead on (02) 6355 2117.

The beautiful pale sandstone St Bernards Church was built by local stonemason Alexander Binning, probably from a Gothic prototype. Before it was built, services had to be held in Hartley Courthouse, with the first priest arriving from Ireland in 1838. The stonework was completed in 1846, but the windows and altar came later.

The church was used continuously until 1963 and is still consecrated and in fine condition. Occasional services such as weddings and funerals are still held in the lovely old building and the Catholic Church retains the rights for its use. You can take a tour when it isn't in use for a service.

St Bernard’s is a well-preserved and very pretty church, and well worth a look around. You can also take great photographs in the grounds for any occasion, even just a day trip.

For directions, safety and practical information, see visitor info

Visitor info

Maps and downloads

Learn more

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.

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.