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Machattie Park

UPDATE: 14 March 2024

Refer to Media Release - partial reopening...

HISTORY:

Machattie Park was formally opened in December 1890. The park is built on the site of the old Bathurst Gaol, which was demolished in 1888 to make way for the park.

Machattie Park is an historically significant example of a late 19th century Victorian country town park. It exhibits the principal elements typical of the Victorian period in terms of the form and layout and is particularly valuable because of the quality of the decorative features. Features include the Bandstand, the Caretakers Cottage, Crago Fountain, Fernery, Lake Spencer and the Munro Drinking Fountain.

Additionally, the park has a valuable collection of mature and majestic trees that are used either informally or formally as avenue plantings. Most of these trees are not natives of Australia. Particularly important are the avenues of Huntington Elms bordering the park as well as a unique layered elm hedge. Some of the fine specimens of exotic trees include, Bunya Pine, Atlas Cedar, Deodar Cedar, Red Beech, English Oak, Pin Oak, Wellingtonia, Chinese Elm and Silver Elm. Together, they contrive to make it one of the prize examples of a Victorian Park within New South Wales.

Apart from the park's individual importance, it is also essential to recognise it as one of the components of the Bathurst Central Conservation Area which, in preserving the oldest settlement west of the Blue Mountains, as a major importance to the heritage of Australia.

Are you interested in being married in Machattie Park, please contact the Parks Department on (02) 6333 6285 or download the application form here...(PDF, 152KB)

The Fernery and Begonia House

Machattie Park also incorporates the Begonia House and Fernery. The Begonia House will be open from Tuesday 19 March 2024 with the 2024 begonia display in full bloom. Opening times are weekdays 9am - 4pm and weekends 11am - 3pm during the begonia display. The begonia display usually extends until the end of April.

To find the Begonia House walk past the rotunda towards the back of the Court House building.

Machattie Park is also an alcohol free area, for more details please visit Alcohol Free Zones...