St John's Anglican Church

 

Lake Bathurst (including Tarago)
Tiny village between Goulburn and Queanbeyan
Lake Bathurst is a tiny tree-lined village by a lake of the same name 222 km south-west of Sydney and 32 km south of Goulburn on the road to Braidwood.

The first Europeans to sight the Lake itself were the investigative party of Hamilton Hume and James Meehan who travelled through the district in 1818. Hume named it after Earl Bathurst who, at the time, was the Secretary of State of War and the Colonies. In 1820 the lakeside was the site of the first church service in the area when the Reverend Robert Cartwright, who was accompanying Governor Macquarie's expedition, held a service. It is said that his sermon lingered on the local Aborigines and encouraged the idea that they should all be moved into towns and 'civilised'.

Local settlement dates from 1826. The village, initially known as 'Tarago', once had a school, post office, railway station, inn and general store. St John's Anglican Church was built iun 1860 and is still operating.

By 1885 the railway line from Cooma, running through to Bungendore, had arrived. In the 1880s the lake became a popular destination for picnickers and sportsmen from Goulburn. Access was facilitated by a train line which had been built from the township to a gravel quarry in 1884. Numbers were sufficient to warrant the construction of a railway platform by the lakeside. Although the last passenger train ran in 1897 the line was used for industrial purposes until 1921.

Things to see:  

Historic Buildings in Lake Bathurst
The town has several surviving buildings from the 19th century. The old school house, which was built in 1881, is a now a private home but it is easily observed from the road at the Goulburn end of town. It operated continuously until it was closed in 1969.

The railway station dates from 1885 but all that is left is the platform. Restored and relocated in the grounds of the Lavender Garden Tea Rooms is the Lake Bathurst Railway Station Waiting Room. It has been converted into a small museum with a photographic display of early Lake Bathurst.

St John's Anglican Church was consecrated in 1860 and it is still operational.

 

Lake Bathurst Lavender Garden Tea Rooms and Accommodation
The church hall (1919) now houses the tea rooms which are surrounded by landscaped lavender gardens (in full bloom from December). They are open weekends and public holidays from 10.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. There are light lunches, Devonshire teas, lavender products including pure lavender oil. Tours are also available, for groups of 12 or more, which take in the village, a private collection of motoring memorabilia, the lake, and World War II fuel stores. Accommodation can be arranged. They operate from Monday to Saturday with full commentary by an expert guide but advance bookings are essential, tel: (02) 4849 4475.

 

The Lake Itself
The local Aborigines knew Lake Bathurst as 'Bundong'. Governor Macquarie camped beside the lake in 1820. There is a memorial to this event at the hamlet of Bundong.

The lake, a wetland haven for wading birds, can be seen (quite a distance from the road) by taking the turn at Glenovel Road at the far end of the village (the turn to Gilmour Inn Farmstay) and following the dirt road for a couple of kilometres. It is clearly visible on the right hand side of the road. As it is on private property closer access is only through Lake Bathurst Lavender Gardens (see above).

 

Magellan Observatory
Magellan Observatory is located in the rolling hills of Lake Bathurst. There is a 46-cm diameter telescope and self-contained accommodation. It is located in Covan Creek Rd which heads off the Braidwood Rd just north of the village, tel: (02) 4849 4489.

 

 

The Loaded Dog Hotel originally known as the Lake Bathurst Hotel

 

Tarago
Tarago is located 7 km south of Lake Bathurst. It was known as Sherwin's Flats until the railway arrived in 1884 when it took the name 'Tarago' which had previously been used as the name for Lake Bathurst. As far as can be determined Tarago is an Aboriginal word meaning 'country'.

The town has a number of interesting historic buildings include the railway station (1884), the Anglican Church, St Josephs Catholic Church (on the hill above the town) and the Loaded Dog Hotel. The Loaded Dog was originally known as the Lake Bathurst Hotel and dates back to 1848. There is some confusion about this as the Lake Bathurst Hotel dated from 1912.

 

 

 

 

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Lake Bathurst