Hartley is a historical village in the
Central Tablelands
The Central Tablelands in New South Wales is a geographic area that lies between the Sydney Metropolitan Area and the Central Western Slopes and Plains. The Great Dividing Range passes in a north–south direction through the Central Tablelands ...
region of
New South Wales
)
, nickname =
, image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, es ...
,
Australia, within the
City of Lithgow
The City of Lithgow is a local government area in the Central West region of New South Wales, Australia. The area is located adjacent to the Great Western Highway and the Main Western railway line.
The Mayor of the City of Lithgow Council is ...
local government area, located approximately west of the
Sydney central business district. Hartley is located below the western escarpment of the
Blue Mountains.
It was once a major administrative centre on the
Great Western Highway
Great Western Highway (also known as Broadway from to , Parramatta Road from Chippendale to , and Church Street through Parramatta) is a state highway in New South Wales, Australia. From east to west, the highway links Sydney with Bathurs ...
. It has since fallen into decline, replaced by other towns that are on the
railway line
Rail terminology is a form of technical terminology. The difference between the American term ''railroad'' and the international term ''railway'' (used by the International Union of Railways and English-speaking countries outside the United Sta ...
. At the
2011 census, Hartley had a population of 299 people.
History
Hartley was formerly a judicial and administrative centre that had a busy courthouse. The courthouse was built in 1837 and was designed by prominent New South Wales Colonial Architect Mortimer Lewis. The courthouse, which operated for over fifty years, dealt with a constant stream of robbers, thieves and convicts. Although Hartley fell into disuse, it survived as a perfectly preserved village that is a superb example of 19th century architecture. Because of its heritage value, it is now preserved as a historic site, administered by the
National Parks and Wildlife Service of New South Wales. Situated west of and south of , it is open to the public every day (except Christmas Day and Easter Sunday). The Hartley Historic Site, an area of , is listed on the
Register of the National Estate.
Hartley's sister villages,
Little Hartley and
Hartley Vale, still survive as residential villages with a heritage of their own. Little Hartley, situated south-east of Hartley, is the site of the historic home ''Rosedale''. Hartley Vale, situated east of Hartley, is the site of the Comet Inn, Collits Inn and Hartley Vale cemetery. There is also a network of historic walking tracks between Hartley Vale and
Mount York, administered by the Lands Department of New South Wales.
Heritage listings
Hartley has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:
* Great Western Highway:
Hartley historic site
* 200 Jenolan Caves Road:
Military Station archaeological site
* The Old Bathurst Road:
Cox's Road and Early Deviations - Hartley, Clarence Hilly Range and Mount Blaxland Precinct
See also
*
River Lett
Gallery
Image:Hartley courthouse.JPG, Court house (1837), designed by Mortimer Lewis
Mortimer William Lewis (1796 – 9 March 1879) was an English-born architect, surveyor and public servant who migrated to Australia and became New South Wales Government Architect, Colonial Architect in the colony of New South Wales (now a state ...
Hartley_Houses_New_South_Wales_DSC00624.png, Ivy Cottage and Shamrock Inn at Hartley
Image:(1)Catholic Church Hartley.jpg, St Bernard's Catholic Church
Hartley0002.jpg, "Bungarribee" cottage at Hartley
References
External links
Hartley Historic Site- NSW Parks & Wildlife Service
- history and visiting information
National Parks and Wildlife Service of New South Wales
{{authority control
Towns in New South Wales
Communities in the Blue Mountains (New South Wales)