Hartley Homestead

Just about the first major road to be built in the colony of New South Wales was the one from Sydney to Bathurst which largely followed the exploration trail forged by Blaxland, Wentworth and Lawson in 1813. Of course the biggest hurdle was finding a relatively gentle descent from Mt York (and/or Mt Victoria) into the Hartley Valley, for the way west.

The original road was surveyed by George Evans and constructed by William Cox in the years 1814-15. The route has changed several times over the years but has always been considered important, especially when gold was discovered near Bathurst in the 1850s. Lots of inns, supply businesses and homesteads were built along the (then) route including (I strongly suspect) this derelict early slab wall construction, which I took pictures of today. My research continues.