Former St Bernards Church

The beautiful pale sandstone Former 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.

St Bernards remained the parish church until the mid-1880s when services transferred to Lithgow, but it hosted the occasional service until 1963. Careful renovations have kept the building in a beautiful condition. It’s a well-preserved and pretty church that’s well worth a look around. You can also take great photographs in the grounds for any occasion, even just a day trip.