Hartley

This atmospheric 1830s village in the Blue Mountains was once an important staging post for horse-drawn carriages heading west to the goldfields. Step back in time – much of the original settlement is a perfectly-preserved vestige of the colonial past, with 17 buildings telling the story of life and hardships in regional Australia. Little Hartley The hamlet of Little Hartley is increasingly known as a garden centre, with some spectacular private gardens such as Wild Meadows (a romantic naturalistic garden filled with roses, lilies and summer perennials), Gory'u Japanese Garden (a Kaiyushiki teien stroll garden) and Highfield Gardens (with views as spectacular as the flora) open seasonally. Time your visit with the Hartley Valley Garden Festival and Plant Fair in October to enjoy food stalls, metal garden art, artisan stalls and oil painting alongside your visits to the gardens. Enjoy a leisurely long lunch of gourmet woodfired pizza at Alchemy, with its lovely deck and views over the valley. Afterwards, give the kids the ultimate sugar rush at The Lolly Bug, home to more than 1,500 sweets and confections.