It's been the centrepiece of numerous events throughout the region's two-century long history but for the first time yesterday, members of the community were invited on a tour of the Bathurst Showground.
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Hosted by the Bathurst Family History Group, around 30 people attended the showground to gain a greater insight into how the historic venue came into existence.
Bathurst Family History Group member and tour co-ordinator Jan Page says the showground's iconic buildings have some great stories to tell.
"These buildings encapsulate the history of the Royal Bathurst Show from the very beginning, and the site is an integral part of Bathurst's agricultural and economic history," Ms Page said.
The first Royal Bathurst Show was held in 1878 and the Howard Pavilion, which opened in 1879, has been part of the event since the beginning.
"Over the years, the Howard Pavilion has housed everything from exhibitions to live performances and it's a grand structure that has stood the test of time," Ms Page said.
The pavilion is named after Ms Page's great-grandfather, James Howard, who was a life member of the Royal Bathurst Show Society.
Ironically, the neighbouring Trevitt Pavilion [opened in 1897] was named after George Trevitt, who was married to Mr Howard's niece.
Ms Page said there's so much to be gained from venturing deeper into the annals of Bathurst's history.
"Many people are unfamiliar with the background of certain landmarks, and our aim for these tours is to fill in those gaps," she said.
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Sam Bolt
"I'm not in the business of telling people what to do. I'm much more in the business of describing things, situations and stuff like that and leaving them out there, and you can make up your minds about them." -Nick Cave
"I'm not in the business of telling people what to do. I'm much more in the business of describing things, situations and stuff like that and leaving them out there, and you can make up your minds about them." -Nick Cave
