WITH more than 100 exhibitors and 200 artisans at the Heritage Trades Trail, there's something for everyone to see and do at the annual Bathurst event.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
But, for the exhibitors, there's an added bonus.
With so many experts and craftsman all in the one place, O'Connell local Raymond Green got more out of the trail than he could have ever expected.
On the weekend of March 16 and 17, the event took place from the Bathurst Showground, showcasing everything from whip-cracking, blacksmithing and penny-farthing riding to woodworking, and much more.
Mr Green, who was there as one of the exhibitors, was showing off his 1895 Overlander Cobb and Co horse drawn carriage.
Being more than 120 years old, the carriage has had its fair share of rocky rides - and in some places, it was starting to show.
When Mr Green first purchased the cart in 2000, it needed a lot of work to get it up to scratch.
"I bought it home, and it wasn't real good. It had sort of been left in the weather," he said.
"The paint was gone, the canvas was rotten, the leather work had had it, and the timber was damaged. So, we brought it home and stripped part of it back and started rebuilding."
But that was more than 20 years ago, and since then, the carriage has needed more restorative work.
Queue the help in the history.
"I get to meet a lot of tradespeople here," Mr Green said.
"The blacksmiths came over and they're going to do some work on it for me. I want to see the leather guy because I want to make a new strap for it.
"And one of the wheel guys was here, and I've got to contact him because he's thinking about helping me fix the wheels."
Keeping the cart in good nick serves more than just the purpose of having something impressive to call his own - it helps to preserve history.
Radiate in the rediscovery of all things rich and rare
And, according to one of the coordinators of the Heritage Trades Trail, Sandy Bathgate, that's what the weekend is all about.
So, regardless of the rain, the event was still a huge success overall.
"It's been fantastic, we're so pleased. There were a huge number of exhibitors and a big crowd and everyone had a great time," he said.
"In the middle of the day yesterday [Saturday 16th], the feel was very similar to last year, which was a record crowd, and the event is a lot bigger this year, so it's a lot more spread out."
Of these crowds, Mr Bathgate said approximately half were from out of town.
"It's been about 50/50. So 50 per cent are from 2795, and we've had people from the South Coast, Newcastle and even South Australia," he said.
During the event, which is run by volunteers and passionate community members, the dates for the 2025 Heritage Trades Trail were announced.
Next year, the historical weekend will take place on April 13 and 14.
