For those wondering
You might think you don’t know the Seven Valleys, but chances are you have seen it, driven through it, or heard stories from someone who has.
For garden lovers
A Guide to the Hartley Valley Garden Festival
A weekend in full bloom
Come October and there’s something special about the Hartley Valley.
The rolling hills burst into colour, gardens come alive and, for one weekend only, five spectacular private gardens invite visitors to step beyond the front gate and experience months, and often years, of passion, creativity and careful cultivation.
Whether you’re a keen gardener searching for inspiration, looking to fill your boot with rare plants or simply wanting to enjoy a beautiful day in the countryside, the Hartley Valley Garden Festival & Plant Fair is one of the Seven Valleys’ most anticipated annual events.
Explore Four Extraordinary Gardens
On Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 October, Seven Valleys invites you to wander through some of its most picturesque gardens.
From sweeping perennial borders bursting with seasonal colour to peaceful Japanese-inspired landscapes, productive kitchen gardens and beautifully designed country estates, the gardens of the Seven Valleys offer visitors something completely different. Mature trees provide welcome shade, flowering beds overflow with colour and thoughtfully designed spaces invite visitors to wander at their own pace.
Perhaps the greatest joy is meeting the passionate owners themselves. Many are on hand throughout the weekend, happy to share stories, answer questions and offer practical advice gathered through years of gardening experience.
Highfield Gardens
A layered country garden in Hartley, with rare plants, themed garden spaces and sweeping escarpment views creating a peaceful place to wander and pause.
Hartvale Gardens
Hartvale is a colour-filled country garden at the base of Mount York, with vibrant seasonal planting, water features and beautiful valley views.
Gory'u Japanese Gardens
An authentic Japanese garden experience whichs showcases a mix of Japanese Maples and Conifers. There are some 28 types of Japanese Lanterns, 12 Basins, 13 ornamental bridges, a waterfall, 4 Suikinkutsu (water harp), Shishi-Odoshi (dear/kangaroo scarer), moon viewing platforms and extensive lake, stream.
Wild Meadows Garden
Set in the foothills of Sugarloaf Mountain, Wild Meadows is a breath- taking naturalistic garden designed by Stephen Vella, whose career includes decades at the Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney and the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden, Mt Tomah.
Bring Home a Little Inspiration
The gardens may spark your imagination, but the Plant Fair is where those ideas begin to take shape.
Specialist growers from across New South Wales gather to showcase an impressive range of rare and unusual plants, from flowering perennials and shrubs to Japanese maples, irises, trees and cool-climate favourites that are often difficult to find elsewhere.
Alongside the plants you'll discover artisan stalls, handcrafted garden art, original oil paintings and locally made gifts, making it easy to take home a lasting reminder of the weekend.
Whether you're an experienced gardener planning your next project or simply searching for something beautiful for the backyard, there's inspiration waiting around every corner.
Slow Down Between Gardens
The Hartley Valley Garden Festival isn't about rushing from one garden to the next.
Pause for a coffee or homemade morning tea or pack a picnic and settle beneath the trees while taking in the spectacular valley views. The relaxed country atmosphere quickly becomes part of the experience.
It's this slower pace that makes the festival feel less like an event and more like a spring weekend spent exploring one of the Seven Valleys' best kept secrets.
Make a Weekend of It
With so much to explore nearby, it's worth turning your visit into a full weekend escape.
Spend time wandering the beautifully preserved streets of Hartley Historic Site, enjoy lunch at The Postmistress Cafe, browse handcrafted works at Talisman Gallery, or finish the day with a woodfired pizza at Alchemy before settling into one of the region's charming country stays.
The gardens may be the reason you visit, but Hartley has a wonderful habit of encouraging people to linger a little longer.
Whether you leave with a boot full of plants, a camera full of photographs or simply a renewed appreciation for beautiful landscapes, you'll leave inspired.
If you're looking for the perfect spring day out, the Hartley Valley Garden Festival & Plant Fair deserves a place on your calendar.
Keep exploring
Guides & Itineraries
For history lovers
Walk through nearly 200 years of history in one of Australia's best-preserved colonial villages.
For the food lovers
From old-fashioned lolly shops to long lunches and local favourites
For a memorable escape
From romantic cottages and luxury retreats to family farm stays and peaceful escapes, there's a place here for every kind of getaway.
For coffee lovers
Our cafés are places where good food, friendly faces and a sense of calm come together. These are some of our favourite spots to settle in with a cup and enjoy the moment.
For the Curious Wanderers
Some walks take half an hour. Others take a full day. A few end in darkness, with thousands of tiny lights overhead. We have a track to suit every kind of wander.
For lake lovers
Each of our lakes reflect a different side of the region, from peaceful bushland settings to family friendly recreation areas and quiet fishing spots known only to those who seek them out.
For for green thumbs and those that wish they were
Tucked between escarpments, along quiet country roads and behind unassuming gates, the Seven Valleys is home to gardens that reward those who take the time to wander.
For River Seekers
Wild swimming in the Seven Valleys is not something most people come here specifically looking for. It is something you discover along the way.
For the adventurous
The Glow Worm Tunnel is one of the most memorable natural experiences in the Seven Valleys. Set within Wollemi National Park, this former railway tunnel shelters thousands of soft blue lights that cling to the damp stone walls.
Gardens of Stone
· 70 KM
· 1 days
A long gravel ride through open ridgelines and quiet stone country.
For the History Lover
Vertical sandstone cliffs stand guard as you explore the crumbling, vegetation-covered Glen Davis Shale Oil Works structures.
For the Outlook Explorers
If you like your scenery served up without too much effort, the Seven Valleys delivers in spades.
For nature lovers
Towering sandstone pagodas, sheer cliffs, slot canyons and sweeping plateaus give the area a dramatic, sculptural feel. Welcome to Gardens of Stone.
For the explorer
The Bracey Lookout gives a 180° view of the Lithgow Valley, offering one of the best overviews of the city of Lithgow.
For nature lovers
Wolgan Valley is a place of wide horizons, deep stillness and long stories. The valley has been cared for by the Wiradjuri people for tens of thousands of years, and their presence can still be felt in the rock art that lines the sandstone shelters.
Wollemi National Park
· 26 KM
· 2 days
A long walk through open ridgelines and quiet stone country.
For the railway enthusiasts
A heritage train ride just outside Lithgow that lets you hop aboard and watch bush, escarpments, and valleys roll by, without needing to be a rail expert to enjoy it.
For lake seekers
Each lake in the Seven Valleys offers its own way of spending a day, shaped by the land around it and the people who know it well.
For garden lovers
Celebrate spring as five spectacular private gardens open their gates for one unforgettable weekend
For the history lover
Built in the 1840's, Eskbank House and Museum showcases a fascinating historical collection of Lithgow's social and industrial heritage.
For the Sky Watchers
Once the sun drops behind the ridgelines, the noise fades, the air cools, and that 7V sky starts to do its thing.
For the Refined Retreaters
Our luxury stays are not about excess, but about quiet beauty, deep rest and experiences shaped by nature.
For the Eccentric Stay Seeker
Staying in the Seven Valleys often means something a little unexpected, with accommodation that reflects the landscape and rewards slowing down.
For the history lover
A heritage-listed 19th century village, Hartley has one of the finest collections of historic buildings in Australia, including its 1837 courthouse.
For the Family Days
Play spaces across the region are practical and easy to use, giving kids freedom to run, climb and explore while the rest of the day unfolds around them.
