Two public lands, Hartley Vale Cemetery and Mt Blaxland are looked after by a small team of people appointed by the Department of Crown Lands. These places have valuable history associated with the early Colonial period, into part of the 20th Century. 

Explore this website to find out more about this history, how to visit and engage with the stories of people and families of the area.

See how you can visit the places and other historic sites associated with them. In particular check out the route of Cox’s Road the first road over the Blue Mountains which passes close to each of these places.

Fire: Hartley Vale Cemetery was severely burnt by the 2019 fires. Visit the photo gallery to seen how the place slowly recovered with the green native vegetation giving back the beauty of the place.

The Hartley Vale Mt Blaxland Reserve Trust (HVMBRLM) manages both the Mt Blaxland and Hartley Vale Cemetery reserves. It is run by a small group of volunteers who are working to uncover the rich heritage of these places, manage the sites and protect them for the future. Donations are welcome to help with expenses.

Both Mt Blaxland and the Hartley Vale cemetery have significant heritage values. In a way, the two sites are connected by the crossing of the Blue Mountains by Blaxland, Lawson and Wentworth. The Hartley Vale cemetery is at the bottom of Mt York which has any monuments to the crossing of the Blue Mountains and Mt Blaxland which is the furthest the expedition reached.

Mt Blaxland

Management - visitation, licensing, weeds, rubbish,