Location and Aerial Map
Hartley Vale Cemetery is located between Lithgow and Blackheath in the Hartley valley. Local landmarks are the Collits inn and Mt York.
Fields Rd Hartley Vale, Lithgow City, New South Wales 2790 Australia
Coordinates: -33.54003, 150.22299
The cemetery, which adjoins the Collitts Inn property in the valley, opened in 1837, although the oldest grave is even earlier - that of William Smith who died in 1834.
Headstones and Unmarked Graves Survey
Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) survey has identified 99 burials that were not previously known about. There are 150 marked headstones many of these simply marked with wooden crosses with stories to discover.
Find your ancestors grave {this will be a map, series of images linked to a spreadsheet of names with details}
Stories
Niels Hartzberg Larsen, the Norwegian-born father of poet Henry Lawson is interred at Hartley Vale
- More dead bodies have been found at Hartley Vale Cemetery off the Darling Causeway
- Under Lens and Radar, book by Louse and Gerald Stedling
Gallery
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.
Australian Cemeteries Index
- http://austcemindex.com
- https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/2527456/hartley-vale-&-mount-blaxland-reserve-trust-cemete
The Australian Cemeteries Index website contains a searchable data base for cemetery inscriptions that have been recorded over several years. Cemeteries in the Lithgow local government area contained on the site are listed below:
Visiting
The Hartley Vale Cemetery is in a scenic natural location with significant Australian history. The cemetery is located near the traditional entry point from the Blue Mountains to the Western Plains. When visiting please
- Have respect for the solemnity of the location
- Only visit in daylight hours
- Only park outside the cemetery
- Take the time to learn about the location and local flora and fauna
The broader area is an important junction between the Blue Mountains and the western plains. Mt York, physically near, but a relatively long drive has possibly the largest number of plinths and plaques in Australia. It can be a beautiful walk, particularly at dusk