Bathurst might be well known for its motor racing circuit, but there's one thing that is just as important - it's heritage, including its religious heritage, reports The Western Advocate.

Throughout March, April and May, Bathurst is celebrating its position as Australia's oldest European inland settlement with the Autumn Colours Heritage Festival and the Heritage Trades Trail.

Among the many activities on offer, throughout the festival, there'll be a number of guided tours through the Perthville Convent Heritage Centre.

*The Perthville convent is part of Bathurst’s Autumn Colours Heritage Festival and the Heritage Trades Trail. PHOTO: The Perthville Convent Heritage Centre website.*

Sister Alice Sullivan said the convent has a rich history that's worth exploring.

"The convent at Perthville was established in 1872 and it was originally the first convent in NSW for the Sisters of St Joseph," she said.

"Its purpose was education. There was a boarding school here for many years and when MacKillop College was built, it became a residential section of the school.

"Our place was to bring as many women in the area together for Catholic education."

Mary MacKillop, who became the first Australian to be recognised by the Catholic Church as a saint, was a co-founder of the Sisters of St Joseph and spent time at the convent in Perthville.

The other co-founder was Julian Tenison-Woods, with his surname being adopted as the name of a nearby street in the town.

Sr Alice said it's crucial for Bathurst to appreciate its heritage.

"If we don't, we have lost so much," she said.

"Our history is very important to preserve."

She pointed to the history that's already at the Perthville convent, including the cemetery that has 240 sisters buried there, including the sisters who have worked through the diocese and given their lives to "make sure that the world was a better place".

This article is drawn from an article by Bradley Jurd in The Western Advocate. Click through for dates and booking details.