Bathurst’s Supercars mountain race in October will get a concert to delay fans’ departures and ease traffic congestion on the partly-closed Great Western Highway.
One of Australia’s biggest regional sporting events, the Mount Panorama races attracted more than 198,000 fans over four days in 2025 and earned more than $41 million in visitor spending.
With the highway closed at Victoria Pass, south of Lithgow, for rebuilding work, the NSW Government is giving $185,000 to Bathurst Regional Council for a concert on Monday, October 12.
The government says extending celebrations will give fans the option to delay their departure to Tuesday, October 13, thereby staggering traffic flow and easing congestion.
NSW Roads and Regional Transport Minister Jenny Aitchison says “the Bathurst 1000 always puts pressure on the local road network.
“With the closure of the Great Western Highway at Victoria Pass, we know surrounding roads and detour routes are going to experience even more increased activity.”
She says the concert proposal was floated by council which she calls “a practical approach to a transport challenge” that they have now acted on.
Jobs and Tourism Minister Steve Kamper says the event will now continue beyond the end of the race on the Sunday.
“We are backing an extra day of celebrations so fans can spend more time in Bathurst and take the pressure off the roads,” he says.
“Bathurst knows how to put on a great show and this extra day gives the city another chance to showcase itself.”
BOOST FOR BATHURST ECONOMY
Small Business Minister Janelle Saffin says major events like the Bathurst 1000 are a huge economic driver for Central West NSW.
“Giving fans a compelling reason to stick around an extra day delivers a direct, tangible win for our local small businesses,” she says.
“Small businesses are always on the front line when local travel disruptions occur.
“We know how tough the highway closure has been so turning a potential traffic bottleneck into an extra night of trade and local spending is a great way to give our hard-working business owners the boost they deserve.”
Bathurst’s Deputy Mayor Ben Fry says the impact of the Victoria Pass detour in the Blue Mountains has proven to be very real for the town.
To dissipate that impact, he says council has been working with government and says the concert is a workaround for them.
“It won’t remove the underlying challenges of the detour but it is a smart, targeted measure that can help spread the post-race traffic peak, keep visitors in Bathurst longer and put more spending through local businesses at a time when they genuinely need it,” Fry explains.
TRANSPORT SUPPORT MEASURES
Transport for NSW is also rolling out extra traffic crews, tow trucks and drones across key routes to monitor traffic and keep it moving.
Train services, coaches and shuttle buses will connect Bathurst Station, Mount Panorama and the CBD as well in a bid to take cars off the roads.
For more public transport information involving the Supercars Bathurst 1000, visit transportnsw.info.
