MOUNT Panorama is set to benefit from more than $10 million worth of upgrades including a resurfacing of the entire 6.213km circuit.
The funding has been allocated in the Bathurst Regional Council’s 2024/25 draft budget.
Per relevant documents, that includes $7.65 million for resurfacing works – which would represent the first in a decade – $1.7 million for tyre wall renewals or replacements, and $1 million towards the Conrod Straight tunnel.
Bathurst Regional Council director of corporate services and finance Aaron Jones was quoted in the Western Advocate as saying those works hinge on a grant application.
“The track surface is starting to crack up,” Jones added.
“The nature of that surface is that it’s supposed to be replaced every 10 years, and we’re actually at that time now where the surface is due for its replacement.
“The need for the works associated with the tyre walls, it was identified at our track safety inspections that we need to start giving some attention to those tyre walls.
“Whilst we’ve been able to retain a track licence, we’re wary as to how long that licence would be retained if we didn’t do anything.”
Mount Panorama has hosted two of its annual five events so far this year, being the Bathurst 12 Hour (to which Supercars’ season-opener was tacked onto) and the Bathurst 6 Hour.
Still to come in 2024 are the Bathurst 1000, Bathurst International and Challenge Bathurst.
