The iconic Mount Panorama circuit at Bathurst could be in line for a raft of upgrades following a funding proposal sent to the federal government by Bathurst Regional Council (BRC).
According to V8 Sleuth, the upgrades are worth around $70 million and include everything from safety improvements to a full resurfacing of the 6.213km circuit, which is a public road when race events aren’t being held.
The news comes after a pre-election pledge for funding in 2025 described upgrades for the world-famous circuit, which hosts the Bathurst 12 Hour enduro and the legendary Bathurst 1000 Supercars race, as “overdue”.
The Mount Panorama layout has not been fully resurfaced since 2014.
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The latest proposal also covers items such as permanent grandstands at the venue, replacement of ageing tyre barriers, and a refreshed pit complex including new fibre-optic communications for race control and media.
“To be transparent, this list has no ceiling, so we’ve created everything we wish we could have into one big list,” BRC deputy mayor Ben Fry told the Western Advocate.
Mr Fry said the changes would put safety upgrades above all else.
“Definitely, crowd experience and tourism-centric projects are further down the list, and we’ve all been approaching the relevant ministers for this as well at a later date,” he said.
“But safety has always been prioritised in compiling this list.”
By seeking federal funding, the council would avoid needing to contribute additional funds towards the venue, after including more than $10 million in its 2024/25 budget for Mount Panorama works, dependent on grant funding which did not eventuate.
A separate package of almost $15 million in upgrades came as an election promise from Nationals candidate Sam Farraway, who contested the seat of Calare at the November 2025 federal election.
The seat was retained by independent MP Andrew Gee, who has led the latest round of requests to the federal government.
In its latest 2025/26 budget, the council provisioned $100,000 for upgraded barriers and $400,000 for proposed fibre-optic installation, while allocating $5.5 million to operations at the circuit.
Potential upgrades came into greater focus after drainage issues impacted the 2022 Bathurst 1000 weekend, when unseasonably heavy rainfall caused the cancellation of the Saturday afternoon Top 10 Shootout.
This year’s Repco Bathurst 1000 is scheduled for October 8-12, 2026.
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