The Bathurst 1000 – also known as The Great Race – is undoubtedly one of the most iconic sports events in Australia.
The 1,000 kilometres race is held annually on the Mount Panorama Racing Circuit near Bathurst, New South Wales, in October.
The event was traditionally classified as a touring car race, but currently run as part of the Repco Supercars Championship.
Race winners are presented with The Peter Brock Trophy, which is named after the nine-time winner and a man affectionately known ad ‘The King of the Mountain’.
Many fans treat the Bathurst 1000 as an annual pilgrimage, travelling hundreds of miles cross-country to make their way to Mount Panorama.
With that in mind, read on as we look at some of the best road trips to Bathurst, before highlighting some of the things to do when you are there.
Bathurst 1000: Road Trip Guide
While there are plenty of easier ways to travel to the Bathurst 1000, many fans believe the only way to get there is by car.
Hiring a Ford Mustang and embarking on a road trip is a ‘bucket list’ experience everyone should try at least once in their life. Here are some of the best routes:
- From Sydney via the Blue Mountains: This 200 km trip takes you through one of the most scenic regions in Australia. Katoomba’s Catalina Park and the Three Sisters are among the tourist attractions you can check out along the way.
- From Melbourne via Coolac: Driving 779 km may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but this trip is well worth undertaking. The road between Coolac and Cootamunda is a driver’s paradise if you hire the right car.
- From Brisbane via Pacific Highway: This 1,072 km run is not for the faint-hearted, but the pay-off is worthy of the effort. The roads allow you to travel speedily to the foot of the Blue Mountains past some of the best views in Australia.
- From Adelaide via Northern Victoria: A 1,174 km road trip is a long haul, but the roads are fast flowing for most of the journey. There are plenty of small towns along the route, which allows you to break up the trip to make it more manageable.
- From Canberra via Crookwell: Allow additional time for this 257 km road trip, as it takes you along roads where overtaking is tricky. However, if you are not in a rush and love spectacular scenery, this is the route for you.
Bathurst 1000: Things To Do
The Bathurst 1000 is the primary attraction while you are at Mount Panorama, but there are plenty of other things you can do while you are there.
The venue offers excellent Wi-Fi connectivity, which means you can enjoy wagering on the Bathurst 1000 or other sports taking place worldwide.
All of the sportsbooks featured on comparison platform Mybettingaustralia offer a wide range of markets on the race, thus adding to the thill of watching the race.
Away from the excitement associated with betting on motorsports, there are numerous other attractions which are worth checking out.
These include the National Motor Racing Museum, which offers unrivalled insights into the history of motorsports in Australia.
There is also a burgeoning hospitality industry operating around Mount Panorama, with the region boasting tons of bars and restaurants to suit every budget.
It is worth booking in advance if you are planning a trip to the Bathurst 1000, as it can be difficult to secure tables when the event is taking place.
To crown your visit to the race, you can book a drive in a purpose-built V8 race car, which allows you to experience hot laps around the challenging 6.2 km road circuit.
If your driving skills are not quite at the required level, you can jump in the passenger seat as a Bathurst 1000 legend shows you how it should be done.
