Bathurst will host a downtown event on the Monday after the Great Race. Image: InSyde Media
The grant will fund a downtown event the Monday after this year’s Bathurst 1000 on October 12.
The additional day of festivities will encourage patrons to stay an extra day or delay their departure late into Monday evening.
“Bathurst comes alive during race week, and we want spectators and fans to have every opportunity to stick around, enjoy the region and head home safely,” said minister for roads and regional transport, Jenny Aitchison.
“The Bathurst 1000 always puts pressure on the local road network and 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.
“That’s why when Bathurst Regional Council came to us with a practical approach to a transport challenge – we listened, we planned, and we’ve now acted.
“This extra day of festivities will give visitors more reason to stay in town, while helping spread the flow of people heading home and ease pressure after the Bathurst 1000.”
As revealed by Speedcafe, the event will be predominantly focused on Peter Brock to coincide with the 20th anniversary of his death.
A concert will also be staged, the details of which will be confirmed at a later date.
“The impact of the Great Western Highway detour has been very real for Bathurst, for businesses, our visitor economy and for people simply trying to move between the Central West and Sydney,” said Bathurst deputy mayor Ben Fry.
“Throughout that disruption, we’ve had a constructive and practical working relationship with the NSW Government, particularly in looking for ways to reduce the pressure on our community while the highway remains constrained.
“This support would be another example of that partnership in action.
“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.”
The Bathurst 1000 will become a six-day event with festivities beginning on Tuesday afternoon.
Infrastructure brought in by Supercars will be used for the following Monday event.
The Bathurst Regional Council said more details around traffic mitigation would be announced in due course.
There will be train services, coaches and event shuttle buses connecting Bathurst Station, Mount Panorama and the CBD.
“The race may finish on Sunday, but the action does not have to stop there,” said minister for jobs and tourism, Steve Kamper.
“We are backing an extra day of celebrations so fans can spend more time in Bathurst and take the pressure off the roads.
“Bathurst knows how to put on a great show, and this extra day gives the city another chance to showcase itself.
“We want visitors to experience more of what the Central West has to offer, not just the racetrack.”
The New South Wales Government said Transport for NSW would work with Supercars, Destination NSW and local partners to provide up to date information.
Additional transport management crews will be rolled out, including tow trucks and droves across key routes to monitor traffic.