What's News 27 February 2026

Published on 27 February 2026

What's News 2026 Tile

2026 Mount Panorama Punish 

Early bird entries for the 2026 Mount Panorama Punish will open next Wednesday 4 March. 

Your chance to run one hot lap of Australia's most iconic racetrack is here! Get ready to secure your ticket and start training for the ultimate uphill challenge. 

Race Day: Sunday 25 October 2026 

Location: Mount Panorama Circuit, Bathurst NSW 

Distance: 6.2km 

Elevation Gain: 174m 

Visit the panoramapunish.com for more info. 

Have your Say about ageing in Bathurst. 

Council is developing its second Positive Ageing Strategy which will build on the first strategy and renew Council’s commitment to improve the city’s ability to cater for an ageing community.  

Council invites members of the community to complete the Positive Ageing Survey.  

Have your say online by visiting yoursay.bathurst.nsw.gov.au/positive-ageing or surveys can be collected and returned from the Civic Centre and Bathurst Library.  

Survey closes Friday 24 April 2026. 

Bathurst Light Car Club – Temporary Road Closures 

Part of Mount Panorama Motor Racing Circuit will be closed to traffic on Saturday 28 February and Sunday 1 March 2026, between the hours of 7am and 5.30pm, to allow the Bathurst Light Car Club to conduct two rounds of the NSW State Hillclimb Championships. 

Esses Hillclimb – Saturday 28 February 2026 – from the high side of Bathurst Goldfields’ gates on Conrod Straight up to and including McPhillamy Park gates on Skyline. Alternative access to McPhillamy Park will be via Barry Gurdon Drive until 12 noon, thereafter via the rear access road off College Road near the Waste Management Centre. 

Any enquiries should be directed to the Bathurst Light Car Club’s Clerk of the Course, Mr Robert Flood, on 0408 402 729. 

Mountain Straight Hillclimb – Sunday 1 March 2026 – from the area known as Hell Corner at the commencement of Mountain Straight to the eastern side of McPhillamy Park entrance on Skyline. Alternate access to the top of Mount Panorama will be via Barry Gurdon Drive. 

Any enquiries should be directed to the Bathurst Light Car Club’s Clerk of the Course, Mr David Robinson, on 0418 652 419. 

Bathurst AutoFest – Temporary Road Closures 

Mount Panorama Motor Racing Circuit will be closed between Murrays Corner and Hell Corner (Pit Straight) on Friday 6 March (3pm until 11pm), Saturday 7 March (7am until 11pm) and Sunday 8 March 2026 (7am until 6.30pm). 

Alternative access will be via Conrod Straight, entering from Panorama Avenue, while access to Boundary Road, Hinton Road and Panorama Avenue will be via the access road through CSU paddock. 

All enquiries regarding the event should be directed to Autofest Management on 0417 511 557. 

BARC Donations 

Do you have any bedding that you would like to donate to BARC?  

Donations are always welcome to help our furry friends at the Bathurst Animal Rehoming Centre. If you would like to make a donation of goods, please deliver them to the friendly team at BARC, 58 Hampden Park Road, Kelso. 

BDSRC Sports Awards 

To all affiliated sports associations/ clubs a reminder that the Annual Sports Awards close tomorrow, 28 February, so don’t miss out on putting your nominations in now. The dinner will be held in May. 

Join us this weekend for Clean Up Australia Day! 

Council is running a local community Clean Up at Macquarie River Bicentennial Park in celebration of Clean Up Australia Day, and we’d love for you to be part! It’s a simple, fun, and meaningful way to help care for our environment and meet other like-minded individuals. 

When: 10:00 AM - 12:30 PM, Sunday 1 March 2026 

Meeting point: Macquarie River Bicentennial Park (at the picnic shelter on Hereford Street side of the Bicentennial Flagstaff)  

For event information, contact details and to RSVP- https://register.cleanup.org.au/.../macquarie-river... 

Can’t make the Clean Up? You can host your own or join another Clean Up event, or why not make a zero waste pledge? 

Heritage Advice in Trunkey Creek 

Meet Council’s Heritage Advisor in Trunkey Creek. 

  • Seek practical advice to repair and conserve heritage buildings 

  • Regulatory rules around heritage explained 

  • Gain ideas for sharing Trunkey Creek’s history and heritage, and how Council can support your project 

Drop in on Tuesday 10 March between 11am-1pm at the Trunkey Creek Community Hall. 

NRL Ticket Sales 

Tickets for Round 2 of the 2026 NRL Telstra Premiership between the Penrith Panthers and Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks are on sale! Make sure you get in quick – Corporate Hospitality and Grandstand tickets have already sold out! 

The game will take place Saturday 14 March, kicking off at Carrington Park at 7:30pm. For more details on the event week and to purchase tickets, head to: www.bathurst.nsw.gov.au/Events/NRL   

NSW Seniors Festival, 2 – 15 March 2026  

NSW Seniors Festival celebrates the role and contributions of older adults to our local community. NSW Seniors Festival will run from 2-15 March 2026. Bathurst Seniors Festival will consist of 65 events, activities and workshops for seniors to enjoy across various locations. For more information, please visit Bathurst Regional Council’s website or call the Community Services Team on 6333 6523. 

Tickets to the Bathurst Heritage Trades Trail are on sale! 

Tickets to the Bathurst Heritage Trades Trail are now on sale. Watch blacksmiths forge iron, see saddlers at work, and discover trades that are disappearing from modern life.  

Date: 11 – 12 April 2026 

Venue: Bathurst Showgrounds 

Waste 2 Art 2026 

The 2026 Waste 2 Art competition is officially open for entries! 

This year’s theme is ‘Shrink Your Footprint,’ focusing on the growing challenge of reducing humanity’s mass waste footprint. Reflecting this, every artwork this year is required to fit in a shoebox and must be made entirely out of recyclable or reused materials.  

For all the details and to enter, visit Council’s website: https://www.bathurst.nsw.gov.au/Services/Waste-Recycling/Waste-2-Art   

Entries close 3pm Monday 27 April. 

2026 CLUBGRANTS SCHEME (Category 1) 

Bathurst Regional Council invites community organisations to apply for funding from the 2026 ClubGRANTS Scheme, under CATEGORY 1 criteria. 

Applications close on Sunday 31 May 2026.  All applications are required to be completed by ClubGRANTS Online. No manual applications can be received. 

Further information and a link to ClubGRANTS online can be accessed from Council’s website: www.bathurst.nsw.gov.au or the ClubsNSW website www.clubsnsw.com.au or by contacting the Cultural & Community Services team on 02 6333 6523. 

 

Media contact: Genevieve Green Media and Communications Officer  

P: 02 6333 6179 M: 0448 685 340 E: genevieve.green@bathurst.nsw.gov.au