Upgrades to the circuit, headlined by safety improvements, were part of a proposal to the government estimated to cost at least $70 million and potentially upwards of $130 million.
Councillors came up with a laundry list of items, with a reseal of the 6.2 km circuit chief among the priorities.
Other safety improvements on the agenda included installing fauna fencing to reduce the risk of animal track invasions, as well as the installation of electronic flag signals.
The council had hoped to receive some support in this year’s budget, but got nothing.
“It definitely needs an upgrade,” said Bathurst Mayor Robert ‘Stumpy’ Taylor.
“It needs a safety issue with the lighting, complete resurface of the mountain, and the tunnel, and some tyre walling.”
Bathurst Regional Council has lobbied Supercars and the sport’s governing body Motorsport Australia in its quest to make the upgrades happen.
An economic study is reportedly the next step for the council to justify the spending. The last study was carried out in 2012, according to the Mayor.
Safety issues at Mount Panorama have been repeatedly thrust into the spotlight over the last 12 months.
At the Bathurst 1000, Grove Racing driver Kai Allen narrowly missed hitting a kangaroo on Conrod Straight.
This year, the Bathurst 12 Hour was marred by two incidents. The first involved Ford Mustang driver Christopher Mies hitting a kangaroo on Conrod Straight.
The gory scenes made headlines globally after the animal was obliterated and wound up lining the inside of the million-dollar GT3 car.
At the same event, Ralf Aron crashed his Craft-Bamboo Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 into the parked Porsche 911 GT3 R of Tsunami RT driver Johannes Zelger at Forrest’s Elbow.
Aron suffered a broken back in the crash and has not raced since.
At the Bathurst 6 Hour, Grant Denyer triggered a violent incident when his Chevrolet Camaro swiped Richard Barram’s Volkswagen Scirocco.
The contact sent Barram’s car into an exposed concrete wall and left him with serious injuries, including a broken back.
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