While it is known for motor racing events on the 6.213km Mountain circuit – there’s more to the Bathurst region than just car racing and this new partnership with Australia’s leading motorsport publication and content hub is designed to showcase those delights.
The oldest inland settlement in New South Wales, Bathurst features breweries, wineries, a bustling cafe and hospitality scene, historic museums and art galleries that allow race fans to fill their time in the region either side of on track action.
Outside of the major race events – the 1000, 12 Hour and 6 Hour – Bathurst Regional Council annually hosts the Penrith Panthers NRL at Carrington Park.
Each March, over 300 competitors descend on the Bathurst Showground for the Long Track Masters motorcycling competition that has been running since 1989.
The 2025 Events program for Bathurst Regional Council includes major boys and girls football events in February; the New South Wales CCC hockey tournament, along with ladies’ masters hockey and golf.
For car enthusiasts, there are the Falcon GT Masters, the Chev Festival and Cortina Nationals – not to mention the Bathurst Autofest and the National Motor Racing Museum – which is in operation year round.
Bathurst region is about more than sport though, with a strong focus on digital advancement and being a well connected smart city. Bathurst Regional Council actively seeks new business investment with the city’s position around 200 kilometres from Sydney and location that sees key regional hubs like Orange and Lithgow not far away.
At the other end of the spectrum are the charming historic gold mining villages of Sofala and Hill End where visitors can go back to the 1800s, with many stores, buildings and other structures maintained in period.
Bathurst is within an hour of the Blue Mountains with many hidden gems along the way, including orchards, small towns with their own stories and so much more.
“Bathurst is excited to be working with Speedcafe to show off the best of our region and celebrate the Big Race,” said David Sherley – General Manager Bathurst Regional Council.
“With so many local events, a thriving café and pub scene, villages to explore and of course our world class museums including the National Motor Racing Museum. We have a lot to be proud about and a lot to share.”
Speedcafe Managing Director, Karl Begg, enjoys visiting the Bathurst region each year for motorsport, but says he always manages to be surprised by something unique he didn’t expect in the region.
“Every time you go to Bathurst, you tend to uncover something new in the region,” said Begg. “There’s so much to see and do within the Bathurst region that a lot of race fans have yet to even scratch the surface on.
“Through this partnership, Bathurst Regional Council will utilise Speedcafe’s position as Australia’s leading motorsport publication to ensure some of those secrets are secrets no more, whether it be a brewery, a winery, a museum or some other experiences that our readers may not have discovered.
“It may even be a local restaurant or cafe that serves the freshest in local produce that people have not thought of visiting before.
“Bathurst is an icon in Australia and around the world for motor racing, but there is so much more than the Mountain that our readers are about to find out about and hopefully take the opportunity to experience on their next racing trip.”
Bathurst Regional Council’s partnership with Speedcafe begins in the leadup to this year’s Bathurst 1000 (October 10-13) and will continue throughout 2025, including the major events such as the Bathurst 12 Hour (January 31-February 2) and Easter’s Bathurst 6 Hour (April 18-20) and other major events such as the NRL (April).