Police also grounded two of the vehicles, seizing their number plates at the scene.

Police were doing routine highway duty when they caught the three vehicles travelling at more than 140km/h in a 60km/h zone.

Chifley local area command traffic and highway patrol commander Senior Sergeant Ben Macfarlane yesterday said officers stopped the three vehicles – a Volkswagen Golf, a Volkswagen sedan and a Mitsubishi Lancer – on Mountain Straight on Sunday.

The drivers – a 22-year-old man from Elderslie (driver of the Volkswagen Golf), a 28-year-old man from Warriewood (driver of the Volkswagen sedan), and a 21-year-old man from Camden South (driver of the Mitsubishi Lancer) – were each fined $2154 and had their licences suspended on the spot.

Police also seized the number plates of the two Volkswagens as the drivers were the registered owners of the vehicles. As a result, the vehicles will be grounded for three months.

Senior Sergeant Macfarlane said police would not hesitate to cancel the driving privileges of anyone reckless enough to exceed the speed limit by more than 45km/h.

“Speed limits are in place for a reason – to save lives,” he said.

Senior Sergeant Macfarlane said exceeding the speed limit by more than 45km/h is highly dangerous. 

“Driving at that speed is incredibly stupid. It’s a public road with a 60km speed limit.

“Any type of crash [at that speed] would be catastrophic.”

Senior Sergeant Macfarlane said unfortunately Mount Panorama tends to attract the hoon element, who think it’s acceptable to drive on the road like a racetrack.

For this reason, he said police would continue to actively patrol the area, as they do every other public road.

He said given the fact people also walk around the track for exercise increases the potential for a casualty or even a death.

“That road is not set up for someone to lose control on and there is no passive protection for pedestrians. To come up here and drive like that is stupid.”