Early race organisers did not concern themselves much with such PC concerns as “spectator safety” and, it seems, there were no real catastrophes in those early years.

Fast forward to 2012 and Bathurst 1000 spectators will be getting a very different view of the race. Most spectators will this year find themselves behind high debris fencing that serve the dual purpose of keeping out-of-control cars on the track and kangaroos off the track.

Bathurst Regional Council has had no choice but to comply with the increasingly strict regulations associated with motor racing and, as we’ve said before, every dollar spent on Mount Panorama is an investment in this region’s future.

And if a driver with the experience of Jim Richards says the fencing is a welcome addition, then it’s hard to argue.

But, still, there is a nagging feeling that every new safety measure installed at the track takes something away from the real essence of Mount Panorama.

The beauty of the track has always been that it is not a custom-made circuit, but rather a public road that winds its way through some real Australian bush.

And while the circuit itself remains as challenging as ever, the overall look of the track is changing every year.

That’s the price of progress, though. If we want Mount Panorama to retain its status as Australia’s premier circuit, then we must accept that the safety standards must remain right up-to-date.

Because watching a Bathurst 1000 from behind a roo-proof fence is better than no Bathurst 1000 at all.