The economic benefits to the region have been well-documented, especially when it comes to the V8 Supercars which race the Bathurst 1000 at the track each October.

But ensuring the facility does not lie idle outside the Great Race week is one of the big jobs for Bathurst Regional Council.

The good news is that the Bathurst 12-Hour race is here to stay on the Mountain calendar.

This event has untold potential, appealing to a worldwide audience because of the exotic GT cars it attracts. Some pundits even believe it will one day surpass the Bathurst 1000 in popularity, but that remains to be seen.

Another event now making a name for itself at Mount Panorama is the Bathurst Motor Festival, which appears to have secured the Easter long weekend time slot.

It’s something completely different to the Great Race and 12-Hour, giving a range of motorsport fanatics the chance to experience the thrill of  taking on our famous circuit.

While it’s not a big crowd puller, it does bring different faces to the Bathurst region – and, while they are here, the economy does benefit.

Hopefully this event will continue to go from strength to strength and cement its place as a long-term feature.

While all this is going on, work continues in the background to secure funding for a second circuit at Mount Panorama which would enable motorbike racing to return.

Mayor Gary Rush visited Canberra earlier this year to further push the case for this addition.

Bathurst is lucky to have Mount Panorama, but it should never take the circuit for granted.

Diverse uses are the key to ensure the Mount continues to fire the city’s economic engine for years to come.