Millions of racing fans from all corners of the earth will tune in to the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 and again marvel at Mount Panorama in all its glory.

They will see one of the best racing circuits on the planet and the result of millions of dollars worth of investment in associated infrastructure over many years by Bathurst Regional Council and the state and federal governments.

The Mount Panorama facilities must be the envy of other regional centres and their drawing power cannot be rivalled.

Just a month later, though, Bathurst will get the chance to showcase a very different side of the region.

Being selected as the host of Artstate 2018 has provided Bathurst with an opportunity to welcome some 200 delegates to the city to show them that our city is much more than just a race track.

Each of Bathurst’s museums – the Australian Fossil and Mineral Museum, the National Motor Racing Museum and the Chifley Home – will play a role, forming a backdrop to nurture and inspire the creative process.

Visiting artists will be welcomed into the museums to develop new works which will then be premiered during the week-long Artstate festival. 

The festival is also a chance to show that there is money to be made in the arts.

While council’s investment in cultural assets will never deliver the same returns as investment in the Mount, their potential to attract visitor dollars should not be ignored.

Council has recognised this untapped potential and is working hard to promote Bathurst as a conference destination.

And we should never shy away from the chance to shout from the rooftops about this great city we call home.

That said, though, making money must never become the measure of success for our cultural assets.

A museum or art gallery’s contribution to the community cannot only be measured in dollars and cents, it must also be measured in terms of quality of life.

They are the facilities that make Bathurst a cosmopolitan and modern city, even as we maintain our proud links to the past.

Bathurst is a city of many parts, and all those parts come together to make a magnificent whole. It’s time we shared the secrets of our success.