Mount Panorama’s second track to be designed by Apex Circuit Design | Photos, video

Apex Circuit Design was awarded the tender for design and documentation of the track on Wednesday night, the company’s concept selected from three under consideration by Bathurst Regional Council. 

The company is based in the United Kingdom and its previous projects have included the Zhejaing Racing Circuit in China and the Dubai AutoDrome in the United Arab Emirates. 

Mayor Graeme Hanger was joined by member for Bathurst Paul Toole at Mount Panorama to make the official announcement on Thursday afternoon.

Cr Hanger said the expertise of Apex has assured council that the best possible track will be designed for Mount Panorama. 

“Apex Circuit Design were just an outstanding group of people. They’ve done work in Dubai, they’ve done work in China, they’ve done work in Thailand and they’re an outstanding, worldwide highly-regarded company,” he said.

“The other two companies put in great tenders, but Apex Circuit Design was by far the most outstanding.”

In addition to Apex, tenders were submitted by Dromo (Italy) and Integrated Event Delivery Management (Australia).

The tenders were assessed by group that included council staff and experts in motorsport circuit design. 

“[They] all came up with the same answer,” Cr Hanger said.

The tender offered by Apex Circuit Design provides all works as included in the specification and amounts to $3,703,000, with GST excluded. 

The nominated process is for a master plan to be created on site, followed by detail design, preparation and submission of planning documentation, with FIA/FIM approval occurring at the same as the planning approval process. 

The anticipated total delivery time is 84 weeks from acceptance of contract.

Cr Hanger said, to date, a total of $25 million has been provided for the project.

This includes $15 million from the NSW Government and $10 million from the Federal Government.

Mr Toole said the NSW Government was proud to be supporting the development. 

“I see this as not just a second circuit being built here in the city; this is building a business, this is building something that is going to drive the local economy and really provide an economic boost across the region,” he said. 

“You’ve only got to have a look at the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 every year, and that generates about $55 million right across the state of NSW.

“It generates about $25 million here in the Central West, so imagine a track that is going to be used for bikes, for cars, for production, for different events throughout the year, when it can be used for 52 weeks a year, for 365 days, imagine the investment that is going to come back here to this community.”

The new circuit will be located to the western side of McPhillamy and Reid parks, and below the ridge where the existing clay target club is located.

It will have a capacity of 50,000 spectators, as well as be home to commercial and industrial infrastructure.