I WAS very curious to see the crowd attendance at Tailem Bend in South Australia at the first motorsport circuit built within Australia since 1999.
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And, for mine, it was disappointing at around 42,000 over the three days.
The great difficulty with the location of this circuit is its relative isolation, being 90 kilometres south-east of Adelaide and adjacent to a small town of 1500.
Clearly, punters did not think it was worth the short drive to watch Supercars, despite all the hype over the $110 million, predominantly privately-funded racing circuit.
Fortunately, Bathurst is centrally located in close proximity to the high eastern seaboard population.
State of anticipation over future of ambo station
IN March 2015, just before the last state election, I wrote to then Minister for Health Jillian Skinner and our local member Paul Toole about the future of the existing ambulance station, saying that it was built from public subscription and it should return to the people of Bathurst once the new ambulance station was built.
READ MORE: Sod turned at new ambulance station site
My sources now advise me that the NSW Government Property Division has recently called for expressions of interest from "government agencies", with a stated value of $1 million to take over the building.
I understand our local government agency was not aware of the process, which closes next Tuesday, but is aware now and fully intends to submit an expression of interest.
One thing’s for sure: we won't be paying the estimated value of $1 million to get our own building back!
Over to our local member to negotiate the deal.
No new tenants at site, but plenty of speedy teens
THE former Masters site remains empty despite a development application being approved months ago to split the one tenancy into nine separate rental spaces.
On the bright side, the car park is a very popular Friday night haunt for teenagers showing off their cars.
Chifley Highway Patrol are also often there showing off their speed machines in an example of good community engagement.
My critic needs to admit there’s a parking problem
OH dear, I've upset the ALP lefties (whose agenda is to shut down this column) again.
A correspondent, who is a member of the ALP Lithgow Branch, has gone crook about me saying last week that Bathurst Health Service doesn’t adequately manage staff parking within the hospital.
Sorry, the truth hurts. They don't.
The same lazy staff are still parking at the front door despite additional car spaces becoming available along the Durham Street frontage.
It's called management by avoidance.
Thumbs up
WEEKEND rainfall. Not a solution and very patchy, but a good start. Hopefully the forecast for more rain later in the week is correct.
Thumbs down
POOR crowds despite the hype at the Supercars’ inaugural event at the new $110 million Tailem Bend circuit in South Australia.