SUPERCARS Australia clearly has the recipe right for attracting motorsport fans to Mount Panorama - total ticket sales of more than 206,000 over the four days is a great result.
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Yet activities within Bathurst are, in my eyes, tokenistic.
Yes, the supermarkets did okay and some pubs were busy Friday and Saturday night, but overall the city was subdued. It certainly did not have a festival atmosphere.
In comparison, the Bathurst Winter Festival succeeded in attracting more than 10,000 into the CBD at night. The secret? Bathurstians had something to see and do, which the Bathurst 1000 lacks.
I think big changes need to happen next year to re-start the week.
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Limited supplies leave too many fans high and dry
ONE curious change that Supercars Australia implemented this year was the decision not to distribute official Bathurst 1000 race programs via the normal distribution channel through newsagents Australia-wide.
This was not popular with punters as many missed out. Our newsagency received calls from intrastate fans chasing a copy.
Supplies were limited to a few local newsagents, however their allocations were significantly down on normal, resulting in an early sellout both in the city and on the Mount.
Supercars Australia failed to understand that many Supercars fans collect race programs, but many don't attend the Mount.
I hope council adds this misstep to the post-race analysis.
It’s mixed messages on a special audit of council
ON September 19, during a general council meeting, a ratepayer asked whether Bathurst Regional Council had been advised by the Audit Office of NSW that a special audit was to take place of council's financial statements.
The ratepayer was advised no advice had been received by council from the Audit Office of any special audit and indicated that council would be completing as normal its internal annual Section 428 audit.
Council's minutes reflect this statement.
I understand, however, that council will be subject to a special Section 422 (2) audit to be completed by a private firm on behalf of the Audit Office which is separate and independent of the annual audit under Section 428.
Very interesting.
Mayor’s online critics are talking out of their hat
SOCIAL media lit up on Sunday after mayor Graeme Hanger allegedly failed to remove his Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 cap during the national anthem broadcast to millions.
I suspect the mayor simply forgot he was wearing a cap, which is easy to do despite punters being reminded to remove headgear just prior to the rendition.
Get a life, I'd suggest to all those online whingers!
Thumbs up
BATHURSTIANS filling the streets as the RAAF conducted its fly past for the Bathurst 1000. Literally hundreds took to the streets.
Thumbs down
ONCE again, CBD activities associated with the Bathurst 1000 were underwhelming. A reasonable crowd was the only saviour.
