Bathurst Regional Council has been asked to look for ways in to somehow formalise the Mount as a final resting place for race fans.

One suggestion has been a niche wall that could be added to the Mount for the internment of ashes but where and when remain unclear.

Another suggestion is a memorial wall of plaques that could be a final gift to a keen racing fan from their loved ones.

What we do know is that council has been told that many race fans already ask for their ashes to be spread on the Mount following their death and so this is simply trying to put some boundaries around that.

And, done properly, that cannot be a bad thing.

As the home of Australian motorsport, Mount Panorama has a very special place in the heart of all motor racing fans.

It’s not hard to see why. Even those of us without petrol running through our veins struggle not to get swept up in the hype of the Bathurst 1000 each October.

The Great Race has developed to a point now where it is a thrilling spectacle for the whole community – race fans or not.

While diehard redheads are glued to the action on the track and marvel at the incredible skill of the drivers and impressive power of the cars, even the most casual of observers can quickly be taken in by the sheer size of the event.

There is colour, noise and movement and that makes a compelling recipe.

So if council can find a way to appropriately extend the lure of the Mount to those who have passed on, then its status can only continue to build.

But expect some sensitive discussions before any final decisions are made.

Long before it was the home of motorsport, Mount Panorama-Wahluu was a place of great cultural significance for the local Wiradyuri people.

For thousands of years indigenous communities used areas on the Mount as final resting places and council will need to be careful not to dishonour that culture.

But there must be a way forward that respects both the past and the future of the Mount.

It may not be easy but it is a conversation well worth having.