This city has never been considered a regional, state or national cross country stronghold, yet we will play host to the world's best in that sport in 2021.

Thursday's announcement that Bathurst has been successful in its bid to host the 2021 International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) cross country world championships is simply stunning.

It will be the first time Australia has hosted an IAAF world championships since Sydney was the venue for the 1996 junior athletics meet in 1996 and will put Bathurst alongside major international cities Edinburgh, Fukuoka, Brussels, Dublin, Belfast and Torino as past hosts of the event.

It was a left-field announcement that no-one saw coming, but one that is in keeping with our city's envied reputation for hosting major events.

From the annual pilgrimage to Mount Panorama for the Bathurst 1000 to rock superstar Sir Elton John playing at Carrington Park, or even playing host to national BMX and harness racing events, Bathurst continues to find new strings to its visitor economy know.

While other regional centres might do one thing – think of the country music festival in Tamworth or Food Week in Orange – Bathurst continues to safeguard the local economy by constantly broadening its base.

Without the riches that come from having a mine in town, Bathurst has been forced to find other ways to keep the wheels of the economy turning. And our city is all the better for it.

Education remains the biggest employer in the region and that's as recession-proof as any industry can be.

We have a strong agricultural industry despite the region's vulnerability to both drought and flooding rains, and a retail sector that is changing to meet the needs of a changing world.

Manufacturing also remains strong while tourism has been identified as the potential boom sector of the economy, and Bathurst is chasing down every opportunity.

Bring an NRL game to town? Why not?

Have the world's best skaters race down Mount Panorama? Let's give it a go.

Bid for the world cross country championships? Well, they can only say no.

It's this "don't die wondering" attitude that sets Bathurst apart from other regional centres and it's the reason our city keeps growing. Let's never lose it.