When 15,000 people packed into the venue to witness one of music's true professionals in action, it was easy to forget for a moment that bushfires were raging still in many parts of the state, the ongoing drought was serving up almost daily dust storms across our region, and that Ben Chifley Dam was in freefall as Bathurst residents started getting used to the toughest water restrictions we've seen.

Little did we know at the time that an even bigger news story - which would have even greater impacts on our community - was just around the corner, ensuring 2020's place among the worst years on record, even though it's not yet half-finished.

So as we all start to slowly emerge from our COVID-19 hibernation, what could be better for the city than to again host a significant music event?

The NSW Government's Great Southern Nights initiative is providing exactly that opportunity and Bathurst Regional Council should be commended for reacting so quickly to the invitation to get involved.

Great Southern Nights will feature 1000 COVID-safe gigs in Sydney and regional NSW in November, giving Australian artists a welcome boost and reviving live music venues right across the state.

The project has been developed in conjunction with the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) to support the recovery of the live music, entertainment and hospitality industries.

It's too much to expect we will host a concert anything like the Elton John experience (after all, that extravaganza was 12 months in the making) but any show we can get would be a great boost for the city's economy and the community's morale.

Ideally we'd like to see a big-name Australian artists supported by emerging Bathurst musicians in another outdoor show at Carrington Park.

Crucially, Bathurst has now proved it can host such an event and, as mayor Bobby Bourke put it, we have here another chance to show the world that there's much more to see in Bathurst than just a car race.

We've all endured a tough six months but there are now some signs of better times ahead. And when NSW starts to party again, let's hope that Bathurst is there celebrating with the best of them.