Mr Chifley, whose modest home in Busby Street is now a museum, became PM on July 13, 1945 and Bathurst Regional Council will mark the anniversary on Monday.

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Mr Albanese said the former engine driver "rose to our country's highest office and changed it forever".

"The path of his life gave him a strong sense of the possibilities that were open to Australians. It meant that his ambition for Australia was boundless," he said.

"Chifley's vision was positive. He knew Australia was a great country, but one that could be even greater.

"He put the light on the hill where we could all see it - all we had to do was to lift our gaze and look up."

Mr Albanese said the famous photo of Mr Chifley standing proudly next to the first Australian-made Holden shows him "as he so often was - present at a brighter, more hopeful dawn".

"His election victory was the first time an incumbent Labor government was re-elected," Mr Albanese said.

"He wasn't there just to take up space or to enjoy the spoils of victory.

"The Chifley Government was a legislative powerhouse. It passed a record-breaking 299 acts.

"His vision was bold and ambitious, but it never ran out of control. He was energetic, but prudent.

"He was a unifier. He understood that our greatest strength lay in togetherness.

"His vision included all Australians. We should all be proud to honour his legacy."

Mr Albanese said the Chifley Government's achievements included making the pension fairer; creating the Snowy Mountains Scheme; and shaping post-war immigration and transforming Australia "into a more vibrant and resilient nation".

Councillor Jess Jennings said Mr Chifley was, "without doubt, the greatest leader Bathurst has ever, and probably will ever, produce by a country mile".

"For a bloke to be the local mayor and Australian Treasurer at the same time and a visionary PM who had 40,000 people flock to his funeral in a little home town like Bathurst in the 1950s shows just how genuine, humble and admirable he was," Cr Jennings said.

"In today's world of impersonal social media and fake news, Ben's qualities can seem sorely lacking but they remain core values to strive for both personally and as a community."