Bathurst go-kart track: Opponents planning protests as work gets under way

The Friends of McPhillamy Park were meeting on Monday evening to determine their next moves following confirmation that work would start on the site on March 8.

They have been frustrated by ongoing COVID restrictions at Bathurst Regional Council meetings that have locked out members of the public and put an end to public question time for the past 10 months and are worried that they are not being given the chance to have their voices heard.

Friends chair Jan Page said a protest outside the Bathurst Regional Council chambers on Wednesday night as councillors meet for their monthly meeting was a likely first step, with more protests possible in the countdown to the commencement of work.

ALSO MAKING NEWS:

She said the Friends would also be seeking national media coverage of their story in an attempt to build support for moving the track.

"There are still a lot of things that need to be brought out into the open, including the fact there has been no opportunity for our concerns to be put to council," Ms Page said.

"Council appears to be hiding behind COVID as a way of keeping the meetings closed to the public which we have been frustrated by.

"... I honestly think it is very cynical of council to put it up now. The park is basically closed now for work before the races next week and then it will take a week or so to clean up afterwards.

"Immediately after that they will start the work on the track."

Ms Page said the Friends of McPhillamy Park met on Sunday for a co-ordinating meeting and were meeting again on Monday evening to discuss possible legal avenues and a media campaign.

"We will also be talking about people who might want to take direct action and what that would look like," she said.

The Friends of McPhillamy Park remain steadfastly opposed to building a go-kart track on the current site because they say it's in appropriate use of public land and would rob the community of access to the "world class views" the area offers.

Members of the Bathurst Wiradyuri community are also opposed to the site, saying it is sacred land that has been utilised by indigenous people for thousands of years.

But with council pushing ahead with its plans to build the go-kart track, opponents' last hopes for success appear to be a number of outstanding legal cases regarding the cultural sensitivity of the land, or intervention by the federal government.