New proposal for Bathurst go-kart track location welcomed by club

Last week, council resolved to fast-track the development of an international length go-kart track in the vicinity of the old drive-in and Rayner's Orchard.

READ MORE: New go-kart track location to be pursued, but with some trepidation

The site was considered more than 20 years ago, but was deemed inappropriate primarily due to noise concerns. However, it is believed that advances in noise abatement technology will resolve those issues.

The new location council has agreed to pursue comes weeks after a Section 10 declaration put an end to the go-kart track project on land at the back of McPhillamy Park.

Bathurst Kart Club president Mark Dunbar said a track on Mount Panorama is the ideal scenario for the club and members are happy to work with council in making the plans a reality.

"It would be ideal, because there's lots of infrastructure already there," he said.

READ ALSO: 'It's not an exclusive club': Morse defends go-karters

He acknowledged, though, that the potential for that site to be used comes down to new acoustic studies council will have to carry out.

Part of the resolution council came to last week was to, if possible, use the existing track design on the proposed site, which Mr Dunbar said the club would also like to do.

"We've got to wait and see how the lay of the land is and whether it suits that ground and whether we can fit it in there properly, but we are hoping the same way as what council does, whatever suits," he said.

"It might need to be changed or tweaked up a little bit, but that's what we've got to wait to find out."

The kart club has experienced quite a bit of turmoil over the last two decades as it has tried to get a track established in Bathurst.

READ MORE: Bathurst go-kart track: Club 'gobsmacked' after Section 10 declaration

Arguably, the biggest blow came in May with the Federal Environment Minister's ruling about the site on top of the Mount, but the club is feeling positive with the latest proposal.

"We're very happy with the support that we're receiving at the moment. We think it's a big step forward, we've just got to wait now and see what happens," Mr Dunbar said.

"We'll just work with council to try to make something happen, because I think the council is the one that's put in a lot of effort and a lot of time and we've worked with the right from the very start of the whole project and they've never really left us behind and, I believe, have shown great due diligence from the very start."

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