After more than 30 years coming to the races, Rev Keith Hamilton makes the move to Bathurst permanent

Attending his first service at the church on Sunday, October 31, Rev Hamilton will be officially installed as the new minister on Saturday, November 13.

Rev Hamilton replaces former minister Reverend Claire Wright, who left Bathurst for the mid-north coast in June last year, after three years in the local community.

He makes the move to Bathurst from Northmead, where he played an active roll helping run Parramatta Mission, a non-for-profit organisation started by the Uniting Church that provides meals, accommodation and mental health services across greater western Sydney.

Rev Hamilton actually bought a house in Bathurst back in 2017, but that was actually an investment property.

"I didn't think I'd live in it because it was originally an investment property," he said.

"God must've been calling me to Bathurst when we bought it."

He makes the move to the Central West with his wife Julie, who works in education and behaviour at Canobolas Rural Technology High School in Orange.

They actually made the move to Bathurst back in June, so Ms Hamilton could start her new job ahead of the new school term.

Rev Hamilton's brother and sister-in-law live in Bathurst and it's his sibling who he enjoys spending time with at the Bathurst 1000.

"My brother lives here, so we go with him and it's a great time with the family," he said.

"It's one thing to come and stay and another to actually live here. We love it."

Rev Hamilton said he's looking forward to working with the people within his church's congregation and the wider Bathurst community.

"I'm looking forward to working with the people here and the congregation.

"As the minister, it's about helping the congregation connect to God, people and community," he said.

"We connect to the community through BUSS [Bathurst Uniting Safe Shelter] but we're also looking to engage the civic leaders in Bathurst. I did that at Parramatta, engaging with political, civic and business leaders."

Prior to his role at Parramatta, he served at churches in Rooty Hill, St Marys, Newcastle and Cootamundra, having completed theological training at the Uniting Church of Australia's Centre of Ministry in Sydney.

Before his time serving in the church, he was a mechanic for City Ford.

"I've been a minister for over 30 years and before that, I worked in the car industry, hence my interest in cars," he said.

"I was a motor mechanic. I started work at City Ford in 1972 and in show room was the car that they raced at Bathurst in 1971. That was where Moffat stored his car.

"Other race teams would have their cars there too. I worked in the car industry for over 10 years."

The Uniting Church of Bathurst currently has two services, one at 9.30am and at 6pm.

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