Mount Panorama will once again test the strength and stamina of athletes when the World Athletics Cross Country Championships is held in February, 2023.

Cr Hanger said it's a great honour for the city to host the event, and he expects it will bring a large crowd to the area.

"It's a wonderful achievement for Bathurst to hold the first ever event in the Southern Hemisphere here at Mount Panorama," he said.

"It's just a wonderful event for the town ... We're looking at something like 500 athletes, plus their entourage.

"Everybody benefits and, right throughout the Central West, people will come and watch and they'll buy petrol and they'll buy food and it's just great for the town, great for the Central West, great for NSW and great for Australia."

The event will run from February 17 to 19, with 521 of the world's best long-distance runners from 68 different countries descending upon Bathurst.

In addition to the world championship events that will take place on Saturday, February 18, a number of other races and activities will be held to suit all who attend.

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There'll be races for all ages and abilities, ranging in distance from 800 metres to 10 kilometres, with competitors starting and finishing under the same arch as the professional athletes and all receiving a world championships replica medal.

The event will also feature giant games for kids, food vendors, expos, sponsored merchandise and more.

Cr Hanger said he would love to see the community really get behind the event and enjoy what is expected to be an action-packed weekend.

"It's an event that people don't realise how big and how important it is," he said.

"We're encouraging all locals, anybody who can, to come along and have a look at it.

"It's a once in a lifetime experience and certainly one that we're encouraging as many people from the local area to be at."

With the event having been postponed for two years due to COVID, the highly anticipated athletics championships is less than a month away and some of the Australian team got a sneak peek at the course on Monday, January 16.

Olympian and long-distance runner Stewart McSweyn said tackling Mount Panorama will be different to any other course they've competed on, and the team is looking forward to the challenge.

"We're obviously pretty excited, it's going to be an interesting course," he said.

"It's a different type of course to one we've ever done so I think it's going to be a pretty cool event."

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