ANZAC Day is a time to remember and honour the service and sacrifice of our original Anzacs, as well as the generations of Australians who have served in wars and peacekeeping operations.
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It is a day that brings our community and our nation together and provides a focal point for everyone to remember and to say thank you for the selfless service provided by those in our defence forces.
It is an acknowledgement of our history, our present, and the future that we all look forward to.
Crowded house
THE Penrith Panthers' game at Carrington Park on Saturday was the first time the NRL Panthers game in Bathurst has sold out.
Ticket sales hit 12,000, the ground capacity, which topped the previous record crowd of 11,253, set in 2022.
The match brings visitors to the city for game day, and the weekend.
Traditionally, around 70 to 75 per cent of tickets are sold to residents outside the 2795 postcode and that has occurred again this year.
This provides a huge economic boost to our economy with visitors enjoying Saturday afternoon's NRL action at Carrington Park but also our city's cafes and restaurants and booking accommodation outlets.
Occupancy rates were at around 85pc for the weekend.
Our previous economic modelling of the NRL weekend has shown that in 2023, the economic impact was approximately $2.2 million, and that number has been steadily increasing year on year.
There are other spin-off economic benefits that flow from hosting the Panthers game, including the value of advertising Bathurst as a location throughout the television coverage and in national media in the lead-up to and after the match.
This helps create more awareness of the Bathurst brand, increasing the likelihood of tourism visitation and our ability to host a variety of major events.
Council's ongoing relationship with the Penrith Panthers also brings significant social benefits, including creating an inclusive sporting community, through community engagement activities like the Play like a Panther clinic and the all-abilities game co-ordinated by Live Better, played on the field during half-time on game day.
