Take a minute to think about where you are riding....This is part of my preview of the amazing Bathurst Cycling Classic CourseYou may have raced the new Mark Renshaw designed Bathurst Cycling Classic course but did you notice the surrounds; the new course is not only set on amazing Aussie Bush roads but is historically very significant. A quiet training ride around the course will not only feature breath-taking views but the history is remarkable.
Of course the event start is at Bathurst’s famous Kings Parade with its spectacular Court House, Carillion, Museum, Hotels, and Church & Bell Tower. Bathurst celebrated its 200th Birthday in 2015 and is Australia’s first inland city so the history in the first kilometres of both 100km & 50km Bathurst Cycling Classic course is everywhere. For example as you crest the first climb of the day at the top of William Street you will ride past Australian Pioneer James Rutherford first Bathurst home before moving to larger Hereford homestead. Rutherford is famous as one of the greatest country entrepreneurs developing Cobb & Co which opened up Australia by significantly dropping travel times and joining the capital cities with the outback, Cobb&Co was as big as the internet in the mid 1800s. James Rutherford also had an interest in the world first bicycles "the Velocipedes" see that story below.
Moving out of the built up area you will ride past the Government Departments and the Education facilities including the large Charles Sturt University site which sits on the very historic Bathurst Agricultural Research Station site. While across the road the NSW Government’s Spatial Services building provides the databases to manage the state’s infrastructure. Initially known as the Central Mapping Authority the relocation of the departments to form this authority in the 1970s was one of the major success stories of the government de-centralisation strategies of the 1970s. While it is important to note that the Authority was an initial sponsor of the Bathurst Cycling Classic in its early stages.
Then the long course get to ride Mt Panorama with the amazing Brock Skyline.. with its new Sky Walk!
To race or ride around Mt Panorama is special; it is world famous, an icon of Australian sport, the climb up the mountain surprises everyone but Brock Skyline is incredible. The car drivers describe dropping off Skyline like jumping out into the skies above Bathurst. But to get Skyline you have to climb the Mountain, especially the dreaded cutting, it’s tough, but as you come out of it, look over the concrete fence to see the old Mt Panorama Amphitheatre, it’s just a hole in the ground but in 1983, over 3000 paid to cram in there, (& heaps more freeloaders after they set fire and pushed over the fences). It was more than a concert, it was a party, and after Cold Chisel, Choir Boys etc finished playing, the infamous Bathurst Riot started, with motor racing at Bathurst changing forever.
Just before the magical Brock Skyline you will can see a small building with a police sign on it; it was the focal point of the 1983 riots where Police feared for their lives as race fans surrounded it, then cut power and threw explosives at it. One officer breaking his foot kicking a stick of Gelignite out of the compound.
The Esses featuring the Dipper and Forest Elbow are fun but scary and take you onto one of the fastest bits of tar in the world Conrod Straight. The is a million stories about the 6.2 kms around Mt panorama, including many cycling tales after UCI Vice President Martin Whitely promoted numerous event on the mountain featuring many national champions and indeed an Olympic Gold Medallist. His longest running Mt Panorama cycling promotion was the Panorama 600 consisted of 100 laps around the circuit.
The Bathurst Cycling Classic moves off Mt Panorama to Lloyds Road where the Bathurst Cycling Club once held its Bathurst Road Championships in front of the old All-Hallows School Build which was a boarding school for Infants and Primary School aged kid, (My How Times Have Changed). Both long and short courses then heading to Gorman Hill Road where the Bathurst Cycling Classic uses the old Vale Racing Circuit. While Mt panorama is unrivalled as Australia’s great motor racing circuit, back in the 1930’s it was the Old Vale Circuit that held Australia’s biggest motor sport. You will cycle along the historic Pitt Straight, then Wrights Corner, Tamar Straight, before climbing up The Bluff and on to the Devils Elbow to turn onto the Lagoon road.
Those aware of the history of white settlement in Australia will realise we have been roughly following the famous Coxs Road commissioned by the Father of Australia Governor Macquarie in 1813 to open up inland Australia after Blaxland Wentworth and Lawson discover a path across the Blue Mountains. Deputy-Surveyor of Land George William Evans extended the trio’s path to the Bathurst plains and in July 1814 Lieutenant Cox started work on the Cox Road which was completed in 6 months for Governor Macquarie and his official party to cross the Mountains and proclaim Bathurst in 1815. While you are riding keep an eye out for the signs pin pointing the historic Cox’s Road which you are effectively riding on in both long and short Bathurst Cycling Classic courses.
Both courses don’t make Ben Chifley Dam, as they turn off at lagoon, which is famous in Australia for Standardbred racing (The Trots). The Bathurst Cycling Classic actually riding through the middle of Turnbull’s stables and right-past the legendary champ pacer Hondo Grattan’s grave. The Bathurst Community loved this horse, hailing the great champion with a huge civic reception in 1974 on his return to Bathurst after winning his second inter Dominion Championship.
Both courses now turn on to the Rockley Road and a piece of road that is legendry in local Bathurst cycling and has been a part of the Blayney to Bathurst course since its introduction, although going in the opposite direction. The direction used to climb Rockley Mt in 2020 is the most renowned Cycling Climb in the district mainly due to the long running Rockley Race, however this climb was used for the Elite Women State Hill Climb Championship in 2003.
It is at the top of this Climb that the 100km and 50km courses spilt with the short course turning down the Cow flat decent and the 100km course heading to the village of Rockley. Both courses do roll over the range and Mt Everndon and it is hear that you can really appreciate the untouched areas on this ride; areas that predate white civilisation. While I talk of the history on this ride, really I am only going back 200yrs at the most, so when you get to notice the beauty of our classic Aussie florae and wildlife, we can really appreciate the work of the traditional owners, the Wiradyuri, who maintained this environment for thousands of years. I talk of Mt Panorama, but that name has only existed for around 80yrs, it was The Bald Hills before that, but obviously the indigenous name of Wahluu could be thousands of years old. My knowledge only goes back a couple of hundred years but I look forward to learning more.. yes there is much to see and much to learn on this ride.
See full course history and race history on Website.
Also hear the History of Cycling on Mt Panorama Podcast here --
https://NSWcycling.podbean.com/mf/play/xzjlfu/FullMtPamPodMPEG.mp3
