The Homes of Mount Panorama
It’s the ultimate address for anyone into Australia motorsport: a home on the slopes of Mount Panorama, and for a lucky 35 property owners, they have an address on Mountain and Conrod Straights.
The circuit consists of roads drivable by the general public outside of race weekends, with a select few calling the race track home.
Originally farming land on the outskirts of town, the makeup of the land use has evolved over time.
From apples and pears to figs and wine grapes, Mount Panorama has also been home to an Army camp during World War II, which evolved into the National Fitness Camp.
We have previously profiled one of the early farmers of the area, and it’s a cracking tale.
Of course, there was the drive-in movie theatre on Conrod Straight, which closed in the 1980s and is today home to the motorhome park during Bathurst 1000 week.
Then there was the old Sir Joseph Banks Nature Reserve falling down the backside of the hill from The Esses, while the Veterans Motorcycle Club rooms can be found in the park’s old caretaker’s residence behind the ‘Castrol Tower’.
Also, on top of the hill, and still very much in operation today, is the Panorama Motorcycle Club’s motocross track and the Bathurst Clay Target Club range.
Down at the bottom of Conrod Straight is the National Motor Racing Museum, while just up the hill is Rydges Mount Panorama, one of several accommodation houses we have featured here previously in our Holidaying at Mount Panorama feature story.
The homes that line the roads are intrinsically a part of the circuit.
In 1987, when the concrete barriers were being designed to bring the facility up to modern standards, the many driveways and entrances for the properties were considered, with the angles of the walls allowing for easy access outside of race weeks.
Additionally, with the addition of the Chase tunnel in 1993, work was put in to allow for resident access throughout times of on-track activity, with these efforts ramped up when the Bathurst 24 Hour came to town in 2002/’03.
Now, the infield features an extensive road network connecting all properties to the tunnel, with the road extending up to the “Mount Panorama” painted rock sign on the side of the hill, while it also gives photographers, officials, security and TV personnel access to the Dipper through a gate in the kangaroo-proof fence.
Elsewhere, properties on the driver’s right of Mountain Straight are connected to the outside world via access roads to Barry Gurdon Drive, while properties on the right-hand side at the top of Conrod are connected to College Road, which runs parallel to the racetrack.
Here’s a look at modern-day life on the sides of Mount Panorama.
Mountain Straight
A busy section of track beyond the council-owned paddock area on driver’s left, with a pair of wineries dominating the landscape.
On the inside of Griffin’s Bend sits a long-standing motocross track in the front yard of one residence.
The Cutting
The houses along the blast up to The Cutting still have an address listed as being on the street known as ‘Mountain Straight’.
Perhaps the homes here are most infamously remembered from the time Glenn Seton parked his broken Falcon in a driveway at the end of the 1995 Tooheys 1000.
The two highest properties on the Mountain are The Cutting Mount Panorama, whose driveway has been the scene of many incidents over the years, while just up the hill on the exit of the corner is the last home, with direct access to Barry Gurdon Drive.
Conrod Straight
Perhaps the tightest cluster of homes within the circuit is found on driver’s left at the top of Conrod Straight.
Other landmarks on this stretch of road include the clubrooms for the Bathurst Light Car Club, the Bathurst Goldfields, and the Lochinvar accommodation.
Famous residents on this stretch of road include multiple Bathurst 12 Hour winner Kenny Habul, and ‘Robbo’, who throws the best race week parties at the property just before the Chase.
Conrod Straight is curiously also home to a disused monorail.
Picture Yourself Here
At the time of publication, two properties on Conrod Straight, numbers 402 and 457, are currently for sale.
Mark Walker (administrator)
A vastly experienced Motorsport Public Relations operator, journalist, commentator and photographer, Mark brings his unique angle to The Race Torque in both words and imagery. As well as serving as our key photographer on the ground at major events around Australia (and overseas), Walker will often chime in with his unique and pin-point sharp viewpoint of the racing world via the keyboard too.
