Mount Panorama Circuit, Motorsport racing track in Bathurst, Australia.
Mount Panorama Circuit is a 6.213 km motor racing track in Bathurst, New South Wales, laid out on public roads that close for races. Its highest point sits 862 m above sea level, with a 174 m drop to the lowest and grades up to 1:6.13. The lap runs from the pit straight up Mountain Straight, across the narrow mountain top, then down Conrod Straight through The Chase.
The track opened in March 1938 when the city of Bathurst sought a new venue for motorsport. Just weeks later, it hosted the first motorcycle race, followed shortly by the Australian Grand Prix.
The Wiradjuri called the mountain Wahluu, "to watch over", and used it as an initiation site for young men; a Dreamtime story tells of the warrior Wahluu, killed by his brother, whose body formed the mountain. Hell Corner takes its name from a tree stump once standing on the apex, which riders believed fatal to hit. Since late 2022 a campaign seeks to rename Mountain Straight after Ford driver Allan Moffat.
Visitors can drive the route in their own vehicle on days without racing, keeping to the speed limit of 60 kilometers per hour (37 mph). The road remains open to normal traffic, allowing travelers to experience the bends and slopes in both directions.
A motorsport museum stands right beside the track, displaying vehicles and equipment from Australian racing history. In 2023, the site was used for the World Athletics Cross Country Championships.
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