Bathurst parking on race day?

Redm · 25-09-2017, 10:42 AM

Ok… the wife and I are heading to Bathurst this year.

I’m trying to work out the parking opportunities in close proximity to the track. We will be driving in from Cowra and then driving to Katoomba after the race.
Does anyone have any advice they can give me?

We are on a road trip from WA to the east coast and back and only have the 1 day at Bathurst.

Any advice will be appreciated.

buggo · 25-09-2017, 10:59 AM

There's a giant paddock at the track for parking. Advice is get in as early as you can. Getting out is gunna take ages, but that's just how it is

**Jastel** · 25-09-2017, 07:20 PM

The queue for parking starts in central Bathurst usually.
Wouldnt be cheap either.
Park in town and catch the bus...they get their own lanes.

Redm · 25-09-2017, 07:24 PM

Thanks buggo, may leave early to avoid the crowds if parking at the track.

Is there much parking in town Jastel?

GT450 · 25-09-2017, 09:26 PM

You should be fine if you get there early enough. At least now you park and get a ticket ( if you don't already have one ) unlike the old days where they held you in your car at the gate whilst they checked. I have been doing Bathurst every year since 1976 and it's the first time I have heard of buses to the track, not saying doesn't happen but I have never seen it.Gt450

**Jastel** · 25-09-2017, 10:05 PM

I did the tent city last year...and going again this year...they drove all around town picking up at set points.

I guess you park at where you stay...if you are driving in you will have to take your chances...I am not from Bathurst so dont know much more.

But as I was riding the bus the lines of cars looking for parks was huuge.

Redm · 26-09-2017, 07:43 AM

Thanks fellas.
We probably will get there around 8am so maybe ok at the track.
Guess we'll find out soon enough, heading east on Friday.

Rob 351 · 26-09-2017, 08:13 AM

8am on the Sunday the lineup will be huge. They start rolling in from 4-5 am on Raceday.

TER2BO · 26-09-2017, 08:44 AM

There is a car park at the corner of Pit straight/Mountain straight.

I had no trouble at all getting a park within 100m of the track at 8.00am.on Sat.& Sun. If you want the best seats need to be early.
Regular buses to top of mountain if you don't want to stay down the bottom.
Makes for a quick getaway - watch the finish in Pit straight-run to the car -and on the road before most.

**FoxtrotGolfXray 5.0** · 26-09-2017, 10:59 AM

I've been to two Bathursts and my experience is that there really is not too many problems getting in to the main car park off Panorama Avenue in the mornings. Panorama Avenue is split into a number of lanes, depending on where you are going, and there are typically a number of lanes entering the car park, so it generally flows pretty smoothly.

We've parked before any racing starts tho, so it may bit a bit worse later in the day.

Departure is another issue! Especially on the Sunday. We depart via the Hinton Road/ Boundary Road exit as we stay in Cowra Sunday night. It can take anywhere up to two hours to get to the Mid Western highway intersection, even with police directing traffic. And that is taking our time to get to the car to allow some of the traffic to disperse before we leave. Not sure what it is like exiting onto Panorama Avenue though.

Hope that helps.

Trevor 57 · 26-09-2017, 11:53 AM

get a cab

Mercury Bullet · 26-09-2017, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redm

Thanks fellas.
We probably will get there around 8am so maybe ok at the track.
Guess we'll find out soon enough, heading east on Friday.

Enjoy the drive mate, Gero to Bathurst and back is a fair effort.

Taking the xr8 I presume?

Olbucko · 26-09-2017, 05:11 PM

Turn right at Hen & Chicken Rd, Evans Plains, about 2 km before The end of the mid western highway, follow to end at Perthville then turn left at Vale Rd, follow the road about 2 or 3 kms then left at Lloyds Rd, follow this Rd for about a km, it will bring you out at the roundabout at the bottom of the circuit.

When you leave get back to Vale Rd then head towards Perthville, turn left at Lagoon Rd to O'Connell, before you get to Perthville, then to Oberon, then take main road to Sydney from Oberon. This will bring you out at Hartley on the great Western highway about 30 kms west of Katoomba

These roads should be almost traffic and police free till you reach the great Western Highway.

Check it out on Google maps and miss all the traffic!

Redm · 26-09-2017, 09:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mercury Bullet

Enjoy the drive mate, Gero to Bathurst and back is a fair effort.

Taking the xr8 I presume?

Yes mate!! goin stir crazy at the moment can't wait.....

Quote:

Originally Posted by TER2BO

There is a car park at the corner of Pit straight/Mountain straight.

I had no trouble at all getting a park within 100m of the track at 8.00am.on Sat.& Sun. If you want the best seats need to be early.
Regular buses to top of mountain if you don't want to stay down the bottom.
Makes for a quick getaway - watch the finish in Pit straight-run to the car -and on the road before most.

Thanks TER2BO, good info

Quote:

Originally Posted by psychobimbo

I've been to two Bathursts and my experience is that there really is not too many problems getting in to the main car park off Panorama Avenue in the mornings. Panorama Avenue is split into a number of lanes, depending on where you are going, and there are typically a number of lanes entering the car park, so it generally flows pretty smoothly.

We've parked before any racing starts tho, so it may bit a bit worse later in the day.

Departure is another issue! Especially on the Sunday. We depart via the Hinton Road/ Boundary Road exit as we stay in Cowra Sunday night. It can take anywhere up to two hours to get to the Mid Western highway intersection, even with police directing traffic. And that is taking our time to get to the car to allow some of the traffic to disperse before we leave. Not sure what it is like exiting onto Panorama Avenue though.

Hope that helps.

Thanks psycho, we're headin the other way

Quote:

Originally Posted by Olbucko

Turn right at Hen & Chicken Rd, Evans Plains, about 2 km before The end of the mid western highway, follow to end at Perthville then turn left at Vale Rd, follow the road about 2 or 3 kms then left at Lloyds Rd, follow this Rd for about a km, it will bring you out at the roundabout at the bottom of the circuit.

When you leave get back to Vale Rd then head towards Perthville, turn left at Lagoon Rd to O'Connell, before you get to Perthville, then to Oberon, then take main road to Sydney from Oberon. This will bring you out at Hartley on the great Western highway about 30 kms west of Katoomba

These roads should be almost traffic and police free till you reach the great Western Highway.

Check it out on Google maps and miss all the traffic!

Great stuff Olbucko, definitely check it out.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lever T

get a cab

prob cost a bit from where I live.

Redm · 26-09-2017, 10:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Olbucko

then take main road to Sydney from Oberon. This will bring you out at Hartley on the great Western highway about 30 kms west of Katoomba

Hey Olbucko, been checkin it out, is that the Duckmaloi \ Jenolan Caves Rd when you leave Oberon?

Olbucko · 26-09-2017, 10:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redm

Hey Olbucko, been checkin it out, is that the Duckmaloi \ Jenolan Caves Rd when you leave Oberon?

Sure is, Oberon to Hartley via Hampton will take about 40 minutes, keep an eye out for the roos and wombats. a lot out there at the moment.

Olbucko · 27-09-2017, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Olbucko

Sure is, Oberon to Hartley via Hampton will take about 40 minutes, keep an eye out for the roos and wombats. a lot out there at the moment.

Just wanted to add that all these road are sealed and suitable for all vehicles, the only road I don't know about is Hen & Chicken Lane connecting The Mid Western Highway to Perthville.

The only place on this route where food or petrol is available in the evening is Oberon

Another alternative to consider when going to Katoomba which is a little shorter, is to turn left into Mutton Falls Rd 100 metres past O'Connell pub, follow this road about 20 km till you pass Tarana pub, then it turns into Sodwalls rd. keep going another 25 km till you get to the Great Western Highway about 5 km east of Lithgow.

Trevor 57 · 27-09-2017, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redm

prob cost a bit from where I live.

I did mean park in Bathurst and get a cab, I didn't think I need to expand but obviously I did

Redm · 27-09-2017, 07:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lever T

I did mean park in Bathurst and get a cab, I didn't think I need to expand but obviously I did

I sorta figured, just havin some fun

More seriously, is there much parking in town?

Redm · 27-09-2017, 07:19 PM

Thanks for the tips Olbucko, will check it out

**FTE217** · 27-09-2017, 08:09 PM

yer plenty parking in town.
Anyway where ever you need to go you'd park 1 block away at worst.
Listen to ol bucko, nice run through to Cowra and love it to Jenolan Caves but after that I head across to Lithgow down Bells Line of Road back down to Sydney, more enjoyable drive.

Redm · 27-09-2017, 08:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FTE217

yer plenty parking in town.
Anyway where ever you need to go you'd park 1 block away at worst.
Listen to ol bucko, nice run through to Cowra and love it to Jenolan Caves but after that I head across to Lithgow down Bells Line of Road back down to Sydney, more enjoyable drive.

Thanks for all the local tips fellas, obviously not being from this part of the country your input is great.

I was thinking about parking in town and it seems that could be an option, not sure about a quick getaway though...

BENT_8 · 27-09-2017, 09:49 PM

When we went last in 04 we parked in a paddock half way up Barry Gurdon Dr adjacent to mountain straight and jumped on a bus to the top then walked between McPhillamy Pk and the tower at Skyline.

On another note, when is the track closed to public, I'm returning from Sydney next Tuesday and wanted to have a look around if that's possible at that stage of the week.

Olbucko · 27-09-2017, 10:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redm

Thanks for all the local tips fellas, obviously not being from this part of the country your input is great.

I was thinking about parking in town and it seems that could be an option, not sure about a quick getaway though...

Look into parking in Lloyds Rd, 5 mins walk to track, and traffic free exit down the back roads after the race

Redm · 09-10-2017, 06:56 AM

We ended up parking along Lloyds Rd, plenty of people parking there as well around 10 am. 10 - 15 minute walk to the main gate at pit straight. As we left early, exited via Vale Rd and took the Great Western Hwy to Katoomba. Traffic at that time 4pm was moderate.

Thanks for all the tips fellas, it made it much easier.