EXPERIENCE matters when it comes to having the perfect camp site on Mount Panorama, just ask the Executive Racing Team.
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Officials say this year’s Bathurst 1000 could result in the biggest ever crowd with more than 6000 individual camp sites booked by fans, the highest number in history, with more than 33,000 people expected to be staying on Mount Panorama.
The no vacancy sign went up on the iconic circuit a month ago and now the faithful have arrived.
The Executive Racing Team is a dedicated group of race fans who have made the pilgrimage to the Mount for decades and they say this round is the best one in the Superscars Championship.
Alan Butler is the leader of the group and he has travelled from Murrumbateman in the Southern Tablelands to Bathurst for the race forthe past 18 years.
“This [group] started in 1971, it was just a group of campers who had their individual sites and we just got them all together,” he said.
Mr Butler said years of experience have made the difference to the group’s camp site which this year will be home to 35 people for a week.
The group is spread out across multiple camp sites and they not only have individual tents to sleep in, but they also have a huge marquee filled with dining tables, a large screen television and then a separate kitchen with two full-size gas stoves, a pantry full of food, running hot water and, of course, a kitchen sink.
They also have their own shower and toilet facilities.
While another camping group, called McPhillamy Lodge, also has members who have been travelling to Bathurst for the Great Race for years.
Peter ‘Bluey’ Sanderson and Darren Symonds are among the group and they arrived on Tuesday after their drive from Seymour in Victoria.
So prepared is the group from their years of camping on the Mount that they have their own branded jackets, shirts, hats and stubby holders.
They even have the same merchandise available in blue for Ford and red for Holden, while the men joke that they should have a beige colour version “for the Nissan fans”.
This year marks the 27th time Mr Sanderson has been to the Great Race, while for Mr Symonds it is a little longer at 30 years.
“We’ve got 35 people in our group, they’re from Sydney, Queensland, Darwin and Geelong,” Mr Symonds said.
“This is my 30th year, this is by far the best campground.
The duo arrived at the track in attention-grabbing style aboard a 1947 Commer Commando coach.
“The body type is original, it was built for the RAF [Royal Air Force] in England to take the guys from the hangers to the planes,” Mr Symonds said.
Linda Fury is a fellow camper at the McPhillamy Lodge site and 2018 will mark her 19th consecutive year of attending the Bathurst 1000.
This is my 30th year, this is by far the best campground.
- Race fan Darren Symonds
Nadine Morton
Nadine Morton covers emergency services and breaking news for the Illawarra Mercury. She takes pride in regional journalism which she believes is crucial to informing our towns and cities. Have a story? Email her at nadine.morton@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Nadine Morton covers emergency services and breaking news for the Illawarra Mercury. She takes pride in regional journalism which she believes is crucial to informing our towns and cities. Have a story? Email her at nadine.morton@austcommunitymedia.com.au
