Bathurst Showground receives safety upgrade amid continual Crown land support
Bathurst Showground has completed major safety work to upgrade its road network, fix ageing water systems, replace doors on a shearing shed and other projects with a $167,000 grant from the NSW Government.
The project, funded via Crown Lands and its Crown Reserves Improvement Fund (CRIF), included extensive repairs to sections of the venue’s road complex. The new, improved road network will allow vehicles, pedestrians, people in wheelchairs and parents with strollers to easily access the showground, boosting accessibility, comfort and safety for patrons enjoying a day out.
Deteriorated galvanised pipes were replaced to ensure reliability of the showground’s water systems. Protective paint has been applied to wooden seating areas between the Sinclair and Don Leitch Pavilions (Sheep Pavilions), the adjoining Stewards room, and the skillion between sheep pavilions and the interior of the Cec English Pavilion. Roller shutter doors were replaced on a shearing shed to allow the space to host events. The grant also helped the showground upgrade its Conservation Management Plan, to allow better conservation of the site’s important heritage items.
More than $1 million in grants have now been provided from the Crown Reserves Improvement Fund since 2021 to maintain and restore the historic showground.
Other work funded by CRIF has included restoration of the 72-year-old Ern Prior Pavilion, which was constructed in 1952 reflecting the era's quaint, regional character. The unassuming shed was dismantled and then reassembled with a new steel frame to keep its heritage character while ensuring it can withstand the ravages of time. Public access to the building was closed in 2020 after the pavilion was deemed structurally unsound, but the pavilion will now reopen in December.
In the latest CRIF funding round announced earlier this year, $483,082 was allocated to upgrade kitchen and dining facilities under the Noel Moxon Grandstand, which was constructed in 1892. The kitchen renovation includes removing asbestos from the interior, construction of approved food grade wall and floor surfaces, and installation of new compliant kitchen equipment, an exhaust extraction system and grease trap. The dining room will be refloored and walls restored where possible to original materials. Work has begun, with the project due to finish by the end of March 2025, just in time for the 2025 Royal Bathurst Show.
Bathurst Showground is a beloved part of the Central Tablelands community. The showground is State Heritage listed, with visitors able to step into the past and marvel at the site’s historic buildings, that date back as far as the Howard Pavilion, which was constructed in 1878. The showground’s annual show is a hugely popular event, attracting an average of 30,000 people. The showground is also an attractive location for campers to enjoy Bathurst and its surrounding areas.
The Crown Reserves Improvement Fund supports Crown land managers by providing funding for repairs, maintenance and improvements to Crown reserves to benefit communities, boost local economies and contribute to the cultural, sporting and recreational life of NSW.
Bathurst Showground Land Manager Secretary Tracey Seaman said:
“Thanks to the Crown Reserves Improvement Fund, Bathurst Showground has been able to plan conservation management of the site well into the future and complete other critical safety works, which will ensure visitors can easily access everything our venue has to offer.
“Extensive work at the showground has either been completed, is underway, or is about to commence. This is great news for our community, which relies on showgrounds like ours as a central meeting place for people to come together and celebrate our rural identity.”
Minister for Lands and Property Steve Kamper said:
“The NSW Government is focused on building better communities, and our significant financial investment of more than $1 million since 2021 to restore historic Bathurst Showground underscores our commitment to maintaining important community assets.
“The NSW Government’s statewide investments in Crown reserves help ensure they can continue to serve their communities for many years to come.”