Gold, beer and Cobb & Co at the Supercars Bathurst 1000
How did the Supercars Bathurst 1000 get to where it is today?
It is a contest of endurance, skill and prestige. This weekend's Supercars Bathurst 1000 promises to deliver another weekend of high-octane racing to keep motor racing fans blood pumping.
But did you know the small town of 40,000 has a rich history of discoveries and landmarks outside of motor racing?
Cheers to Bathurst, BEFORE the Supercars Bathurst 1000
Us Aussies love a cold beer, and you can thank Bathurst for laying the foundation for our own home grown drops (the best in the world, depending on who you ask).
The first hops in Australia were grown here and led to the establishment of the Bathurst Brewery, a critical starting point for the domestic beer market which now thrives.
Australia's first grapes were also grown here, but they were too bitter for making wine that suited that English palate at the time.
Medical breakthrough
For the unlucky Supercars Bathurst 1000 few that crash out on the mountain, a trip to the hospital for scans is usually par for the course.
But did you know that Australia's first ever medical x-ray was conducted by Father James Slattery at St Stanislaus College in Bathurst way back in 1896? It was used at the time to detect gunshot lodged in the hand of a student.
There be gold in those hills
Australia has had many gold rushes, but the very first was right here in Bathurst well before any V8 started running around the Supercars Bathurst 1000.
James McBrien made our country's first gold discovery in the region back in 1823. The first payable gold was discovered in 1851 and the largest piece of reef gold in Australia was found in the area in 1872.
Those discoveries paved the way for Bathurst to become Australia's first gold centre.
Pre-engine racing excellence
Long before a V8 Supercars Bathurst 1000 ever tore around the streets of Bathurst, the region was already producing winners.
Two Melbourne Cup racers were bred and trained in the region, Barb in 1866 and Merriwee in 1899.
Iconic delivery service
Before the Supercars Bathurst 1000 and, indeed, before there were even cars in the region, Bathurst was home to Australia's most iconic delivery and transport company - Cobb & Co.
We are talking real horsepower here, with powerful animals drawing stagecoaches through the region. While the company would go on to become a national icon, it was initially formed in Bathurst to help transport people and goods to the goldfields.
About the Author Grant
Grant is an elite sporting enthusiast. His knowledge stems from the fact that he 'could have' played at the top level in no less than 5 sports, including 2 that he has never played but assures us he would have dominated. His primary loves are the AFL and Horse Racing, and to this day he insists that his lunchtime pack-mark in Year 9 remains the greatest of all time. Beyond the Dreamtime stories and the 'shoulda', 'coulda' sporting legends claims, one thing that remains true is Grant's keen eye for analysis and his stable of reliable contacts that see him deliver consistent and accurate information on many sports and our four-legged friends.