TRAIN
TO
TRACK
Experience the Bathurst 1000 in style aboard a 1960s vintage train.
WORDS Simon Webster
It’s not called ‘the Great Race’ for nothing. Every October, 200,000 people gather at Mount Panorama (Wahluu), overlooking the Central Tablelands of New South Wales, to experience the Bathurst (Wahluu) 1000 – the pinnacle of the Australian Supercars Championship. For some, it’s an annual pilgrimage; for others, a bucket-list trip. Fans travel there in their beloved Fords or Holdens, utes, sports cars, motor homes and bikes. They share coach journeys, catch fast trains, or even faster aeroplanes. And one lucky group will get there in style on a four-day, three-night journey that combines vintage rail travel with the thrill of one of the most famous motorsports races in the world.
The Bathurst Race ‘N Rail package by Vintage Rail Journeys takes place aboard the restored Aurora Australis train. In a previous life (1962 – 1986), it was the Southern Aurora, offering a luxury overnight intercity service between Sydney (Warrane) and Melbourne (Naarm). But recently it has been taking passengers from Sydney to the Bathurst 1000. This year, motorsports enthusiasts will be making the journey on October 10 – 13. After each adrenaline-fuelled day on the mountain, guests will return to the train to enjoy a dinner showcasing fine NSW regional produce (such as Cowra lamb, Gilgandra chicken and Borenore strawberries), plus regional wines and other drinks – all included. They’ll then spend the night in their heritage cabin (single or twin), perhaps dreaming of roaring engines and hairpin bends.
BECOMING ‘THE GREAT RACE’
It’s hard to imagine the Bathurst 1000 taking place anywhere other than on Mount Panorama. For most of the year the famous 6.213km, 23-turn track is a public road with a 60kmh speed limit. But on race weekend, its tight corners are tackled with breathtaking precision, and its long straights allow drivers to hit speeds nudging 300kmh over a punishing 161 laps.
However, the first edition of what would become ‘the Great Race’ took place almost 1,000km to the south, on Phillip Island (Millowl), Victoria, in 1960, sponsored by shock absorber manufacturer Armstrong. Three years later – after the 500-mile race for standard production cars had damaged the track so much that a new venue had to be found – it headed to its current home. The 1963 Armstrong 500 at Bathurst had 57 starters and was won by Harry Firth and Bob Jane, driving a Ford Cortina GT. The Mount Panorama track, with its dramatic layout including hair-raising cliff edges, was something special, and the event quickly captured motorsport fans’ imaginations. Car manufacturers Ford and Holden began developing high-performance vehicles to win the race, which was extended to 1,000km in 1973. And the cars gradually evolved, with 1993 heralding the adoption of the Australian V8 formula that would become V8 Supercars, with Holden Commodores and Ford Falcons going head-to-head. Now called simply ‘The Supercars Championship,’ the racing features Ford Mustangs and Chevrolet Camaros, carefully modified to ensure technical parity and competitive racing.
The Great Race’s 60-plus years have thrown up legends including the late ‘King of the Mountain,’ Peter Brock, a nine-time winner, and Craig Lowndes, whose seven victories include the unforgettable 2006 event, in which he claimed the inaugural Peter Brock Trophy, just a few weeks after his mentor’s tragic death in a rally in Western Australia.
Other champion drivers include Jim Richards (seven wins), Larry Perkins, and Mark Skaife (six each). And what of the Holden versus Ford rivalry? When the Red Lion (Holden) bowed out in 2022, it had 36 wins to the Blue Oval’s (Ford’s) 21.
MORE THAN A RACE
All this information could come in handy on day one of your tour. After boarding at Sydney Central with a welcome drink, and heading west on the Aurora Australis, guests can relax in their cabins or the lounge carriage, before being served lunch on board, followed by an afternoon Bathurst 1000 trivia quiz (hot tip: if the quiz master asks for the race record, it’s five hours, 58 minutes and 3.0649 seconds, set by Brodie Kostecki and Todd Hazelwood in 2024).
It's a great chance to have a belly laugh, bond with your fellow passengers, and discover just how much of a V8 fan you really are.
After breakfast on board the next day, you’ll get a quick bus transfer to the track and your reserved grandstand seats for spectacular views of the action, plus the chance to wander around the site and soak up Bathurst’s colour and atmosphere.
Days two and three are spent at the race, revelling in the sights (cars duelling and pit crews scrambling), sounds (V8s roaring and tyres squealing) and smells (burning rubber and race fuel), followed by dinner on board the train and perhaps an hour or two reliving the race highlights over a drink. There’s nothing else quite like it. Breakfasts on board are also included (lunches at the racetrack are at your own expense), and on day four, after the winner has been crowned, the Aurora Australis will take you back to Sydney. It won’t be at 300kmh, but who’s in a hurry, anyway? There will be lots to talk about on the journey home.
THE DETAILS
TOUR
Bathurst Race’N Rail is a four-day, three-night experience taking in the Repco Bathurst 1000 Supercars race on the famous Mount Panorama circuit, including travel and accommodation aboard the renovated 1960s train, Aurora Australis. Departing Friday, October 10, and returning Monday, October 13, 2025, the tour includes three nights’ accommodation aboard the train, reserved grandstand seats at the Bathurst 1000, bus transfers from Bathurst train station to the racetrack, as well as three dinners, three breakfasts and drinks on board. Prices start at $4,945 per person in a heritage single cabin or $4,995 per person in a heritage double cabin.