Mount Panorama’s wild west campsite transformed into family friendly affair
AN infamous campsite high on top of the mountain at Bathurst has transformed into a family friendly affair, leaving behind memories of wild partying but is the change political correctness or common sense?
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ASK Bathurst veterans about the infamous camp site at the top of the mountain and they will tell you of a transformation from the wild west into a family friendly affair.
But is the change the result of political correctness reaching the most unlikely of locations or is just a case of common sense prevailing?
According to Wendell Webber, a 21 year Bathurst veteran, the changes have made the event more friendly for females and children, which is good for the sport.
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“They used to be animals up there,” he told The Daily Telegraph.
“If you were a woman there is no way you would walk up there. You would be bombarded with harassment. And that doesn’t even mention the damage.
“People would bring their own three-seater couches and by the end of the weekend they would set them on fire right in the campsite.
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“They have cleaned it up a lot in recent years and now when you’re up the top of Mount Panorama there are families everywhere.”
Having camped on top of the mountain for more than two decades, Brett Fuller has also seen the transformation first hand.
“We have been in this lot for 25 years and in the old days it was pretty wild,” he said.
“The road behind us used to the burnout strip and there was always flaming toilet rolls. It was mayhem.”
Mr Fuller said the wild antics continued until police were forced to act.
“The last year before the police compound came, I think they burnt like 60 odd cars in five days,” he said.
“A lot of the locals were the ones that would come up and do it, sure the guys here got involved, but think it was an excuse for the locals to get away with dumb shit.
“Once they started policing it got cleaned up. We always knew it would change.”
The Bathurst veteran who travels from Adelaide every year for the race said saying goodbye to the madness is ultimately better for motorsport.
“It’s much more family orientated, which means you can bring them when they are young. The kids are the future of the sport,” he said.
Even though the event has cleaned up, it doesn’t mean the top of the mountain has lost all the character that made it so great.
A quick stroll along the popular camping location shows dozens of men and women packed into campsites, drinking beers and blasting ACDC through large speakers.
“The old days might be gone, but it’s still the best weekend for Australian racing fans,” said Mr Fuller.
Journalist Matthew Dunn is on Facebook and Twitter.
Originally published as Mount Panorama’s wild west campsite transformed into family friendly affair