Work is currently underway on the complex levels of the track, which will ensure it is up to the high standards set by the International Association of Athletics Federation.

Once it is complete, precision line marking will also be carried out so that times will be able to be ratified by the sport’s governing body.

It is a move that it is hoped will attract some major athletics meetings to the city.

“You can see the professionalism of the workers here. One of the guys has been responsible for 49 per cent of the tracks across the nation so he is considered the guru of athletics tracks,” Dubbo Mayor Mathew Dickerson said.

“The intricate details and the layers that have to go down are incredible. You have the base layer, then a two part epoxy, another epoxy and then the final layer of rubber and it comes together to make a truly world class track.

“This track is considered to be at the same level as tracks that host the Olympics.”

The mayor is confident Barden Park will become an integral part of the city’s sporting fabric.

“I don’t think the people of Dubbo quite realise what we have here yet but they will when we start getting events. We have a 600 seat grandstand plus the mounds for crowds at bigger events,” he said.

“To be able to get major events, we needed to include things that may not be used all that often. Pole vault and steeplechase for example won’t be used by the Dubbo Athletics Club but for national standard meets, that’s what you need to have.

“Now we can host national, state, country championships and any of those big events.”

One of the first events that will take place when the track is officially opened will be a 4x100 relay between representatives from all three levels of government.

Cr Dickerson has proposed a race that would involve four councillors taking on state MP for Dubbo Troy Grant and three of his colleagues, and federal MP for Parkes Mark Coulton.

“This facility is a collaboration between three levels of government, which I think is a great thing. It would be great to see a race between the three and council will be holding selection trials soon,” he joked.