The federal environment minister has stepped in at the last minute to stop construction of a contentious go-kart track at Mount Panorama in Bathurst.
Sussan Ley made an emergency protection declaration on Friday, three days before construction was due to begin at the famous motor racing site in regional NSW.
The declaration, made under the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act, will pause construction of the track for 30 days to prevent the injury or desecration of an Indigenous site.
The Wiradyuri Traditional Owners Central West Aboriginal Corporation in 2019 lodged a protection application over concerns a sacred women's site and endangered would be destroyed.
"Having now received reports from the department, including those submissions received recently from traditional owners, l would like to meet with the parties involved," Ms Ley said in a statement.
"I will travel to Bathurst next Friday before reviewing the issues further to determine whether a declaration with longer effect should be made under section 10 of the Act."
The Corporation has been fighting the development since 2016, public officer Yanhadarrambal Jade told AAP.
"It went from a basic hobby track to an international standard monstrosity of a thing - an asphalt jungle with massive earthworks required," he said.
"We're not against the track. We just don't want it built on a sacred women's site."
Four local councillors also oppose the current location for the track, and last year launched an unsuccessful bid to overturn the council's approval.
Mr Jade said traditional owners are looking forward to showing Minister Ley the site.
"A person would only have to spend three seconds to realise the significance of this site. It is absolutely magical."
They hope a compromise can be reached, and the track built on another part of the mountain.
