A UNICORN and more than 400 other fantastic beasts have begun their migration from all corners of the country and will be on display at Mount Panorama this weekend.
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What is it that has triggered such a gathering? It is the 19th Falcon GT Nationals.
It is an event which Bathurst has hosted four times in the past. Initially they found a home at the Showground and most recently was it staged at Mount Panorama in 2013.
But this weekend is set to be the largest edition of the Falcon GT Nationals thus far with a host of special Fords - fantastic beasts - having entered.
There will be a concours on Saturday to showcase them in all their shining glory.
"It's an event which is held every two years and it travels around the country and put on by the host club in that particular state," Dave Di Rado, chairman of the nationals committee and head judge said.
"Because of COVID, the Queenslanders were trying to host it and had to pull the pin, so it's actually been four years since the last nationals instead of two.
"That's made the interest for this one exponentially increase. There's guys who were restoring vehicles hoping to get to that nationals and it didn't happen, so we're getting those plus a bunch of guys who have decided they've had more time to have a real crack at their car.
"We're sitting at about 427 entries. It's the largest nationals to date.
"Because it's Bathurst, it's Mecca so to speak, it's the hallowed ground which has created the legend of the GT Falcon, it's very special to have it there."
Amongst those 427 entries - close to 100 more than when the nationals were last staged in Bathurst - are some very rare Falcon GTs.
But one in particular stands out. It's a car known as 'The Unicorn'.
"We've got a one and only GT-HO Phase IV coming," Di Rado said.
"It's a Sydney car, the owner is a member of the Falcon GT Owners Club of New South Wales, so we're very proud to have this car coming and for people to actually see the thing.
"It's known as the unicorn because it's the only one, it's worth millions of dollars.
"We've also got the GT-F police car coming, it's a legit GT and a legit police car. The GT-HOs, we've got about 60 of those coming,
"We're going to have some Touring Cars there which haven't been seen, they haven't been seen at the museum up there or anything."
One of those Touring Cars includes the #888 Ford Falcon that Craig Lowndes and Jamie Whincup drove to victory in the 2006 Bathurst 1000. That year was the first time the Peter Brock Trophy was awarded.
Though each person will no doubt have a favourite Falcon GT, as Di Rado explains the owners all have the same passion.
They grew up not only watching Falcon GTs racing at Mount Panorama, but with them in their garages at home.
"For me, I came home from hospital in a two-door Falcon, an XY Falcon," he said.
"I've always had an XB GT hardtop in my life, probably from five-years-old, my baby photos are on one.
"A lot of people have the same story, it's something they grew up around. For a majority of the GT owners, the value of the cars has absolutely nothing to do with our attachment to the car, it's all about history or family."
This weekend, which will also celebrate the 50th birthday of the XB GT and 20th of the BA, features the concurs on Saturday from 9am to 5pm and supersprint on Sunday from 7am-5pm.
Entry is $5 and free for those aged under 14.
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