Simon Coleman from Coleman's Earthmoving said the majority of the track had been graded, with work still under way at the two ends.

He said care had been taken to preserve as much of the original track as possible.

"We ran a truck around it to see how it held up - some bits didn't had we had to pull up sections," he said.

Cement powder will be laid next week, with hotmix asphalt to follow.

"It will feel like a freeway," Mr Coleman said.

The inter-club triathlon will be the first event to run on February 16, followed by the Orange Runners Festival on March 7-8.

With the width of the track hoped to also cater for human-powered vehicle events, mayor Reg Kidd hoped to start a regional competition with a view to attracting state and national contests.

The project is being completed with the help of two state government grants and a federal grant.