Our Ghost Tracks.... Where are they?

[Beltane]

The Parramatta Trots would have more likely to been held at the old Granville Showground, which is now used as the site of the Sydney Speedway.

The site on which the Westmead Hospital was built on, used to be the old Westmead Speedway, which stopped racing around 1968.

[Race For Fun]

I thought that they resumed the Parramatta showground for the hospital at Westmead.
Found this photo in the "Remember When" thread post 73.
Where is Trish? I think she could answer this one.

[Messenger]

We are missing Trish, wishing you good health Trish

[Beltane]

My apologies for the wrong call. I had no idea that the track at Westmead was used for harness racing after the demise of the winter speedway there.

The old Westmead track was around 800 yards in length and as at the late 1960s had no lights and basic facilities.

[Race For Fun]

My apologies for the wrong call. I had no idea that the track at Westmead was used for harness racing after the demise of the winter speedway there.

The old Westmead track was around 800 yards in length and as at the late 1960s had no lights and basic facilities.

No apologies needed Steve. The years catch us out at times.

[Adaptor]

Looks like Colac (Vic) were racing in 1949 at the Colac Showgrounds
https://www.google.com.au/maps/place...51784ca8?hl=en

The stewards got a rap over the knuckles.
http://news.google.com/newspapers?ni...g=6013,5684087

Bill Shinn drove Black Betel to an Australian mile record in 1931 on the Colac Showgrounds track
http://www.harness.org.au/hra/annual...s_mileallp.htm

[lasse]

Saw Roseland Count win The Carousel final at Parramatta in 1973 driven by Eddie Sims.Granville Showgrounds were taken over by the Speedway although we tried sharing it as a training track for quite a few years.The running rail had to be taken down for the speedway and then put back for the horses to train through the week.That was never going to work!Still managed to train my first H.P.winner from Granville.Roseland Count pulled off one of the biggest plunges in S.A. when Eddie snuck him over there under Tom Mahar's name.Backed in 8's to evens.

[Adaptor]

Leongatha in Gippsland raced at the Leongatha Showgrounds
https://www.google.com/maps/place/38...0:0x0?hl=en-US

The St Patricks meeting on April 23, 1949 featured 6 races each with a purse of 35 pounds , with Ben Coram Snr (of Dan's Son and Miraculous fame) winning two with Clever June and Clever Jim.
The last race was the Farewell Handicap. Was that the last race ever at Leongatha?

[Amlin]

Looking closer at the Leongatha pic - excuse the red marks but I put them there to show where you can still faintly see the track. Around 15 years ago a strategic plan for the reserve suggested "removal of the trotting track" to aid with improving the surface quality and drainage of the oval/arena.


The heritage listed stand was built in around 1922 so obviously would have been used for the trots.


Leongatha were allocated meets during the 1950/1951 season but unsure without checking my books if they ran them. They seemed to have fizzled out somewhere around here after only a couple of seasons, maybe the club ran out of funds.

Nearby Korumburra held gymkhana's on a track around their Showgrounds and had their own Light Harness Club in the early 1970's. The odd hobby trainer still operated over their up until probably 10 years ago. Perhaps one of the best known trotting horsemen from the region was Wonthaggi based Maurie Hill, who later switched to racehorses and had the top jumper Venite.

The Leongatha track was smaller than the Melbourne Showgrounds at only 2 furlongs 127 and a bit yards. The oval now has very good quality lights on it for night footy - pity the track did not remain in full form as it could have been reused possibly.

I am planning to head across to their Historical Society/Museum to see what they might have on file.

I notice in 1949 a local horseman was given life by the TCB for his behaviour at a Leongatha race meeting. He could not give stewards a satisfactory explanation for his "condition" at the meeting. The great George Gath also drove at Leongatha.

[Amlin]

Bega is another venue in Southern NSW where trots were held at the Showgrounds until the early 1970's. They successfully ran exhibition races on the 400 metre track at the Bega Show there a couple of years ago and are seeking entries for races at the Bega Show this weekend.


Pictures show the track in 1966 and the most recent "show trots"