Melbourne trotting tracks

[BABY PRONTO]

My great uncle mick (micheal) boland drove at Richmond trots (ascot) I have a few surviving Photos of my grandfather Edward (teddy) boland driving winners at these tracks can anyone
Tell me exactly where they were . Also in the 60s and early 70s my mum and dad would take me to trials or gymkhanas at heatherton or dingley where Bruce Skeggs would call or sometimes Ray benson
Does anyone remember these I am nearly 60

[Messenger]

Welcome Peter, there are a few posters on here like Amlin (Kyle) and Adaptor (Noel) who will be able to help you next time they call in. In the meantime I am pretty sure there were some mentions in this thread

http://www.harnessracingforum.com/showthread.php?7292-Our-Ghost-Tracks....-Where-are-they&highlight=Ghost+tracks

[Adaptor]

Hi
The first Melbourne tacks were at Elsternwick, and Croxton Park ( Fitzroy). WF Cox had one at Kensington as well. There were others...see the Ghost Tracks link above
The Tracks that are mentioned by Peter : Richmond was on Bridge Rd Richmond , between Bridge Rd and the Wertheim sewing machine factory ( later to be the Channel 9 studio) and Ascot was opposite the gates of the Showgrounds,. Both were owned by John Wren, and used also for pony raciing.

[Amlin]

A few people still train at Southern Speedways in Oakleigh. This is perhaps the track you recall. The club set up here after they ran gymkhanas at Darkie Wilson's property at nearby Heatherton.

There are no longer horses trained at Gower Park in Preston but the track is still there opposite Northland shopping centre.

[arlington]

42 Myross Ave, Ascot Vale

https://www.realestate.com.au/news/historic-ascot-vale-harnessracing-stables-catch-developers-attention/

http://nationaltrotguide.com.au/the-land-that-time-forgot/

[Messenger]

Great stuff Wayne.
Be sure to click on the 2nd link for a fantastic article by Paul Courts
Sad how the first link so easily dismisses the heritage overlay:

"While there is a heritage overlay on both the home and stables, Mr Keogh said developers — who had shown the most interest in the property — could override this overlay with council, due to the home’s condition."

As we no longer race anywhere near there, there is no point in our industry attempting to save it as a museum, especially at the asking price (see below)

https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-ascot+vale-127856114

[Showgrounds]

Great stuff Wayne.
Be sure to click on the 2nd link for a fantastic article by Paul Courts
Sad how the first link so easily dismisses the heritage overlay:

"While there is a heritage overlay on both the home and stables, Mr Keogh said developers — who had shown the most interest in the property — could override this overlay with council, due to the home’s condition."

As we no longer race anywhere near there, there is no point in our industry attempting to save it as a museum, especially at the asking price (see below)

https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-ascot+vale-127856114

Spent much of my infancy in the Whisky Hill area and used to watch the horses working on the old Steadman's trotting track, the current-day golf course. There were many stables in the area including Jack Shelley's the opposite side of James Street, Farmer's on the corner of Nairn St, Danny Hoban and Peter Manning had stables beside the track on the river flats. Wonderful days.

I used to see Bill Davin a lot working horses on the Showgrounds and Steadmans. His stables were basically boarding stables for visiting horses. To go there after races at the Showgrounds was a hive at activity with country and interstate visitors over-nighting in their super-sized boxes. You could sink in the depth of straw in those boxes.

I visited he area a couple of months ago and most of the old landmarks have gone. Bill Davin's stables is the end of a great era.

[Messenger]

Old Ascot Vale stables Sold for $2.7m

http://www.harnesslink.com/Australia/Historic-harness-racing-stables-sold