Author Topic: Wallan Motocross track ... RIP  (Read 20736 times)

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Doggy Digger

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Wallan Motocross track ... RIP
« on: December 01, 2010, 09:35:22 AM »
   Dave Hammond (that lunatic vintage racer and vinduro YZ100 punter) was talking to Darren Conroy at Castella vinduro
BBQ/offroad bike registration (up at Juzva's place in hills of Vic last week).

   Darren told Dave how to find the infamous old Wallan venue.   I got a text from Dave on this Monday at 4.30 pm: "I'm on the main straight of Wallan!"

   He later told me on phone that the track still exists in its entirety.   He could see parts of it.   The whoops and tyres are all still there.   The only difference
at all, Dave says, is that 'nature has taken over'.   He said there were fully grown trees growing in parts of the track.   He estimates the last meeting
was held circa 1978. (32 years).   He believes that a new neighbour's complaints at the time is what shut the venue down.   (Rather than the usual story ... of encroaching
suburbs or new dams being built.)

   The only apparent man-made intervention is the storage of a few old Melbourne trams on the property (now fully decayed and rotting away).   
Dave says one is actually sat on main straight.

   I think it's somehow sad or poignant that Vic's most famous track still exists ... out there alone and neglected.

Photo sequence is from Melb newspaper, reporting on 1971 International series with Ivan Miller, the Owen brothers and a returning Gary Flood.

   Footnote:  Miller was so fast, he was out front and showing off on his Husky 400.   Pulling cross-ups like we kids had never seen in our lives.  After that
day, at school we started calling cross-ups "Millers" instead.   Man, that guy could ride!!!!



« Last Edit: December 01, 2010, 09:49:29 AM by Doggy Digger »

Offline GMC

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Re: Wallan Motocross track ... RIP
« Reply #1 on: December 01, 2010, 10:24:00 AM »
Track is in here somewhere
I can remember the layout but I'm damned if I can pick it.



Standing on the top of the drop off



Main Straight



Buried tyres are still there



And the tower

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Offline Drakie

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Re: Wallan Motocross track ... RIP
« Reply #2 on: December 01, 2010, 10:35:25 AM »
Wow, it lives! I thought it had been bulldozed. So many memories; watching Bert Flood loop it continuously on the main straight jump every lap: Garry on the Husky 400 just back from the UK leaving all for dead with one shock hanging off the bike, Neil Edney dumping a bucket of cold water on a sleeping Winston Wyatt in the pits; being in awe of all the internationals and thinking any little CZ mod was trick (Trevor raced them STOCK!), Randy Owen on his own CZ, Keith Stacker jumping the starts and later waving Jack Pengelly on with a stick, etc. Love the Flood/CZ crash; oh for a good quality pics!

Offline GMC

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Re: Wallan Motocross track ... RIP
« Reply #3 on: December 01, 2010, 10:42:36 AM »
And some of Daves photo's from the day...
I think 75 0r 76



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Offline matcho mick

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Re: Wallan Motocross track ... RIP
« Reply #4 on: December 01, 2010, 11:58:29 AM »

   Dave Hammond (that lunatic vintage racer and vinduro YZ100 punter) was talking to Darren Conroy at Castella vinduro
BBQ/offroad bike registration (up at Juzva's place in hills of Vic last week).

 vinduro YZ100 8),please explain  ;D, :P   
work,the curse of the racing class!!
if a hammer dosn't fix it,you have a electrical problem!!

Doggy Digger

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Re: Wallan Motocross track ... RIP
« Reply #5 on: December 01, 2010, 12:10:01 PM »
(About Trevor Flood crash photos)
"Interesting! I’d say this is from the 1971 International event and maybe the first time Trevor
rode the Musset CZ, Karl Morlang & I were on CZ also. He did break his femur but I’m not certain it was in this crash.
I remember Gary turning up from the UK with “permed” curly hair and was a clone of Miller!"
                                                                                                       - Bernie RYAN #9

Doggy Digger

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Re: Wallan Motocross track ... RIP
« Reply #6 on: December 01, 2010, 12:19:08 PM »
   Matcho Mick ... Dave Hammond was an A-grader in Vic.   He rode coupla Mr Motocross rounds in early 1980s and
was a professional mechanic in USA in latter 1980s.
   While racing VMX on Maicos, he is also obsessed with nerdy Yamahas.   Has an obscure collection - DT125, DT360.   Latest love is the YZ-100 ... which
has a headlight and gets vinduro'ed this year (go figure).   He took the DT125 all the way to Raymond Terrace CD5 (instead of a Maico).   Again, go figure.
His never-realised true calling would be as a professional standup comedian.   Luckily, we have him to ourselves  :-)

Thanks GMC ... for posting Dave's trackside photos taken on Monday.   The track must have been pounded into granite, as it appears
to have bare-patched spots from grass, some three decades later.
« Last Edit: December 01, 2010, 12:24:46 PM by Doggy Digger »

Offline POM

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Re: Wallan Motocross track ... RIP
« Reply #7 on: December 01, 2010, 12:36:15 PM »
Its not just in aus where tracks have been closed!check this utube link and have a look at whats left of my local track back in the uk.
This track was one of the alltime uk greats....in the same league as farliegh castle etc,it was maintained to a level of somebodys back garden.
It was of grand prix standard....actually the 91 125 grand prix was held there...fantastc track....gone but not forgotten or so it seems.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K94-0tQm6j4

Offline GOOF

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Re: Wallan Motocross track ... RIP
« Reply #8 on: December 01, 2010, 12:49:22 PM »
 Amazing stuff guys,  had the best memories grwing up around that place,  was too young & small to get on the track in the 70's  just used to watch in awe.  new every paddock & trail track in the area, even had a spot at Ray Owens house for lunch with Mrs Owen & there daughters !      Best motocross i can remember....

Offline GMC

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Re: Wallan Motocross track ... RIP
« Reply #9 on: December 01, 2010, 01:16:13 PM »
vinduro YZ100 8),please explain  ;D, :P   



Funny thing is, he thought it was a 125 when he bought it. We were having trouble working out why some parts were different to what a 125D should be,
Then he looked at the writing on the barrel :o


he took his "big bore" to Castella,
an IT 125
G.M.C.  Bringing the past into the future

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www.geoffmorrisconcepts.com

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Offline GMC

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Re: Wallan Motocross track ... RIP
« Reply #10 on: December 01, 2010, 01:21:37 PM »
I remember Ray Owen talking about the drama's with the track.
I htink it was a cashed up local farmer that claimed the noise was upsetting his milking cows and they both spent quite a bit in the courts, with the farmer eventually winning. Ironically Boagys cows were never bothered by the noise.

Ray did put up a good fight to keep the track but I guess it just got too hard / expensive.
G.M.C.  Bringing the past into the future

Shock horror, its here at last...
www.geoffmorrisconcepts.com

For the latest in GMC news...
http://www.geoffmorrisconcepts.com/8/news/

Offline jerry

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Re: Wallan Motocross track ... RIP
« Reply #11 on: December 01, 2010, 06:43:33 PM »
Great memories of that place. I remember riding with Rays dad Terry. Cheers Jerry

Offline jerry

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Re: Wallan Motocross track ... RIP
« Reply #12 on: December 01, 2010, 06:47:38 PM »
Geoff do you have the Google co-ordinates for the photo? Jerry

Offline matcho mick

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Re: Wallan Motocross track ... RIP
« Reply #13 on: December 01, 2010, 10:50:16 PM »
aha!,i'm putting lights on my YZ100 8), :P
work,the curse of the racing class!!
if a hammer dosn't fix it,you have a electrical problem!!

Offline jerry

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Re: Wallan Motocross track ... RIP
« Reply #14 on: December 02, 2010, 08:55:29 AM »
Geoff and I had some communal Google scanning this morning and we think we have sussed out where the start line was. As best we can remember the "tower" was on your right if you were on the start line. Can anybody verify this please? Cheers Jerry