Speedway super slueths

[Rosco86]

Half way between Chiltern and Barnawartha (25k from Albury/Wodonga) is a nice little speedway track with light towers , toilet block etc slowly decaying. Local gent tells me it operated up to the 90 early 00s and was used by an ex rider to tutor young European riders when out here escaping their winter. Does anyone know it's history or who the owner was?
Rosco86

[Berwick Boy]

Sounds very interesting ... did you drive past, Rosco?  Your notes conjure up possibility of quite a story 

[steve234]

Doesn't look to flash these days Rosco.

[Rosco86]

Now living in Albury and came across it on a drive. When I heard the history of what a Chiltern local knew I was just interested to see if I could find the "who". Not heard of too many tutors in speedway. Checked the web pages that talk of all the closed speedways and there was nothing there as it probably was never used for a race meeting. Thought Rick Wason may know something about it as Wangaratta isn't too far away. Just took my fancy. Always wondering about what happens to the old tracks. Walked Seymours Granite Park raceway a couple of years back, totally decayed but not impossible to resurrect but the interest in dirt track looks quite dead in Vic. Remember riding at a beaut little speedway somewhere behind "Gumbuya Park" between Pakenham and Warragul), oil based track the Hartwell club I think leased for the day and had mx and slider races for the day. Berwick Boy do you know of it? ( the Drouin speedway was a different track)

[Berwick Boy]

No, Rosco ... know nothing about Gumbuya.  (Sadly - I know nothing about speedway and track at all!)
I walked a bit of Pakenham Upper MX track five years ago.  Portburys live on it now.  It's amazing how many
small trees have grown up through the track.  You couldn't ride through them.

I think there are heaps of trees on Wallan MX track too, as seen from photos of Les Barfoot and Rosco Holden
about three years ago.

I wonder what sits on or in the crater bowl that was Bairnsdale track?

PS:  Love the aerial shot, Steve 234!!   

PPS:  It's 'Sleuth' .... Rosco you school principal!

[jimg1au]

wouldnt supprise me if it was blue boy the bees no1 rider he was looking after a lot of speedway riders in the 80s

[Rosco86]

Spoke with Nigel a few years back as his son in law built the fences for my house in the Redlands (brisbane) he gave me the impression he had resided in Cleveland for quite a while. Amazed brother Eric got an MBE but he didn't (perhaps because of relocating to the colonies). Quite a few legends in the Redlands with Bert Kingston still going strong and John Titmans business going from strength to strength. RIP (only recently)the Blue Boy a true icon of speedway. Spoke with Ray Owen a few months back at the Kanungra Show and Shine. Still a card and many interesting bikes in the shed.
Rosco86.

[Hoony]

the track near Gumbuya park would have to be the old Garfield speedway.


it was used for TQ's and midgets in the 70's as i used to work with a bloke that drove a TQ in those days.

[jimg1au]

rosco
i have known nigel for a long time our paths have crossed several times.he used to live in the easten sub of sydney.visited there a few times
kwicksnack was a sponcer at one time.
went a few times with aussie dumbrell a ex speedway rider from the 50s 60s he new nigel well
jim