history. share racing at red cliffs · 26th nov from 12 o’clock. if you would like to join in and...
TRANSCRIPT
November 2019 Please Take & Share
Racing at Red Cliffs
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Printed as a community service by
The Centenary committee are looking for any old Red Cliffs movie footage with a plan to copy it for preservation and create a wonderful visual record of our settlement history. Remarkably we do have footage of the opening of the pumps in 1921. It is black & white and somewhat boring but add to it your home footage of the 1950’s and 60’s, the ballet production, the TQ races, a parade, the return of Big Lizzie, some music and commentary and we will have a winner. Produced by Red Cliffs & District Historical Society
Editors: Chris Cook, Matt Cook, Helen Petschel PO Box 574 Red Cliffs 3496 [email protected] redcliffshistory.wordpress.com
Red Cliffs Centenary 2021
The next meeting will be our Christmas lunch together at the Club on Tuesday
26th Nov from 12 o’clock. If you would like to join in and celebrate 2019 with us,
contact our secretary Leanne for details.
Celebrating Red Cliffs’ 100th Birthday - Cup Weekend 2021
Come and see Red Cliffs Primary Students interpretation of our history. Call in on Market Day 3rd Nov from 11am—1pm. Their Storypost Project dioramas are on display and they are terrific.
What history have we heard in the last month? Last weekend we heard from the Binns and Jones families when they returned to reminisce on their youth, growing up in the town and on the block. Binns Taxi and Car Hire service was where the Club carpark is now located.
This month we research some of the racing events we have enjoyed from our early days until today. We look at bike racing and horseracing. The most recent local racing events
were the snail races held at Cardross, but we were unable to catch up with the promoter and race caller, Tom Fagan for a report on this popular racing event.
The paving works in Barclay Square have
been completed and the Rotary Exercise
Equipment Project recently had the soft
surface laid. Although it may seem early
Red Cliffs is getting prepared for its big
birthday—only two years to go!
The photo below shows Bayliss’s bicycle shop in Red Cliffs. Many of our pioneers had a bicycle but there are stories of how difficult it was riding on the sandy or muddy bush tracks in the early days.
We also know from our early photos that there were a few motor bikes too. Here are some in Woodbine Avenue.
Photos: Red Cliffs Historical Society Collection
The 1930’s were times of great
hardship. The hero of these times
was a race horse. Phar Lap was
the focus that lifted the people
and brought interest in horse
racing into all communities.
Maybe this sparked the Red Cliffs
community to create their own
race track.
The Red Cliffs Turf Club held its first race meeting on 12th April 1930. The Sunraysia Daily 10th April 1930 wrote: ‘the straight has been railed and roped for the distance of one furlong and the track is fast and in excellent order. Arrangements have been made to have the straight watered on Saturday morning and there should be a complete absence of dust. Following upon the large numbers of entries good fields are assured and patrons can be certain of a good days sport. The gelding paddock has been fenced and 30 stalls erected.’ The Red Cliffs race course was on the river flat adjacent to the Red Cliffs pumps. At this first meeting the Red Cliffs Cup was won by Francesca with prize money of £25 and a trophy worth £10/10/-. The race was ‘about 9 furlongs’ with 6 starters. The Red Cliffs Racing Club meetings were held usually twice a year. The Club operated for 6 years with its final meeting on April 4th 1936. During those years the course was upgraded and they even erected a grandstand.
Ouyen Mail 26 Oct 1931
FUNDRAISING CHALLENGE ‘A large crowd watched the heavy-weight cycling championship of the North-West today. The race was to settle an argument between Dave Milne (18st.) and Bill Winterten (17¾st.), both of Red Cliffs, as to who was the better rider,
Winterton led all the way and won by several lengths. The race was over an 11½-mile course. The winner's time was 37 minutes. He averaged nearly 20 miles an hour. A bus, cars, trucks, and motor-cycles followed the riders in a congested stream, and often hampered them by crowding in. A collection made for the Mildura Base Hospital realised £2/7/6.’ Argus 19 Aug 1935
‘RED CLIFFS TO OUYEN ROAD RACE Mr. R. Smith, secretary of the Ouyen Cycling Club has received a letter from the Red Cliffs club stating that they intend holding a Red Cliffs to Ouyen road race on Saturday, Oct 24, and inviting entries from Ouyen club members...Prizes will be high - £7/7/ and gold medal first, £3 and trophy second, £1/10/ and trophy fastest time and 15/ for fastest time unplaced.’ ‘The race commences at 1 o'clock and should finish at between 4 and 4.30 at Clissold's corner. Riders will be given hot baths at the hotel.’ Ouyen Mail 16 Oct, 19 Oct ‘Considerable interest was taken locally in the Red Cliffs to Ouyen road race which was held by the Red Cliffs professional cycle club on Saturday last. The distance travelled was 62 miles…The day was hot, and the race was a gruelling one. Many of the seventeen competitors failed to finish the course. The placings were: E. Cook; A. Heridage; B. J. Williamson; Time: 3 hrs 24 mins…Quite a large crowd gathered to witness the finish. Some of the competitors were exhausted on their arrival. The riders were entertained to tea by the Ouyen Cycle Club at Mr. R. Smith's, residence,
when congratulatory speeches were made to the winners.
Horse Racing
Our sandy or muddy bush tracks are just the thing for off-
road racing. The Hattah Desert Race, held each July since 1997, has been recognised as the
most challenging in Australia.
Organised by the North West Vic Motor Cycle
Club its popularity has grown especially as it
includes male, female and junior events. Hattah
is the only event on the Australian Off Road
Championship calendar that conducts junior
races in the lead-up to Sunday’s main race.
Motorbike Racing
2015 Junior event - web site photo
We have chosen just two of many stories illustrating
our history with bike racing.
Bike Racing