Whether it’s Albert Park, Phillip Island, or Sandown, the ferocious roar of an engine from a petrol-charged steel chariot hurtling at hundreds of miles per hour is enough to get the blood pumping for any motor enthusiast. However, almost forgotten by time was a racecourse where vehicles ripped along concrete, or kicked up dirt in the pursuit of being the fastest on two (or four) wheels. It was right in Melbourne’s backyard too, south of the MCG: Olympic Park.
Up until the 1920’s, the Park had gained a reputation. After a failed stint as Melbourne’s first zoo in 1861, it became a place where Friendly Societies would run social events, fundraisers, and sports meets. By 1909 it was proclaimed as crown land for recreational use. In 1924, the company Melbourne Carnivals leased the area (known as the Amateur Sports Ground) and built a Motordrome. The arena filled a capacity of around 32,000 people and consisted of a concrete track a third of a mile long, tilted on a 46 degree incline. After some trial runs, the first official race day was held on 29th November 1924, with crowds gathered up to 10-12 rows deep around the incline to watch motorcyclists, sidecars and racing vehicles soar around the curves. However, it did come with a setback: the noise from the venue elicited complaints from civilians enjoying a game of cricket at the MCG, or a quiet stroll at the Botanical Gardens.
Regardless, the races kept continuing, the arena hosting everything from motor vehicle races to motorbikes, to Cycling events (Herbert Opperman among the competitors), VFA football (and 3 VFL home games for Melbourne), and most peculiarly, Ostriches. The latter happened on 11th December 1926, with the birds (imported from South Australia) racing with dummy jockeys on their backs, or with sulkies similar to harness horses. For extra motivation, a dog was brought on to chase them around the track. Unfortunately, the event proved to be a farce. The ostriches kept running off course, and one of the sulkie-sporting birds got injured after a fall. The rest of the planned event was cancelled.
Among all the thrilling racing however, it wasn’t all fun and games. With safety standards not as strict back in the day, hazardous and fatal crashes would happen. In January 1932, motorcyclist James Wassall (who was substituting for another competitor) hit his head whilst avoiding a collision, and never regained consciousness. A couple of weeks later, cyclist William H. Wood died in a crash after fracturing his skull on the track.
Despite the ground’s popularity, the concrete track couldn’t withstand the strain of heavier vehicles going over 90mph. In 1933, the concrete track was removed and a 42-foot wide dirt track was installed around the main oval. It was around the time of the renovations that the speedway was renamed Olympic Park. Despite what many would assume, it had nothing to do with the Olympics (Melbourne would not win its bid for another 16 years), but as the Argus reports “the old name was insufficiently descriptive in view of the various classes and types of sport that were played there.” (24th June 1933, P.21).
Under its refurbishment, the park and its speedway would host the usual motor events, along with a new form of racing: midget cars (or speedcars). The first such race in Australia was held at the Park in 15th December 1934. Speedway Motorcycling also maintained its popularity, as during the summer of 1936-37, thousands flocked to see an Australian team (featuring would-be speedway racing world champion Bluey Wilkinson) take on an American team (featuring another future world champion, Jack Milne) in two of a three ‘test’ series (the other test at the Sydney Showgrounds). Australia made the Motherland proud by winning all of their tests.
However, the roar of the engines sputtered to a halt when World War Two arrived and petrol rationing was enforced. Carnivals Limited lost the park’s licence in 1941, with ownership reverting to the Parks committee of management. During World War II, the army occupied the grounds for military purposes, though the site was still used for sports such as amateur athletics meets and baseball matches involving the visiting US Army. Otherwise, outside of some charity events after the war, the Park’s speedway days were over. When a fire set the grandstand alight in 1951, the oval was demolished.
After its demolition, the site was remodelled as facilities for the 1956 Olympics. In place of the speedway, the Eastern Sportsground (or Olympic Park No.2) was built for hockey, and a velodrome to host cycling. The Velodrome was demolished in 1972, but the Eastern Ground remained a greyhound track until it was demolished in 2001 due to construction of the Burnley Tunnel. In 2007, ground was broken to build AAMI Park, which opened in 2010 and has since hosted matches for the Melbourne Storm and Melbourne Victory. However, occasionally it’s allowed to go back to its roots, hosting the odd speedway event whenever it comes to Melbourne.
Ashley Smith
October 2023
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