New Racetrack for Melbourne?

[inpitlane]

A group of local politicians and councillors in Melbourne's outer eastern suburbs are behind a plan to build a new multi purpose motorsport complex in the suburb of Pakenham. A piece of land at Ryan Road Pakenham has been identified by the State Government as being suitable for the new complex that will serve car, bike and kart racing. More details at the In Pit Lane website.
The proposal is just that at the moment so I wouldn't be getting too excited just yet, but it would seem that with support from both local councils and the State Government this one might get further than the Avalon plan which seems bogged down in local politics and vested interests.

[Chris - Melb]

What ever happened to Adrenaline Park, or whatever it was called, out west there somewhere?

[inpitlane]

Originally Posted by Chris - Melb

What ever happened to Adrenaline Park, or whatever it was called, out west there somewhere?

A long and unpleasant story that involves court cases and other legal nonsense. It may still be in court, not sure how it ended up except to say there'll be no race track. There's been plenty of new racetrack rumours in Melbourne over the years, Melton, Braeside, Avalon Geelong, Bendigo, Sale, so far nothing has come of any of them. Wouldn't surprise me to see this one fall over as well, the NIMBY's and local do-gooders are already gathering.
The one interesting thing is that the people behind it are the sort of people who'd you'd expect to be very much opposed to this sort of thing. When I spoke to Tammy Labarto she said that she was certainly no motorsport fan but was drawn to the need for a local track after she met the late Peter Brock who had impressed her greatly and showed her the common sense of getting local hoons off the streets and onto a proper racetrack.

[Peter Nightingale]

Just why doe's Victoria need another motorsport complex when it already has the best in Australia , Phillip Island and Sandown Park...................

[NewsStalker]

Possible because Phillip Island has been priced out of contention for anything other than high-cost, elite motor sport and Sandown simply is not available to the generail populace.

[db120176]

Originally Posted by Peter Nightingale

Just why doe's Victoria need another motorsport complex when it already has the best in Australia , Phillip Island and Sandown Park...................

Probably to pre-empt the Sandown track being reduced to an access for the horse track

[Raglanparade]

I dont think they should got to Pakenham. In 20 years time it will be full of houses and we will have the same noise restrictions that Sandown has now.

They should look further down into the valley. I'm sure the real estate would be cheaper the closer you get the power plants.. all you need to do is locate it close to the Princes Highway and the train line, and your laughing.

[Nero]

Originally Posted by NewsStalker

Possible because Phillip Island has been priced out of contention for anything other than high-cost, elite motor sport and Sandown simply is not available to the generail populace.

Both circuits are used regularly by MSCA/Grp 5 and a number of clubs so I doubt either could be called elitist or over-priced. FWIW the WRX club reportedly pulled out of a Calder event when the rent for the day was set at a level significantly higher than PI.

[MPA]

Originally Posted by Raglanparade

I dont think they should got to Pakenham. In 20 years time it will be full of houses

Raglan, where you from?


It already is..... Never mind the 20 years of which you speak.

[Chris - Melb]

inpitlane, thanks for the info on Adrenaline Park.

[dmcl]

I find it somewhat confounding, that the same council that effectively evicted the Pakenham Auto Club from a site that was taken up with the new Bypass road can now find land to create a motorsport precinct.
I havent been that close to the goings on, so perhaps some pressure has been put on the council from the club and via other means.
My own personal belief is whenever we see these new venues proposed/announced/launched, what it really is is a chance for the interested parties to reveal their intentions and hope to gather momentum, and some government dollars to make the dream a reality.
We keep on hearing about these grand plans being announced for Derrimut, Avalon, Kilsyth, Bairnsdale etc going right back to the much vaunted Geelong 500 Street race in the early 80s. But most of them are hoping to recieve some sort of government funding. Thats the sort of thing that makes the efforts of Motorcycling Victoria with their Broadford complex (its not a disease) and of late, Gippsland Car Club (with John Bryant at the helm) with what they have done with TRU Energy at Haunted Hills.
Ill wait till the bitumen is laid before i get too enthusiastic about any of these mooted new venues.

[PVDA]

Originally Posted by Chris - Melb

inpitlane, thanks for the info on Adrenaline Park.

The local scuttlebutt is that they obtained the land for the proposed complex and then on sold it for a heck of a lot more than they purchased it for.

The land in question has now been turned into an industrial estate (check the area of Derrimut on the north side of Boundary Rd between Mt Derrimut & Robinsons Roads to see what I mean) and after the sale the powder room suggested that land had been purchased in the Rockbank/Mt Cottrell area (possibley close to the Melton Motorsport Complex).

I'm with dmcl in that I'll believe it when I actually see a bitumen race track rather than industrial estate roads laid on all this land around Melbourne

[dmcl]

Originally Posted by PVDA

I'm with dmcl ......

Thats it, im suing........

[inpitlane]

If you take a look at Ryan Road on www.whereis.com.au you'll see just how close housing and other development is including the Horse racing complex. It'd be a great and accessible venue but there's no way I can see it happening so close to housing. Having said that it does already have the tacit approval of the Government so who knows.
BTW the Pakenham Auto Club has been involved and they currently have use of some council land. Some councillors are saying that that should be more than enough.

[fomoco]

So, Sandown is going to be renamed Springvale Estate(worth more as housing), Calder will become Kelior North or Kelior Rise, Philip Island will remain the domian of big bickies motosport, Winton will be turned into a Ethonal Plant once they work out how to grow sugar cane down there.

So where will a new track be built? F********, Every year a new track for Melb. THe reality is, it would be so far out to suit the enviromental impact, the green impact the carbon nuteral impact, it would become like QR, like Siberia, you know where it is, but you don't really want to go there.

[GTRMagic]

Originally Posted by fomoco

So, Sandown is going to be renamed Springvale Estate(worth more as housing), Calder will become Kelior North or Kelior Rise, Philip Island will remain the domian of big bickies motosport, Winton will be turned into a Ethonal Plant once they work out how to grow sugar cane down there.

So where will a new track be built? F********, Every year a new track for Melb. THe reality is, it would be so far out to suit the enviromental impact, the green impact the carbon nuteral impact, it would become like QR, like Siberia, you know where it is, but you don't really want to go there.

You mean Phillip Island?

[I16]

Originally Posted by fomoco

So, Sandown is going to be renamed Springvale Estate

Maybe the rename should be Springroll Estate ................

[MPA]

Ah jeez Bret, I clicked on your link and got was mainland Aussie, including a map of Tassie. Lucky I got about 20 or so Melway on the bookshelf. So yeah, urban growth is something I can measure.

Anyway...... dmcl & pvda together?.... I so don't want to hear the words "Hot Tub"

[coln72]

I think one of the local car clubs got excited about a proposed circiut at the Ballarat airport. As usual it came to nothing but the club got burnt financially after putting up cash to help in the planning.

[inpitlane]

Originally Posted by coln72

I think one of the local car clubs got excited about a proposed circiut at the Ballarat airport. As usual it came to nothing but the club got burnt financially after putting up cash to help in the planning.

I seem to recall that CAMS State Office were up to their necks in that one as well.

[inpitlane]

I've just received the latest press release from Tammy Lobato MP outlining the current state of play on the proposed complex. It seems the local council and one councillor in particular are fighting against it but the State Government seems to understand the need for such a venue so that's a good sign.
The full release is at the In Pit Lane website

[PVDA]

To dmcl & MPA, you'll both keep........

Originally Posted by fomoco

Calder will become Kelior North or Kelior Rise,

The land around the track is already officially known as Calder Park (check your Melway) and that's the name of the proposed industrial estate which has been on the books to be built on the east side of Calder Park Drive and will act as a nice wedge between nearby housing and race track complex.

[cavvy]

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

You mean Phillip Island?

You wuss, a fair weather fan: rain, hail or shine (on the same day some times), you would go to the Island, just as Bathurst calls.

A little more powder GTR would protect from the sun, keep your cheeks warmer in the cold !!

[fomoco]

Originally Posted by PVDA

To dmcl & MPA, you'll both keep........



The land around the track is already officially known as Calder Park (check your Melway) and that's the name of the proposed industrial estate which has been on the books to be built on the east side of Calder Park Drive and will act as a nice wedge between nearby housing and race track complex.

PPDDVVAA, mate I ditched the Melway years ago when I hit the Hume Highway. But I still keep in touch. I didn,t realise the Melway was the Gospel on Locality names.

I suggest you have read agian and take it as a tounge in cheek reply to the "a new motorsport facility for Melbourne", every year this get rolled out.

so , have a cup of polystyrene and lighten up.

cheers

[Nero]

Originally Posted by inpitlane

I seem to recall that CAMS State Office were up to their necks in that one as well.

According to the Ballarat light car club members I spoke to the principle objections came from some local residents who were particularly concerned with the non-circuit events proposed and perhaps rightly too as it would have been a very substantial change in use and impact over and above its current use.