Whatever happened to the Frank Walford Park, Katoomba, Racetrack ?

[MD]

I see remnants of it still on Google

http://maps.google.com.au/maps?hl=en&tab=wl

Calling all New South Welshmen....

[alfa duk]

 I think that you are talking about Catalina park which was closed to make way for housing. Pretty dangerous with timber railing close in and no run off. Never been there but heard old blokes talking about it.

[MD]

So called development eh?

That's what happened to the Gold Coast track at Carrara. They did it to Lakeside too but fortunately after a long battle, common sense prevailed.

[Barry Edmunds]

Never visited Katoomba but that is the track where Bob Jane had a monumental prang in his Mustang. Also recall that rallycross events were held there in later years.

From Victoria you can add Hume Weir, Tarrawingee, Fishermens Bend and even the old Ballarat Airfield to the whatever happened to list and Calder's future is apparently uncertain and what about Adelaide International Raceway, another one gone for "development". For the hillclimb fraternity Templestowe and Lakeland in Victoria were popular venues and sadly were lost to development or progress.

Plenty of other "motor sport" venues out Australia have sadly gone in recent years and usually because of development or progress or simply because some people in authority consider that any form of motor sport is socially unacceptable in today's supposedly enlightened times.

Be a good TV project to get a crew to visit the old race tracks and recall the good old days.

[alfagtv58]

Katoomba, or Catalina Park as Alfa Duk mentioned has some homage paid to it by the NSW Group S Championship being called the Catalina Cup.  A guy at work talks fondly of watching races there as a teeneager.

A couple of photos where you can see the wooden fences etc....will need to be multiple posts due to file size and i couldnt be bothered reducing them 

[alfagtv58]

Another...

[alfagtv58]

Warick Farm is another one lost....one of my fav pics

[alfagtv58]

Warick farm again

[alfagtv58]

Hume weir for you Barry

[alfagtv58]

Surfers Paradise for you MD

[alfagtv58]

Just cos its a great photo....

[alfagtv58]

And of course, the recent and tragic loss of Oran Park 

[alfagtv58]

Found one more of Surfers for you MD

[MD]

alfagtv58

Some great photos there. Real treat. Many thanks.

edmunds.

Your idea for a "where have they gone" documentary would be an excellent one for one of the TV channels to pick up on. I am sure there would be some fabulous footage around albeit a little scratchie and grey..

If you guys in Vic have a club member with a posting of "Promotions Officer" or some such equivalent, perhaps this should be formally pursued ?

Brad? Evan? Could you guys refer this on?

Cheers, MD

[MD]

Been chatting with an old timer here from NSW and he tells me the name Catalina comes from a war time  amphibious aircraft bomber that wound up in the lake? there. It now makes sense why the shape of the track is what it is - the outline of a tri-blade propeller !!