From 1960 until its closure 60 years ago, Warwick Farm was the mecca of Australian motor racing, its holy of holies. The Farm’s sinuous 3.6 km track hosted some of the best motor racing seen in Australia before or since. Formula 1 stars like Stirling Moss, Jim Clark, Jack Brabham, Jackie Stewart and Jochen Rindt excelled there, while local drivers like Frank Matich, Leo Geoghegan and Spencer Martin matched them wheel-to-wheel. ‘The Fabulous Farm’ changed the landscape of Australian motor racing.
In its heyday, a young Andrew Moore was there as a volunteer in the pits helping the founders Mary Packard and Geoff Sykes. He will join us next Wednesday, the 15th of March, to share his memories with us.
Come along from 6pm at the Denistone Club, 59 Chatham Road, West Ryde for dinner and a vivid recount of these special days.
Our speaker, Andrew Moore, has written six books, including two on motor sport – ‘Aintree Down Under’ and ‘Warwick Farm and the Golden Age of Australian Motor Sport’. His most recent motoring publication is a small booklet on the career of Bruce Collier, the Renault rally guru of the 1960s and 1970s. He is a regular contributor to the ‘Australian Dictionary of Biography’ writing entries on the likes of Ray Revell, ‘Gelignite Jack’ Murray, Ken Tubman, Evan Green and Mary Packard.
Andrew is a member of the HSRCA and the Renault Car Club and an ambassador to the Australian Motor Heritage Foundation.
‘Aintree Down Under’ is the first book on Warwick Farm’s motor racing and its contribution to Australian motor sport. It uses hitherto untapped sources, including the private papers of the brilliant Geoff Sykes, the Englishman who ran it, and the internal records of the Australian Jockey Club which ultimately decided to pull the plug on the Farm’s motor racing.
Andrew’s talk will recall the highlights of The Farm’s legendary career.
A limited number of copies of Aintree Down Under may be available afterwards for sale at a special discount price: $20 (cash only)
Wayne Wilson
President, HSRCA