Birregurra (Mount Gellibrand)
Locations: Mount Gellibrand; Gazetted course – Lake Ayrey; Ingleby; Studbrook; Shanahan’s Happy Valley; Darcy’s Birregurra racecourse
Clubs: Birregurra Turf Club; Birregurra Racing Club; The Birregurra and District Racing Club; Birregurra St Patrick’s Race Club
1861 – 1969
In some ways, more than many of the older rural towns in Western Victoria, Birregurra has a long history of horse racing covering a number of different racecourses. What is quite surprising is that, given the long history of racing in and around the Birregurra region, there is no definitive history of it and, like so many other places, records are scarce.
Mount Gellibrand was a squatting run and local landmark established by Charles Ayrey in 1841. It was named for JT Gellibrand who disappeared in the area in 1837. For historical reasons, the Mount Gellibrand entry is combined with Birregurra, as for the first years of settlement, Mount Gellibrand was known as Birregurra until the Cape Otway Road was opened in 1861. The subsequent construction of bridges across the Birregurra Creek and Barwon River made the present site of Birregurra a convenient location for a township. The move was formalised in 1864 with the opening of the Birregurra Post Office with the original town becoming officially Mount Gellibrand.
1. Mount Gellibrand
Locations: Traveller’s Rest Hotel / Birregurra Farmers’ Common / Beal’s paddock, Bleak House Estate
Club: Mount Gellibrand (and Birregurra) Racing Club
1861 – 1877
The first record of racing in Birregurra is on 29 April 1861 when a three race meeting was held on an unspecified course.[1]Entries were advertised to be made at the Traveller’s Rest in Birregurra.[2] The Traveller’s Rest was located in Mount Gellibrand, the original site of the Birregurra Township.
Then, in February 1865, attention was drawn to the “Birregurra and Mount Gellibrand Races” that were to take place on again the race ground near Dickman’s Traveller’s Rest Hotel in Birregurra on 9 March. Charles Beal Esq was the judge and there were six races held.[3]
In 1866, the Geelong Advertiser reported that races were held on Charles Beal’s Bleak House Estate’s lands. [4] Beal’s lands, also in Mount Gellibrand, were on the northeast corner of the intersection of the Princes Highway and Mcdonnells Road. Beal’s lands were immediately east of Nicol and Ayrey’s pre-emptive right.
In 1861, a 5,355-acre farmers’ common was proclaimed north of Birregurra in Mount Gellibrand. The common was on the north side of the Princes Highway and in the immediate vicinity of Nicol and Ayrey’s pre-emptive right. When the common was formally abolished in 1869, it was carved up and sold off. In addition to Beal’s lands, the common would have provided ample room for racing.
In 1872, it was reported that the Queen’s Birthday races had taken place on a course “on the plains opposite Mr Duncan’s hotel.”[5] Racing was reported as taking place on the “improved” plains again in 1873 and through until 1877. Duncan’s hotel was, unsurprisingly, the Traveller’s Rest.
2. The Gazetted Course
In 1878, a racecourse was formally gazetted in Birregurra, east of Lake Ayrey between Ayrey Reserve Road and the Birregurra Creek.[6] The location, on the banks of the creek, explains why it was always very wet and why it is unlikely that any racing took place on the course. The racecourse was revoked in 1896 and the land sold off.[7] Today it is taken up with multiple private farms.
Plan showing subdivision of allotments, including the former racecourse site. (Source: Put-away plan B395E. Department of Crown Lands and Survey, Central Plan Office, Victoria. 1877.)
3. Ingleby
1878 – 1897
Also, in 1878, racing began on the lands of the prominent Armytage family. Clearly, the Armytages and subsequent landowners were big supporters of racing as it was to take place on their lands for the best part of the next thirty years. The first and main location was in a paddock that became known as the ‘racecourse paddock’ on the Ingleby estate. This estate, originally owned by George F Armytage, was just east of the township and the paddock was located on the flats of the Barwon River. In 1878, the location was referred to as being near “Richards” or “Ricketts Swamp.”[8] In years to come, this course was also referred to as Yallock (for Yallock House that stood nearby) and Hayes’ course named after Edmund Hayes, a subsequent owner.
A number of Birregurra locals tell the same story of Ingleby. Mrs Hayes, unhappy with racing taking place on the property, had a dam dug in the paddock putting an immediate end to racing. You can still see that dam off the Cape Otway Road today.
4. Studbrook (L197, P)
1898 – 1915
In 1898 and 1899, racing was reported as taking place on the lands of Oscar Armytage, son of George F, on his ‘Studbrook Estate.’[9] This estate was again on the Barwon River flats but this time just south of the township on the Birregurra-Forest Road. The 1913 permit application indicated that the course had been used for many years and was in a paddock about one and a half miles from Birregurra.[10] Racing continued on the Barwon River flats course until 1915 when racing went into recess because of the First World War.
Sketch of Birregurra Racecourse, 1908. (Source: PROV.)
5. Shanahan’s Happy Valley (P)
1922 – 1928
In 1922, racing returned to Birregurra and continued over the next six years. This time racing was on Martin Shanahan’s private lands on a course known as Shanahan’s Happy Valley.[11] The property, just southwest of the township on the Birregurra-Yeodene Road, was established in 1853 and remains today. Racing continued here in the ‘racecourse paddock’ fronting the road until 1928 when it again went into recess.[12]
Birregurra Turf Club Races at “Happy Valley.” (Source: PROV.)
6. Darcy's / Birregurra Racecourse (L)
1947 – 1969
The final and best-known racecourse in Birregurra was Darcy's or the Birregurra Racecourse. Located on the Birregurra Road, the course was situated on 219 acres of land owned by Maurice Nolan Darcy. In today's terms, it is the land immediately north of Darcy's Road on the Birregurra Road and is now a tree plantation and water reserve. Darcy licensed the club to use his lands for £1 per annum. The club had reformed in 1945 and set about getting permission to race as, by that point, there had been a hiatus of some twenty years.[13]
As the crackdown on racecourses was well and truly under way, approval to re-commence was harder than initially anticipated. In July 1947, the Racecourses Licensing Board advised the Hon Secretary of the Birregurra Racing Club (BRC), Mr WF Westriem, "subject to the usual conditions being complied with, the Racecourses Licenses Board has decided to allot two days for horse races on the Birregurra course at Birregurra for the racing year commencing on 1 August, 1947."[14] This was shortly followed up with the advice that "the holding of a race-meeting or picnic race-meeting could not be lawfully authorised unless the requirements of the Victoria Racing Club in regard to registration and allocation of the date had first been complied with."[15]
The correspondence between the BRC, the Racecourses Licensing Board, the Victoria Racing Club and the local member took place for some time. Finally, the BRC was advised that they would not be registered as a racecourse and accordingly would have to apply for permits and hold picnic race meetings. As the Chairman of the Racecourses Licensing Board explained:
"I would say that the records of this Department show that there has been no registered club in existence in Birregurra since 1921, and that re-constitution of a club after a lapse of twenty-eight years can hardly be regarded as a "revival."" He went on to explain that the club had been advised, in 1946 that it was unlikely to be re-registered as "reasonable facilities for the district were provided by the Colac Turf Club." This was followed up with a more blunt explanation to the Country Party in 1950 which explained that the BRC, despite being warned that they were unlikely to be registered chose to proceed with the establishment of the club and have accordingly held picnic race meetings.”[16]
So, that was that. The BRC was forced to hold picnic race meetings in Birregurra. This meant that they needed to obtain a permit on each occasion, professional jockeys could not ride, and prize money for races could not exceed £100. Racing continued at the course until 1969 when the final meeting was conducted. Local papers reported on the demise of the club, that the course had fallen into disrepair, and with $1.25 in the bank, they could not revive it. Correspondence shows that, at this time, the Birregurra St Patrick’s Club moved their race to Colac, where it is still held annually.
In 1948, the BRC also contacted the Victorian Department of Agriculture seeking advice on how and what to sow as the best running course. They were advised that sowing in December would not be a good idea as it was too hot for the young seedlings. It was suggested that they sow in early autumn and use Kentucky Blue Grass and Indian Couch. They conceded that these were rare and suggested that the BRC might just have to use what could obtained, probably a "mixture of Perennial Ryegrass, Creeping Bent and Chewings Fescue in the proportion of 4-1-1 and sown in the rate of 50lb. per acre."[17] What, how, and when they planted is no longer clear but it is evident that they at least thought about it.
While most of the course is now covered by a tree plantation and used for water authority purposes, some of the infrastructure remains on private lands. The pictures below shows a shed used on race days and the location of the former finishing straight.
Old shed on former racecourse. (Source: Author’s photograph, 2017.)
Former finishing straight. (Source: Author’s photograph, 2017.)
Racing Permit, 1965. (Source: Birregurra Historical Society.)
Plan of Birregurra Racecourse, c. 1947. (Source: Birregurra Historical Society.)
Plan of redesigned Birregurra Racecourse, 1949. (Source: Birregurra Historical Society.)
Birregurra Races, 1966. (Source: Birregurra Historical Society.)
[1] "CURRENT TOPICS." Geelong Advertiser (Vic: 1859 - 1929) 29 April 1861: 3. Web. 19 Oct 2017 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article148698126>. [2] "Advertising" Geelong Advertiser (Vic: 1859 - 1929) 22 April 1861: 4. Web. 20 Dec 2017 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article148697944>. [3] "Advertising" Geelong Advertiser (Vic: 1859 - 1929) 25 February 1865: 3. Web. 20 Dec 2017 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article148768018>. [4] "BIRREGURRA AND MOUNT GELLIBRAND ANNUAL RACES." Geelong Advertiser (Vic: 1859 - 1929) 22 March 1866: 3. Web. 20 Dec 2017 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article147267700>. [5] "TOWN TALK." Geelong Advertiser (Vic: 1859 - 1929) 30 May 1872: 2. Web. 19 Oct 2017 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article147370978>. [6] VGG 1878, p.414. [7] VGG 1896, p.15. [8] "BIRREGURRA TURF CLUB RACES." Geelong Advertiser (Vic: 1859 - 1929) 11 January 1878: 3. Web. 19 Oct 2017 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article149820824>. “TOWN TALK." Geelong Advertiser (Vic: 1859 - 1929) 11 January 1878: 2. Web. 19 Oct 2017 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article149820846>. [9] "BIRREGURRA RACES." Colac Herald (Vic: 1875 - 1918) 15 April 1898: 2. Web. 20 Dec 2017 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article87650506; "BIRREGURRA ANNUAL RACES." The Colac Herald (Vic: 1875 - 1918) 24 March 1899: 3. Web. 20 Dec 2017 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article87668117>. [10] Application for permit. Inward Registered Correspondence. O1563, 1913. VPRS 3992/P0/1286. PROV. [11] Application for permit. Inward Registered Correspondence. G7397, 1923. VPRS 3992/P0/1623. PROV. [12] Application for permit. Inward Registered Correspondence. T3250, 1928. VPRS 3992/P0/1817. PROV. [13] Application for permit. Inward Registered Correspondence. C610, 1908. VPRS 3992/P0/1075. PROV. [14] RLB to BRC, 11 July 1947. Birregurra Historical Society. [15] RLB to BRC, 12 August 1947. Birregurra Historical Society. [16] RLB to BRC, 19 August 1949. RLB to Country Party 27 September 1950. Birregurra Historical Society. [17] Department of Agriculture, Victoria to W.F. Westriem, Secretary of BRC. 10 December 1948. Birregurra Historical Society.
Komentar