The Noosa Picnic Races
- Chris Ganly
- 13 minutes ago
- 2 min read
This week a colleague and friend contacted me. He knew that I knew a thing or two about racecourses and that I might be able to help him. Well, I guess I do, and I did. I thought I’d share it with you.
The question went something like this:
About 40 years ago I went to a concert (https://www.slq.qld.gov.au/blog/rewind-1983-skyhooks-church-sunnyboys-and-party-boys-noosa-aussie-hop) that was held at the “Picnic Racetrack in Cooroy” (sometimes referred to as the Noosa Picnic racetrack at Cooroy in some articles) I now live in Cooroy but there is no racetrack. So I am wondering where it was. I cannot find it on any may or town historical site.
I suspect “picnic racetracks” were locations for “once a year” informal race events (I have been a few in country towns) so there may not have been a formal track, but it must have been somewhere big!
Any ideas from your history troves on where the Cooroy / Noosa Picnic racetrack was located?
After a bit of digging, as I am not as well versed with records and systems outside of Victoria, I found the answer. And as always with these things there’s always some intrigue and uncertainty.
It looks to me like at least three locations for the “Noosa Picnic Races.” Locations two and three are clear, one is not, because it comes from the 1920’s and it’s very scant on details.
One
The first racing took place under the auspices of the Noosa AH&I Society – or the Noosa Agricultural, Horticultural and Industrial Society. The first report I can find comes from 21 June 1923 and another on 5 September. The location is unspecified. I couldn’t find any more on this and as this wasn’t what I was being asked I moved along.
References:
Two
The next racing at Noosa took place on the Weyba Ranch. It is now known as Noosa Springs. The racing here took place in the 1970’s. But again, this isn’t what my friend was looking for. This was too early, and I know Noosa Springs, that wasn’t where he was.
References:
Three
This was what he was after. The Noosa Picnic Races, organised by the Rotary Club of Noosa, were held in 1982, and 1983 being the ones he attended, and possibly 1984.
They were held on private property on Cooroy Mountain Road – now more or less at 163 Cooroy Mountain Road, Lake Macdonald. Very conveniently the property is up for sale right now, which confirmed my handiwork.
My friend had indeed remembered correctly.
References:
https://heritage.noosa.qld.gov.au (Minutes of Noosa Shire Council Meetings)
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