Kerry Cain, Tarrangower Times
The Newstead Racecourse Recreation Reserve covers approximately 80 acres and is owned by the State Government. The NRRR has a volunteer committee that manages, maintains, and enhances the land on behalf of the Department of Energy, Environment, and Climate Action (DEECA).
The Newstead Racecourse ceased holding horse races in the mid-to-late 1960s but remained a training facility for some years. The racehorses were often transported by rail to the nearby Newstead Railway Station (now the Arts Hub), where they were then walked to the ‘track’.
After the races ceased, the Racecourse and Recreation Reserve was managed for many years by a board of trustees consisting of residents.
Around 1999, the state government sought a new Juvenile Detention Centre site and considered the Newstead Racecourse and Recreation Reserve a possible site.
A group of residents, extremely concerned about the proposed Juvenile Detention Centre’s impact on Newstead (particularly the youth), organised a town meeting in the Community Centre.
A Volunteer Committee of Management was formed to supersede the board of directors and ensure the Racecourse and Recreation Reserve was used and maintained so it didn’t become the Juvenile Detention Centre site.
The NRRR now has a park section used as a camping area. It includes a shower/toilet block and an outdoor barbecue area, with the addition of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) outside the block. A public dump point is also provided for campers.
There is also a separate section of the racecourse that can be hired for events. It has a kitchen, bar, and shower/toilet block. In the past, weddings, birthdays, and family reunions have been celebrated there. With an indoor wood fire inside the main shed and a massive outdoor fire, this is perfect for family get-togethers or group meetings over the cooler months, with shady trees to provide respite over the summer. If you want to hire this space, call Pete Mitchell on 0418 999 939.
The NRRR benefits the Newstead Community by accommodating visitors who spend money there. Additionally, the reserve offers an area for dog walkers. The area is also important to residents as it is a safe refuge in an emergency.
The Reserve is currently used by the Mt Alexander Model Plane Club, Motorcycle enthusiasts groups, Newstead Live, a Vintage Car Rally, Horse groups, and Bird-Watching groups.
This article appeared in the Tarrangower Times, 14 June 2024.