Greyhound racing has been part of Broken Hill for more than a century. On 30 June 2026, Greyhound Racing NSW intends to end it.

The decision to close the Broken Hill Greyhounds Club was made earlier this year as part of a broader restructure recommended by an independent Deloitte report, which advised GRNSW to reduce the state’s racing footprint to a sustainable number of tracks. Broken Hill was among three TAB clubs earmarked for closure in the second tranche of cuts, alongside Muswellbrook, with Wagga Wagga given a temporary reprieve while upgrades are completed at Temora.

The impact on Broken Hill is significant. Between 30 and 40 trainers will lose their local track, around 20 staff including track managers, curators and race day workers will lose their jobs, and estimates of the number of greyhounds needing to be rehomed range from 60 locally to up to 200 according to state figures. The nearest alternative venue once the track closes will be a four-hour drive away in South Australia, a distance that effectively ends the sport for many local participants.

Barwon MP Roy Butler has been vocal in his opposition, calling for a parliamentary inquiry into GRNSW and arguing that the closure represents metropolitan decision-making at the expense of regional communities.

“Broken Hill Greyhounds Club is one of many regional clubs being sacrificed to support metropolitan racing,” Mr Butler said. “This decision will have devastating impacts on the social fabric and local economy of Broken Hill.”

Broken Hill Mayor Tom Kennedy has also strongly backed the fight to keep the track open, noting the club had seen continual growth since becoming a TAB track and provided vital local employment. “The closure of the greyhounds would be particularly devastating for Broken Hill given our isolation,” Mayor Kennedy said.

The NSW Greyhound Breeders Owners and Trainers Association has put forward a rescue package and called on GRNSW to urgently review the closure decision. Roy Butler has expressed strong support for the GBOTA proposal. The clock is ticking, with 30 June now weeks away.

This article appeared on Back Country Bulletin on 7 June 2026.