Mount Gambier Junior Motorcycle Club proposes new track and club house on Forestry SA land
It’s been three years since the Mount Gambier Junior Motorcycle Club has had a dedicated track, but its plan for a new home is closing in on the finishing line.
Mount Gambier
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It’s been three years since the Mount Gambier Junior Motorcycle Club has had a dedicated track, but its plan for a new home is closing in on the finishing line.
The club once raced at McNamara Park and has now lodged a development application to build a motocross track, club rooms and other facilities on 57.5ha of land leased from Forestry SA at Caveton, 20 minutes southeast of the city.
It only took one race day a decade ago, for Brooke Marcus to fall in love with the club and now the 18-year-old committee member is excited to see the plan become a reality.
“For the past couple of years we’ve just been running a grass track series since Mac Park was closed,” she Marcus said.
“We had a motocross track out there for many years and due to some circumstances we are no longer able to have our land out there.
“We ride on land that is supplied to us, so people within the club supply their paddocks or farmers that we know where they can offer some land to ride on, they let us.”
Instead of makeshift paddocks the club’s two track proposal includes one at 1.95km and secondary 400m children’s track.
Designed to work with the natural slope and terrain of the land, allowing riders to carry out technical moves, they would be constructed by professional motocross track building company Protraxx with a strong clay base with imported loamy sand.
The development would also include a large pit area, men and women’s toilets and shower facilities, two demountable buildings, two shipping containers, car parking and camping grounds.
Ms Marcus said a new home would make the already 100-strong club even stronger, help attract more riders and allow it to host competitions including state championships.
According to the development application competitions could see 1500 competitors and spectators converge on the facilities.
Riding since she was two years old and currently leading the club’s grass track series, Ms Marcus said reaching more young people will help grow the sport in the region.
“It’s important for the development of racing, improving kids’ skills so they can go away to the state titles and regional events against other kids across the country and they can actually be competitive,” she said.
“It’s also good for having friends and fitness and all those sorts of things that teaches children, there’s a lot of things I’ve learnt through racing.”
Ms Marcus asked anyone who wanted to support the club or provide feedback on the project to have their say before August 2.
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