Caulfield Racecourse recommended for heritage protection

A massive $300m redevelopment of Caulfield Racecourse is set to proceed despite new heritage protection recommendations.

Renders of Caulfield racecourse rebuild. Picture: supplied

The $300 million redevelopment of Caulfield Racecourse will continue despite a recommendation that it be added to the Victorian Heritage Register.

Heritage Victoria executive director Stephen Avery on Friday announced the whole site had State-level cultural heritage significance and should be protected.

The recommendation will now be subject to a 60 day consultation and possible hearings before a final ruling by the Heritage Council of Victoria.

Melbourne Racing Club corporate affairs general manager Jared Newton said the announcement “wasn’t a shock”.

“There’s nothing unexpected in the recommendation,” Mr Newton said.

“It just adds another layer of bureaucracy to the (redevelopment) process.”

The site was slapped with an interim protection order in January after 42 trees, including an Aleppo pine grown from the seed of Gallipoli’s Lone Pine, were removed along with an old toilet block and some race day stalls.

The protection order will remain in place until a decision has been made on the recommendation to list the site.

Heritage Victoria has given the MRC exemptions allowing limited work at the site and Mr Newton said that would continue.

“We will continue to work collaboratively with Heritage Victoria,” he said.

Glen Eira mayor Jim Magee was pleased the historical value of the site had been recognised.

However he was angry it had not been acknowledged sooner.

“The council asked the Planning Minister (Richard Wynne) last August to give Caulfield Racecourse heritage protection,” Cr Magee said.

“He ignored the request and those pines and buildings are now lost.”

The racecourse upgrade includes a new grandstand, a second racetrack, new spectator entrance, horse stalls and parade rings.