Family fun centre of plans to transform Flemington’s iconic racecourse
FLEMINGTON will be turned over to families, with markets, restaurants and gardens to encourage more people to use the racecourse.
Best of Melbourne
Don't miss out on the headlines from Best of Melbourne. Followed categories will be added to My News.
FLEMINGTON will be turned over to families, with markets, restaurants and gardens to encourage more people to use the racecourse.
And the inside of the track will become public parks and sporting ovals to make it a community space that can be used seven days a week.
New VRC chairman Amanda Elliott has a bold vision for taking Flemington’s iconic track beyond racing and giving it to Victorians for everyday community life.
The first female head of Australia’s most prestigious racing club has set herself an ambitious target to transform Flemington.
The completion of the new $128 million world-class members stand by November next year will start the evolution.
“I really want Flemington to be all things to all people and have a real community side to it,” Ms Elliott said.
“We want to see the centre of the course completely landscaped and grassed and being available for playing fields.”
The new Members Stand will transform visitor experience at the races and beyond with varied contemporary dining and event spaces.
It’s all part of a push by the club to progress beyond a reliance on racing as the pursuit of consumer engagement in events grows.
“We are constantly thinking about innovation,” Ms Elliott said.
“People are time poor these days and one of the things racing suffers from is the perception the preparation will start at 8am and the last race will end at 6pm.
“We don’t need to keep thinking about racing in that sense.”
The club has also been considering the introduction of childcare facilities to encourage more families to get trackside.
“We want to be all things to all people but not just on those four main days,” she said.
Ms Elliott’s election into the key role is seen to have ticked all the boxes for the VRC.
The former wife of businessman John Elliott, Ms Elliott’s father Ian Bayles was a vice-chairman of the VRC through the 1980s and she grew up surrounded by horses and racing.
“Having that history and always acknowledging it and respecting it as you go forward in a modern sense is the most important thing to do,” she said.
How to plan a post-lockdown Great Ocean Road getaway
The regional border has lifted, which means we can plan a trip to the Great Ocean Road. Here’s where to eat, stay and play.
‘I wouldn’t even s*** that’: What you missed on Wentworth
Wentworth does WikiLeaks in the third episode of the new season, as the Foxtel drama welcomes a new face. And there’s drama for Reb and Lou. Warning: Spoilers.