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21 Apr 2018, 01:42 (Ref:3816719)
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#16
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Veteran
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 3,319
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Story here on Oran Park these days - another Sydney race track that is now housing development.
Still drawing a crowd after all these years......
You've got to hand it to the Perich family, they are astute operators.
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__________________
“We’re far from having too much horsepower…[m]y definition of too much horsepower is when all four wheels are spinning in every gear.” ― Mark Donohue
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21 Apr 2018, 14:41 (Ref:3816795)
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#17
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Veteran
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 504
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I used to go a lot. I remember being there one very hot and sunny day in the 80s. No shade on the hill, and only 1 little caravan run by two old ladies selling burgers and coke (very slowly). The line was a mile long! I ended up in hospital with heat stroke and extreme sunburn (Im a pale-freckly red hair git) so the spectator facilities were lacking. I think oran was a better venue.
But you could see nearly the whole track and pits, and it produced some great racing and always had lots of different classes. So it was worth it. Sorry it had to go
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28 May 2018, 09:33 (Ref:3825163)
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#18
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Veteran
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 8,594
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Had a good walk around Catalina Park today. Something about being able to walk around a overgrown racetrack with only the rusting Armco to show it actually was a circuit all those decades ago. So quiet. Almost eerie. Cannot imagine throwing a race car around there even in its prime but it would’ve been a blast.
Interestingly the info boards onsite mention a lot of races cancelled by rain and fog and the local racing club suffering financially after the track opening.
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__________________
Somebody asked if the McLaren F1 was going to be like the Ferrari F40, Gordon Murray replied, "I don't think so, there's no one at McLaren who can weld that badly."
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28 May 2018, 10:54 (Ref:3825187)
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#19
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Veteran
Join Date: Sep 2003
Posts: 4,303
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Oran Park was just fantastic. I recall taking a sneaky wee on the outside of Turn 2 in the wilderness and a snake popped out to say "Gidday mate". How that No.1 nearly became a No.2.
A cool race track that is greatly missed. Sadly, the Perich family haven't replaced it in any shape or form.
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__________________
Tranquillity - What happens inside Shane's race car. Chaos - What happens outside Jamie's race car.
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29 May 2018, 13:19 (Ref:3825434)
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#20
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Veteran
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 2,960
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Just Do It!
Sadly, the Perich family haven't replaced it in any shape or form.
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From what I was told (second hand), they wanted government help to replace it but the money went to Homebush and SMP instead, so they pulled the pin.
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29 May 2018, 13:31 (Ref:3825436)
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#21
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Veteran
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 7,132
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The story I was told was that the Government was to assist in appropriately re-zoning a vast area of land to build said replacement, but they bailed on the idea.
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6 Feb 2021, 08:13 (Ref:4033704)
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#22
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Veteran
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 798
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Been watching a few DVD’s on this track, what a great little circuit which always seemed to provide spectacular racing, shame we have lost it to suburbia.
Didn’t matter if it was open wheelers, sports sedans or touring cars they provide the spectator with top notch racing, not to mention plenty of panel rubbing and some big accidents.
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6 Feb 2021, 09:34 (Ref:4033715)
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#23
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Veteran
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 2,630
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tourer
Story here on Oran Park these days - another Sydney race track that is now housing development.
Still drawing a crowd after all these years......
You've got to hand it to the Perich family, they are astute operators.
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It was no secret that OP was always going to have a limited life even in the 1970's. I think the story of the owners building another track was just a that, a story made up by someone to give everyone hope. I said at the time that there would never be another track built in the Sydney basin and was told I did not know what I was talking about because the Perich family were going to do it at Picton near the Hume Highway intersection with Picton Road. Seeing that there was already residential development happening in that area a new circuit was never going to happen.
The loss of Amaroo Park was a major blow to motorsport in Sydney and largely contributed to the slow death of car clubs in Sydney and nearby regions. The multi use complex was perhaps the best of its type in Australia and when the rally ban was on it was the only place to compete. Anyone who went down the hill climb access road at speed would know what the word terror means.
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6 Feb 2021, 22:03 (Ref:4033773)
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#24
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Veteran
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 798
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Another thing that stands out from watching the DVD, is the crowd numbers and the continuous track improvements over the years.
RIP Amaroo Park
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7 Feb 2021, 22:08 (Ref:4033898)
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#25
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Veteran
Join Date: Jul 2002
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South of Sydney NSW, Australie |
Posts: 3,351
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Casper
It was no secret that OP was always going to have a limited life even in the 1970's. I think the story of the owners building another track was just a that, a story made up by someone to give everyone hope. I said at the time that there would never be another track built in the Sydney basin and was told I did not know what I was talking about because the Perich family were going to do it at Picton near the Hume Highway intersection with Picton Road. Seeing that there was already residential development happening in that area a new circuit was never going to happen.
The loss of Amaroo Park was a major blow to motorsport in Sydney and largely contributed to the slow death of car clubs in Sydney and nearby regions. The multi use complex was perhaps the best of its type in Australia and when the rally ban was on it was the only place to compete. Anyone who went down the hill climb access road at speed would know what the word terror means.
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Perich family were serious about a replacement but you can bet Govt was not happy without a controlling interest, photo opportunity etc!
https://www.smh.com.au/sport/motorsp...20-gdo7ro.html
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__________________
The good old days sure seem like a long time ago!!
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8 Feb 2021, 13:20 (Ref:4034081)
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#26
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Veteran
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 2,630
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 275 GTB-4
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They can't have been because the sites chosen were not suitable but your view might differ. There is no way on earth that a new circuit was ever going to be built in the Sydney basin.
>Tony Perich, whose family company Leppington Pastoral owns Oran Park, has been speaking with the state government about zoning for three possible locations which he says are "not too far away" from Oran Park.<
Not too far from OP would have been awesome with all the new residential areas being planned in the same areas near and on OP. Sorry, but I can't take that linked article any more seriously today as back then, the facts don't stack up at all.
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10 Feb 2021, 02:14 (Ref:4034389)
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#27
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Veteran
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,048
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I think the issue with the Oran Park replacement option was that while Tony became a motor racing fan in the years after the family bought Oran Park his sons that had taken over most of the operation of the family’s businesses had no interest in the sport.
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12 Feb 2021, 22:00 (Ref:4034896)
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#28
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Veteran
Join Date: Jul 2002
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South of Sydney NSW, Australie |
Posts: 3,351
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Casper
They can't have been because the sites chosen were not suitable but your view might differ. There is no way on earth that a new circuit was ever going to be built in the Sydney basin.
>Tony Perich, whose family company Leppington Pastoral owns Oran Park, has been speaking with the state government about zoning for three possible locations which he says are "not too far away" from Oran Park.<
Not too far from OP would have been awesome with all the new residential areas being planned in the same areas near and on OP. Sorry, but I can't take that linked article any more seriously today as back then, the facts don't stack up at all.
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Wilton was the main contender, out in the sticks, but that was before we started bring in 200,000 people per year mainly in Sydney!
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__________________
The good old days sure seem like a long time ago!!
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13 Feb 2021, 10:11 (Ref:4034936)
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#29
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Veteran
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 2,630
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 275 GTB-4
Wilton was the main contender, out in the sticks, but that was before we started bring in 200,000 people per year mainly in Sydney!
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That is the bit I didn't understand at the time as the new subdivision just east of the highway was already being put in so a track was never going to happen in that locality. The big advantage of electric racing cars might be that tracks closer to residential areas should be possible.
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13 Feb 2021, 22:20 (Ref:4035018)
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#30
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Veteran
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 2,508
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Casper
That is the bit I didn't understand at the time as the new subdivision just east of the highway was already being put in so a track was never going to happen in that locality. The big advantage of electric racing cars might be that tracks closer to residential areas should be possible.
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Having been involved with an electric. RC club in the past, residents will find something to complain about.
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__________________
Real race cars don't have doors.
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