MOTORSPORT: Wakefield Park set to close
Ongoing battle at rural NSW track reduces state to one permanent racing venueThe future of Wakefield Park circuit hangs in the balance, with the venue’s operators – the Benalla Auto Club (BAC) – set to close the gates of the Goulburn (NSW) circuit from September 1 in response to a recent court ruling.
The announcement potentially leaves the country’s most populous state with only Sydney Motorsport Park as a permanent circuit racing facility, plus Luddenham Raceway and Pheasant Wood for lower-level activities, after venues such as Amaroo Park and Oran Park have closed since 1998.
The recent ruling by the NSW Land and Environment Court (LEC) essentially restricts the venue to four days of operation a month, making the venue unviable without further intervention from the state government.
Multiple status changes for the circuit have been theorised, including a reclassification under either the Motor Sports Events Act, as a Special Activation Precinct or via another provision.
However, if applied, it is likely there would still be a balancing act required to appease nearby residents.
Wakefield Park was originally founded as a club racing circuit in 1994, but use of the facility grew significantly under new ownership following its sale in 2000, with the BAC taking over the track at the start of 2007.
The root cause of the current issue revolves around the original 1993 consent agreement between the facility and the local Goulburn Mulwaree Council, which outlined the use of the venue in an otherwise rural setting.
That agreement in essence allowed for 48 days of use a year, while evidence provided in the latest LEC case indicates that the venue was operating 280 days per annum.
In response to noise complaints from locals, in 2019 the council issued a prevention notice to the venue, which was subsequently appealed, and in 2020 resulted in a range of measures being instigated.
These included the implementation of noise monitoring equipment and event caps, including 75 days per year up to 95dB and 50 up to 85dB, with the remainder not to exceed 83dB.
Wakefield Park was then effectively required to file a new development application for the ongoing operation of the facility in line with its current use, which included a wholesale upgrading of its pit lane and other infrastructure.
The saga then bounced between the parties, with a show-cause notice issued in February this year after an event allegedly breached the 95dB noise limit more than 500 times, with a top recording of 124.1dB measured at a distance of 30m.
Reacting to the draft conditions of the council’s DA decision, the BAC appealed to the LEC, where it was argued the potential acoustic and economic impact would be too onerous on the business, which is calculated to bring $17 million annually into the local community.
The counterargument from the council is that the venue was operating outside of the terms of its original consent, and was attempting to use its current level of operation as a baseline for future use.
The LEC ruling ultimately approved the planned construction at the venue, while at the same time applying a far stricter range of operating conditions.
BAC vice-president Bruce Robertson has stated that the organisation intends to retain the venue and reactivate it in the future when a suitable resolution can be found, with the status of the circuit’s 10 full-time and four casual staff currently being worked through.
Meanwhile, a Cruise for Wakefield event is planned for August 28, with supporters encouraged to meet at the Goulburn Showgrounds from 11:00am.
Related: MOTORSPORT: Wakefield Park’s future hangs in the balance
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