No celebration for Geelong Speed Trials 50th

Words & Photos - Gary Hill

The Geelong Speed Trials, modelled on the famous English Brighton Speed Trials, was first run in 1956, but there will be no speed trials this year to celebrate the anniversary.

Due to problems associated with the redevelopment of the waterfront the event has been in limbo for the past two years. However the organising committee arranged  a "50th Anniversary Get Together" and concours at Ritchie Boulevarde in Geelong to gauge public support for the return of the event.

Long-time stalwart of the committee, Gary Grant, said that they hoped to show the degree of support the Geelong Speed Trials has by organising the get together with little advertising. With the display area overflowing with typical speed trials cars and motorbikes there could be no doubt about the motoring public's support. Geelong Major Events has completed a feasibility study and invited Grant to present his proposal which aims to secure the future of the Speed Trials and have it running again on the quarter mile course on Ritchie Boulevarde in November 2007.

Grant says that due to the logistics of organising an event that brings well over 20,000 visitors to the town that a decision is needed by February to enable the event to happen next year. Local councillor and former mayor,Barbara Abley, a self confessed supporter of the event, said she was confident that with a bit of give and take on both sides that the issue could be resolved in favour of running the 2007 Geelong Speed Trials.

The English version started over 100 years ago and is still run along the seafront of the very busy seaside town of Brighton. Hopefully Geelong will have the sense of history to keep the Australian version going, especially as it is compared so favourably with the original.