100th Anniversary of the first Australian Grand Prix, Goulburn, NSW - Just the Bikes.

‪@CliffoRSS‬ CREDIT: www.goulburngp.com.au/about-us
"On a sunlit Autumn day in 1914, a group of motor cyclists met in a paddock at Yarra, on the outskirts of Goulburn NSW. They had travelled from all corners of NSW, Victoria and South Australia to compete in the very first Tourist Trophy Race of Australia. This most important event would for the first time select the NSW and Australian Motor Cycling Champion.
Ten years later a similar group of motor cyclists would travel to Goulburn and complete on a bitterly cold day in the First Australian Grand Prix. This event covered two hundred miles of rugged country roads., It would take the winner four hours to complete the course.
We could be forgiven in thinking that Goulburn was just lucky in securing these races. This was not the case! The history of these events was closely intertwined with the history of the Goulburn Motor Cycle Club.
From the early pioneer days to 1930, Goulburn was the centre of most motor cycle racing in NSW.
Working in conjunction with the Auto Cycle Union of NSW, the district would see five Tourist Trophy races and one Grand Prix. It was not until 1931 that the racing left for the Vale Circuit at Bathurst.
‘As the machines were sent away there would be a series of staccato explosions, a long drawn-out crackle, a droning hum and a black speck would vanish into the south-east. Returning, the spectators saw a frantic flag-wagging on the rise a quarter of a mile down the road, a black object coming out of space like a projectile and then the motorist arrived.’
Report from Goulburn Evening Post 1924"