horseracing

For the around 70 people who reside in Muttaburra, they can boast about living in the town that is geographically the closest to the centre of Queensland. And, central to the history of the town of Muttaburra is the racing industry, with a day at the races something that the people in the area have always cherished. Source: www.racingqueensland.com.au/news/july-2021/club-spotlight...

The following text may have some connection with the persons in the photo: Family History Muttaburra Memories Betty Bowden is the daughter of Lizzie and Sonny Bowden. She was the youngest girl in the family and a good tennis player and baker of excellent sponge cakes. She met James O’Dwyer when he was posted to Muttaburra as the Primary School Teacher in 1940. They were married in 1942. The Bowdens were salt of the earth, hardworking and kind people. A member of the family worked as a stockman and station manager and at the time caught wild horses (brumbies) which he then ‘tamed’ and probably sold. He also kept a horse or two to take part in the Muttaburra horse races. Having wild horses jumping and rushing around in the backyard (fenced off, but just) was a different experience. The family also had a young jockey sharing a room with a family member. Source: www.muttaburra.com/family-histories/betty-bowden-and-jame...

The bush racing club started more than 100 years ago and says the tradition is still going strong. The dirt race track has been graded in a sheep paddock on Hillview Station, north of Muttaburra. Towers Hill Race Club president Kym Westcott says a 102-year history makes it one of the oldest country meetings in the state. "It's just in the middle of a paddock - Hillview Station just half an hour north of Muttaburra," he said. "There is a massive big shed there where we have our bar and our catering facilities. "In front of that is a big dirt race track - it was green about a week or so ago because Hillview looks quite spectacular at the moment ... but it's just a dirt track that we grade once a year and get ready for the race meeting." Mr Westcott says it is becoming harder to continue the tradition because of new workplace safety rules for race clubs but local graziers are determined to keep it going. "It's been going for 102 years - we've been racing for 92 years, because of droughts and so on there have been some years where the race club actually can't race because of horses' conditions," he said. "It is one of the older clubs in the state and it will continue. "We've got a great little committee at the moment and everyone gets involved and no one wants to see it die." Source: www.abc.net.au/news/2011-04-29/bush-race-club-continues-1...

Highlights of Moments in Queensland Racing History! Mid 1880's Track established "by the creek" - Albion Park - with a sand surface. It was purchased by Melbourne businessman, John Wren in 1910, and unregistered race meetings were conducted. In 1924 the Brisbane Amateur Turf Club was formed and purchased Albion Park from Mr. Wren for 300,000 pounds ($600,000). Source: www.teamthoroughbreds.com.au/articles/highlights-of-momen...

Remembering The Creek, Brisbane’s quirky sand racetrack The Creek, Brisbane’s now-defunct Albion Park racecourse, holds special memories for many horse-racing enthusiasts of a certain age. Known as “The Creek” because it was bounded by Breakfast Creek which runs into the nearby Brisbane River, it was an all-weather sand track that provided an alternative to the more upmarket grass tracks of Eagle Farm and Doomben. In hindsight, it could be argued that it wasn’t a smart decision to locate a racetrack in such a flood-prone position. Many times since the track was established about 1854, officials had to clean up after such an event. In a measure of the benefits of a sand track, racing re-started two weeks after the 1974 flood receded. It took workers several days to remove the silt and debris. Gallopers such as Recovery, St Aubin, Auction, Lucky Ring, and Red Seas mostly won at Albion Park and were referred to as champion “Creekers”. The Creek was never going to survive long-term as horse racing expanded. It was the stuff of another era, filled with characters and situations that will be hard for some to comprehend. As well, harness racing events were included on the program on occasions and those who had standardbred horses back then could not have imagined that one day the location would become a world-class venue for that racing code. The site is now headquarters to both harness racing and greyhounds and is still known as The Creek, but many would know little of the history behind that title. Just a short walk from The Creek is the iconic Breakfast Creek Hotel which has long held a reputation as one of Brisbane’s best steakhouses and gathering places. Source: nunn.com.au/the-creek/

Interesting to see almost all spectators are male, and almost all, except just a few, wearing hats.

I gather this is a pic of amateur riders...taken at a country race meeting...the location looks similar to the jockey's room at Yass, but it isn't a match. The chap on the right is Sydney solicitor Dennis Allen, who was a prominent amateur rider in the 1920s and early 1930s...the chap 2nd left might be Jack Melvil, another prominent amateur rider, but I'm unsure. trove.nla.gov.au/work/184210358 - Allen can be identified via this NLA Fairfax pic... trove.nla.gov.au/work/13508018 - this SLNSW pic shows Allen and other riders at Yass...a similar kind of location...