BUSSELTON (WA)
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1955 > 1957 - BUSSELTON AERODROME TRACKThe Busselton Road racing circuit was marked out each year from 1955 to 1957 on the old World War 2 Busselton Aerodrome
Motorcycle and car racing was held in January of those three years on the 3km circuit, The event was known as the Busselton Derby.
The very first Busselton Derby was held at the airstrip on the 31st of January 1955.
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(use controls to pause - forward or reverse 19 images)
(program from the Sid Breeden collection)
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1955 - BUSSELTON AERODROME TRACK
Sid Breeden recalls: In 1955 I was a first year apprentice Motor Mechanic at my family's brand new Nuffield Dealership Killerby Motors, Busselton. It was natural that my mates and I attended the inaugural Busselton Derby at the World War 2 aerodrome. My early memories of the aerodrome are my first plane flight in October 1944 sitting on my father's lap in the famous Lancaster Bomber "Queenie". Then the roar of RAAF and Royal Aero Club aircraft engines at post war Air Pageants where as an Air Scout the thrill of being allowed to stand along the edge of the runway as a Lincoln Bomber roared past for take-off.
Following getting my ticket after a five year apprenticeship I went to England completing a training course with the British Motor Corporation then until retirement spent 40 years working for motor vehicle manufacturers, Firstly in the eastern states with BMC then back to Western Australia in 1969 when Chrysler Australia Ltd opened up Direct Distribution, then Mitsubishi Motors Australia Ltd who bought Chrysler in 1980 when the USA parent company got into financial difficulties. My motor industry career was during the post World War 2 golden years of motoring including being involved with the last Armstrong 500 race at Phillip Island in Victoria and the 1968 London to Sydney Marathon then the Giant Killer Mini Cooper S and the heart thumping muscle car era.
1944 - Queenie and the crew as they are about to leave England for Australia.
1944 - Passenger seats that I sat on Dads lap. |
1944 - Queenie at Busselton Airfield. |
31st January 1955 - Sid's dream car of the day was one of these MG's TFs. This one was at Busselton on the day and Sid snapped this pic with his Box Brownie camera. Back then he used to buy Charity Tickets hoping to win enough money to buy his MG. Ironically Sid later worked at the MG Factory in Abington Oxfordshire, England. Photos: Sid Breeden collection.
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1956 - BUSSELTON AERODROME TRACK
Bunbury Car Club Photo feature
1956 - Bunbury Car Clubs Ernie Stevens Riley Pathfinder ready for a day of fun at the Busselton Aerodrome. Photo: Brian Lee collection.
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1957 - BUSSELTON AERODROME DERBY MEETING 28th January 1957
Old Motor Racing Photographs - Australia facebook Pictorial feature
1957 - Merv Dudley rounds on end of the track in his BRM Morgan. Photo: Ken Devine.
1957 - Syd Anderson in his Austin Healey. Photo: Ken Devine.
1957 - Syd Taylor leads Syd Anderson through one end of the circuit. Photo: Ken Devine.
(use controls to pause - forward or reverse 5 images)
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1959 - BUSSELTON AIRFIELD
Sid Breeden Photo feature
Sid Breeden recalls: I took this photo of Frank O'Keefe in his MG TC at the Busselton Aerodrome in 1959, The Aerodrome was no longer an official race track but was often used by the boys as a place to test out their skill levels in their cars.
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2003 - BUSSELTON AERODROME Location Slideshow
The new Busselton Airport which is one of the bussiest in the state is no longer located at this location although as you can see in these google earth pics, the strips and roads still remain.