PORT KEMBLA (NSW)
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1936 - MONKEY FLAT PORT KEMBLAMonkey Flat was used by motorcyclists from as early as 1936 but the 1st of the official motorsport meeting's were recorded in 1938.
**************************************************************1938 - MONKEY FLAT CIRCUIT 11th February 1938There was indeed a horse racing track by the same name at Kiama but the bikes raced near Port Kembla. easy mistake.
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1938 - MONKEY FLAT CIRCUIT SOUTH COAST GRAND PRIX 5th March 1938
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At this meeting a tragic accident resulted in the death of a spectator. It resulted in no further races until 1940 and 1941.
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HINTON'S BRILLIANT WINS IN SOUTH COAST GRAND PRIX
1938 - Once again Harry Hinton showed the way on his BSA Machine. Published 11th March 1938
1938 - NORTHERN STAR NEWSPAPER REPORTED
O n e K i l l e d - F o u r I n j u r e d
Wollongong, Sunday: when a motorcycle crashed into the crowd of spectators during the Grand Prix Speedway meeting at Monkey Flat circuit. One man was killed and four others injured. The victim was James Andrews aged 58 from Wollongong, while others were admitted to hospital. Henry Marlin 20 of Wollongong who suffered concussion was a competitor, and after his machine had apparently become uncontrollable, it shot back across the track and crashed into the crowd.
There was only an inner rail around the track, with no outer rail, the spectators stood behind a roped off area, a common practice used at many speedway events in those early days.
The deceased, James Andrews, was said to be a foreman electrician, He was appointed foreman at the Wollongong Electricity Department in 1927, Andrews was a family man with a wife and children.
Henry Martin, rider of the motorcycle was an oxy welder aged in his mid twenty's, Other casualties were John Sixsmith, a carter from Coniston with a fractured right leg, Arthur Lawrence, Labourer of Coniston, fractured right leg, John Noane 15 years old from Wollongong with abrasions and shock.
Andrews was the first person struck by the machine, suffered severe head injuries and a fractured thigh, He died shortly afterwards, Born in Kadina, SA, he had previously lived in Temora before moving to the Wollongong area, He was leader of the town band and had played a significant part in the celebrations.
(editorial Allan Baker)
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1940 - MONKEY FLAT CIRCUIT MINITURE TT
Published 16th August 1940
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1941 - MONKEY FLAT CIRCUIT MINITURE TT
Published 21st November 1941
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2022 - MONKEY FLAT CIRCUIT WALKABOUT
Tom Thumb Lagoon is now part of BHP Steelworks and there is no sign of the old Monkey Flat Circuit.