Rockhampton Jockey Club to celebrate Callaghan Park’s Birthday.

Cut from scrub at the end of the 19th century, the historic Callaghan Park Racecourse will be celebrated next week by the Rockhampton Jockey Club.

The RJC track was established 126 years ago and positioned not far from the banks of the Fitzroy River with 150 acres on The Common selected for its proximity to the town centre.  Friday, 30 May is the closest race date to the anniversary of the inaugural races being held on 2 June 1899 and the RJC acknowledges the important milestone with a party at the racetrack.

The oldest sporting club in Central Queensland, the Rockhampton Jockey Club, was formed in 1868 and moved to its present location in 1898. Racing was held for three decades at the old racetrack, west of the CBD, along Nine Mile Road, past Rockhampton airport.

Its original location was difficult to access, and it was hard for the Club to attract patrons to the old course, leaving the RJC struggling financially. The ground on the old course was also poor, with the track soil hard to maintain for racing.

The town’s Railway Station in Denison Street had just been completed and a new railway line to Lakes Creek had been discussed. The line was to be positioned close to the chosen North Rockhampton track site.

To prepare the track for the opening meeting at the new track, a team of men was engaged to fell trees, fill and level the 100 acres of scrub, and make the course for the horses to race. Stands and other infrastructure were relocated from the old course to the venue with the work taking many months under the supervision of Bob Johnson.

157-YEAR-OLD CLUB HAS RACED AT CALLAGHAN PARK FOR 126 YEARS

The establishment of the course took the number of racetracks in Rockhampton to three – the original track at the Nine-Mile, the Tattersall’s course at Lionleigh (West Wandal), and the North Rockhampton property. But the new course was best positioned for regular patronage. Admission was two shillings, horse-drawn buses, at sixpence per fare, were arranged to run to the North Rockhampton track, people rode in carriages, and on horseback, or walked across the Bridge and from northern suburbs, and steam launches ferried punters over the river from William and Derby Street stops. Transport upgrades later saw steam trains bringing day excursions to the track from Mt Morgan.  The opening of the new course was celebrated with a two-day race meeting, the first of which was on Friday 2 June 1899, and the second, the next day, Saturday 3 June 1899. It was estimated that about 2000 – 3000 people attended on both days to witness this important event in the City’s history.  The financial result was a huge boost for the RJC and it allowed the Club to clear all debts and permanently move to its North Rockhampton home which was officially named “Callaghan Park” in recognition of the Patron of the Club, Dr. William Callaghan, some 13 years after opening day.

Racing was fostered by an enthusiastic committee led by the Chairman, Robert C Boland, and Secretary, Robert R. Dawbarn. Boland was one of several drivers for the RJC to move to Callaghan Park and was also responsible for installing the Hodsdon Mechanical Totalisator in the same year.

Boland and Dawbarn also initiated moves to have the Rockhampton Jockey Club constituted a Principal Club under the Australian Rules of Racing. Boland remained RJC chairman until 1902 and for many years the RJC ran the Boland Handicap as a significant race during the annual carnival. The Dawbarns, Robert followed by sons, Bert and Reg, managed the RJC administration for several decades.

Champion jockey W.H ‘Bill’ Smith won the opening race on St. Winnoch and was successful again on the same horse in a later race on the card, the Corinthian Handicap. Among the horses contesting races at the inaugural meeting were Bob Ray, the winner of the 1895 AJC Derby, and Newman who ran 10th to Tarcoola in the 1893 Melbourne Cup.  Newman started in two races, finishing third in the Rockhampton Handicap, a forerunner to the Rockhampton Cup, behind Defendant and Rapier. He was beaten half a length in his initial race, then won the Publican’s Purse, narrowly beating Ruby and Silverspray. Bob Ray ran unplaced in the Purse after getting away to a bad start. Local jockeys included George Clayton, George Snell, and Ray O’Neill, and among the bookies swinging bags were Mo Barrington, Bob Bell, Jim Scott, Jim Currie, and Stepper Davis.

RJC CEO, David Aldred.