Rockhampton Council moves forward with Motorsports Precinct plan

Rockhampton Regional Council has outlined the next steps in establishing a Motorsports Precinct in the region with the announcement of a preferred location and the start of community engagement.

Mayor Margaret Strelow said Council had entered into a conditional contract for a 100 hectare site to the south of the city, off the Burnett Highway at Bouldercombe, .

Mayor Strelow advised “we’ve kept this project a little under wraps publicly but I can assure you Council has had the pedal to the floor behind the scenes to progress this precinct as a priority for our Region.

“When you look at the success of the Gold Rush Sprints or the nationwide interest we’ve had in Rockynats, it’s clear Motorsports is hugely popular and the potential for major events in our region is an opportunity we need to capitalise on.

“Now that we have a conditional contract on a site, Council will do its due diligence and carry out masterplanning, technical assessments and community engagement to ensure this location is the right one for our community. We’ve already begun the process of community engagement with nearby neighbours and will look to expand that in the coming weeks and months.

“The motorsports precinct we want has to have the potential to include a variety of motorsports such as speedway, motorkhana, rally, drifting, motocross, 4WD tracks and touring cars as well as opportunities for driving school facilities among others.

“We’ll soon be contacting local motorsport clubs to seek their input into the design of the precinct as the support and expertise of our local motor sporting community is key to ensuring a successful precinct.

“We’ll also be talking to the community throughout this project as it progresses through the different stages. While there’s still a lot of work to be done, this is an exciting step forward for the project as we start the technical assessments and master planning this week.

“At this stage, we will be looking to report back to the community on the progress within the next two months for wider community consultation with a view to having the final plans before the end of the year.”

Image: Motorsport action at the recently developed Tailem Bends precinct in South Australia.