Peter White in his Fronty Ford Goulburn 1927
Peter White in his Fonty Ford Goulburn 1927
Action from the 1927 Goulburn Grand Prix Final.
The Rocky Hill War memorial can be seen in the top left corner with the Old Goulburn Brewery at the right.
Action from the 1927 Goulburn Grad Prix
Geoff Meredith in his race winning Bugatti 2-litre, straight-eight Bugatti Type 30 (T30)
MRF Ford driven by J.C “Rajo” Morgan in the pit area at Goulburn in 1927
The Fronty Ford of Peter White at the Goulburn track in 1927
Peter White started heading out track Goulburn1927
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Peter White again in the Fronty Ford having experienced an unfortunate off track excursion.
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Peter White giving his Fronty Ford the berries at Goulburn.
N.B This photo was taken at Penrith Speedway.
Peter White - Fronty Ford driver and Australian dirt track champion
Peter White - Fronty Ford driver and Australian dirt track champion
Geoffrey Charles Edwin Meredith
The man who won Australias first Grand Prix on January 15, 19271927 held in Goulburn NSW.
Geoff Meredith was a pioneering sheep grazier, grazier, and top New South Wales racing driver.
Meredith's remarkable victory was achieved with a 2-litre straight-8 Bugatti Type 30 (chassis #4087). The race was unique in format, acting as a knockout speedway event rather than a traditional en-masse race.
Six starters competed two-by-two in three heats over 6 laps, with the two fastest drivers advancing to face off in a 6-lap final.
For his victory, Meredith took home a £50 prize purse.
The Bugatti 'The Bug' Meredith raced in 1927 famously remains in Australia to this day, and the historic significance of his win as Australia's first Grand Prix has been increasingly celebrated in the motoring community.
Geoff Meredith, winner of the 1927 Australian Grand Prix, died of pneumonia.
He contracted the illness after severe exposure to the elements during the 1928 motorcycle race meeting at the Isle of Man, where he was supporting Australian riders.
Donald Harkness in his modified Overland sports car, famously nicknamed "Whitey"
Below - Donald Harkness and “Whitey” in action at Penrith Speedway.
Below - Don Harkness in action also at the Penrith Speedway.
Donald Harkness’ participation in the very first Australian Grand Prix at Goulburn should come as no surprise. With a passion for speed and anything mechanical, Harkness was a regular competitor in the country’s earliest motoring contests.
The sheer breadth and depth of motor sport in Australia in the 1920s and 1930s was breath-taking in two-ways: Firstly, for the number and frequency of events and secondly, because many drivers competed in such a range of disciplines, including land-speed record attempts. Donald James Harkness was one such man.
John James (often referred to as Jack O'Rourke) from Queanbeyan, drove cars owned by Campsie Chemist Francis Parle during the 1920s.
These included a 30/98 Vauxhall and a Type 13 Brescia Bugatti before driving the Bugatti Type 39 at the 1927 Australian Grand Prix in Goulburn.
He was a versatile driver competing at both Maroubra and Penrith Speedways, Hill Climbs and ReliabilityTrials as well as the Canberra Speed Trials.
Above - Jack O’Rourke testing the off road ability of his Bugatti.
The crashed Bugatti Type 30 (later bought, restored and raced to victory at the 1927 Australian Grand Prix by Geoff Meredith) of A.V. Turner at the Manly Hill Climb. Jack O' Rourke was in the car following Turner who died of his injuries as a result of the crash.
Jack O’Rourke and his Type 39 Bugatti at the 1927 Australian Grand Prix held at Goulburn.