Following our recent feature on 28 planned circuits for Australia, another motorsport project has come out of the woodwork, namely the Albany Motorsport Park in Western Australia.

The initial concept calls for a 3.5km, 12m wide race circuit, a drift training area, a Motorcycling Australia-spec 2.4km long, 10m wide motocross track, a junior motorcycle track, clubhouse and amenities, a 4WD/ATV training area, plus parking areas and other facilities.

It is envisioned that the race circuit will be able to split into separate sections depending on the user base, while the construction also calls for the revegetation of the central wetland area of the facility.

Additional stages will address sealing paddock areas, barriers and walls, plus make facets of the project permanent, such as maintenance and storage sheds.

The project on the 192-ha site is being staged as funding becomes available, while a drag strip or burnout pad is not included in the plans due to noise considerations.

To date, works have largely focused on the motocross and 4WD training sections of the property, with low-key test rides having taken place, with its official opening set down for this weekend.

Currently, works have included the basic construction of the motocross track, the installation of a control tower, the road in, the car park, the pit area, the washdown bay, the refuelling area, the installation of the ablution block, and the construction of the club rooms.

Fencing, start gates, track markers, a track safety light system, and signage are still on the agenda.

The venue is a joint venture between the City of Albany and the Great Southern Motorplex Group Incorporated and has been backed by the State and Federal Governments to the tune of $10 million; however, the race circuit requires additional funding.

The financing included $4.95 million from the Australian Government Building Better Regions Fund.

The group signed a 20-year lease for the precinct in 2022 after the venture’s plans were approved in February of that year.

Local clubs participating in the project include the Albany Classic Motorsport Club, the Albany 4WD Club, the Albany Motorcycle Club, which has been without a permanent home since 2012, and the Great Southern Street Machine Association.

The venture hopes to provide a range of community benefits, be multi-use for community groups such as cycling, be a hub for driver and rider education, and drive local tourism while also protecting the local environment, with measures including removing livestock from the property.

Image with thanks to Unlabelled Photography

Welcome to Albany

Albany has a rich motorsport heritage dating back to the 1930s, which is highlighted annually with the Albany Classic, an event for classic cars around the streets of the tourist town.

The meet has been running since 1991 and now also features a hill climb section – we covered the event on these pages in 2022.

From a motorsport facility perspective, the area also features Albany Attwell Park Speedway, while the Albany City Kart Club resides near the airport.

The tarmac-based Albany Rallysprint is also a regular fixture.

The Albany Motorsport Park venue is approximately a 4.5-hour drive from Perth, while the other major circuit racing facility in the region is the Collie Motorplex, which is a little over two hours commute south from the capital.