Port Wakefield Circuit was a motor racing circuit located approximately east of the town of

Port Wakefield, South Australia Port Wakefield (formerly Port Henry) is a town at the mouth of the River Wakefield, at the head of the Gulf St Vincent in South Australia. It was the first government town to be established north of the state capital, Adelaide. Port Wakefield ...

. It was the first purpose built motor racing facility built in Australia after

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, and only the second in Australian history. The circuit was created out of necessity in 1953 when two years prior the South Australian state government banned motor racing on public roads. The ban stayed in place until 1985 when it was rescinded to create the

Adelaide Street Circuit The Adelaide Street Circuit (also known as the Adelaide Parklands Circuit) is a temporary street circuit in the Adelaide Parklands, East Parklands adjacent to the Adelaide central business district in South Australia, Australia. The "Grand Pr ...

for use in the

Australian Grand Prix The Australian Grand Prix is an annual Formula One motor racing event, taking place in Melbourne, Victoria. The event is contracted to be held at least until 2035. One of the oldest surviving motorsport competitions held in Australia, the Gran ...

which had become a round of the

Formula One Formula One (F1) is the highest class of worldwide racing for open-wheel single-seater formula Auto racing, racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The FIA Formula One World Championship has been one ...

World Championship. Port Wakefield was a small circuit for its time, in an era of three to four mile circuits. The limitations created a circuit of just . In

1955 Events January * January 3 – José Ramón Guizado becomes president of Panama. * January 17 – , the first nuclear-powered submarine, puts to sea for the first time, from Groton, Connecticut. * January 18– 20 – Battle of Yijian ...

the circuit played host to the Australian Grand Prix where

Jack Brabham Sir John Arthur Brabham (2 April 1926 – 19 May 2014) was an Australian racing driver and motorsport executive, who competed in Formula One from to . Brabham won three Formula One World Drivers' Championship titles, which he won in , and , ...

won his first AGP. Brabham's win in his Cooper T40

Bristol Bristol () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, the most populous city in the region. Built around the River Avon, Bristol, River Avon, it is bordered by t ...

was the first AGP won by a rear-engined car. When it came to be South Australia's turn to again host the AGP in 1961, the Port Wakefield Circuit was declared inadequate and the Mallala Race Circuit was created. With part of Port Wakefield's facilities used to create Mallala, the circuit faded very quickly back into the scrub, though the outline of the circuit is still visible via Google Maps. The circuit ran clockwise, and started on the Repco Straight. This was followed by a right hand kink before a sharp left turn leading into the right hand TyreSoles Hairpin, the slowest turn on the circuit. A short run south to the right hand Kallin corner led onto the longest straight on the circuit, Thompson Motors Straight. Dunlop corner (turn 5), and Stonyfell (turn 6), led back onto the Repco Straight. Lap times for the circuit were around the 1 minute mark, with Brabham and Reg Hunt ( Cooper T40 and

Maserati A6GCM The Maserati A6GCM is a single seater racing car from the Italian manufacturer Maserati. Developed for Formula Two, 12 cars were built between 1951 and 1953. Introduction The A6GCM belongs to the A6 family of Maserati vehicles which comprised ...

) sharing the fastest lap of the 1955 AGP at 1:03.0. The last race meeting, organised by the Austin 7 Club of South Australia, was held on 14 May 1961.50th Book, Chapter 2 - 1958-1962 - Making progress, austin7clubsa.com.au
Retrieved 23 February 2018

References

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External links

Australian Grand Prix Defunct motorsport venues in Australia 1953 establishments in Australia 1961 disestablishments in Australia Sports venues completed in 1953 Motorsport venues in South Australia