Recalling The Ayr Sporting Car Club Of The Mid 1950’s

In about July to August of 1954, a group of car enthusiasts formed the Ayr Sporting Car Club. Townsville already had a Sporting Car Club, as did Bowen, which formed in 1953. Vehicles in the club were MG TF’s, Austins A90, A70, A40, Vauxhall Sports Cars Velox, Morris Minors, Vauxhall Sedans, Space-Masters and Zephyrs.

The first recorded event for the Ayr club was in the Townsville Daily Bulletin Monday August 23, 1954. On the Sunday Townsville Sporting Club, which consisted of six members, made the trip. At Brandon, a deputation of eight Ayr members met Townsville and proceeded in file through Brandon and Ayr. The procession included two MG TF’s, Austins A40, A70 and A90, Vauxhall Sports Car 2 Vauxhall Velox, Vanguard Spacemaster, Ford Zephyr and some Morris Minors.

Sunday afternoon novelty events included Forward and Reversing test won by G Horward, Townsville-Morris Minor;  the Figure of 8 was won by Neville Thomas, Ayr in his new MG TF; the Paper Soiling Contest which consisted of running the front wheels over four pieces of paper, 10inchs square won by Reg Merrington, Ayr in a Morris Sedan; He also won the Slow Race event which the car had to travel as slow as possible without touching the clutch or stalling. The final event was a Flying lap speed test which was won by Graham Coutts (Secretary of the Ayr Sporting Club) in his Vanguard Spacemaster.

In September 1954 the Townsville Sporting Club had a Road Trial  and some of the Ayr member attended. Suffice to say the course of the trial was a distance of 65miles and the vehicles had to average a speed of 25mph to finish the course in a set time. Course was via Ross River Road, Old Harvey Range Road to Alice River and on to the Ingham Road near the Bohle through suburbia, The Town Common, across the Saltpans.  The trial began at 5:00pm and finished in the dark with lights from Mount Louisa and Castle Hill used as a guide.  The competitors also had maps given to them and many of the roads were just plain dirt. Some members from Ayr competed; D Ferguson-Ford Anglica (yours truly learnt to drive in a Ford Anglica), E Le Feuvre-Austin A40 Ute. G Coutts-Vanguard Spacemaster. Another car trial was held between Townsville and Ayr Sporting Clubs on a World War II disused airstrip where the Standing One Mile  sprint won by D and N Thomas of Ayr with their MG TF’s, J Leonard with his Ford Customline and the Flying Half Mile won by D Thomas and D Leahy. The speeds achieved were 82mph and 76mph.  

The Ayr Sporting Car Club was still going strong in October 1957 according to the Advocate when 16 Cars took place in a Burdekin Trial held on Sunday October 5. It was an all day trial covering 160miles in the Ayr District. It was an arduous day for the drivers as the roads covered were from bitumen to bush tracks and vehicles ranged from Morris Minors to Ford Sedans.

The trial was divided into four sections - two in Ayr in the morning, followed by one hour for the lunch break, followed by two sections in Home Hill for the afternoon. The organisation behind such an event was tremendous with the setting up and manning of 16 control points, during the day in addition to the weeks of route planning and preparation before the actual day. Full marks to be given to the Organisers of the event who were Bob Gray, Cyril McHardie and Don Leahy, a well thought out and efficiently presented trial.  

It attracted visiting cars from Townsville and Bowen to whom full credit was given as well as the All Ladies Crew who stuck to the task and finished the course.

Detailed results were Dan Cormack, Ayr - Holden, Malcom Ferguson, Ayr - Morris Minor, A Slaughter, Townsville - Renault, J Phillips, Townsville   - Holden Chevrolet, N Horton, Townsville - Renault, Ian Ferguson, Ayr - Ford Prefect, S Kickham, Townsville - Holden, Ambrose Cody, Ayr - Ford Consul, F Tooth, Townsville - Ford, D Desailly, Townsville - Morris Minor, D Stajonovic, Ayr - Austin Healing, R Milani, Inkerman - Volkswagen, Cecil Cox, Ayr - Volkswagen, A Rossetti, Ayr - Ford Zephyr, V Betyel, Bowen - Renault.

Participants had to complete between each control point within a certain time otherwise you lost points.

Does anyone remember the Redex Trials of the 1950’s and 60’s? Redex Oil Company supplied additives to the fuel and oil for vehicles supposedly to run better. It was the Redex Oil Company that sponsored the Redex Reliability Australia Trials from 1953 and onwards. 1954 was when these Round Australia Trials captured the Australian Public. The Rally took place between July 3 and 20, 1954 and travelled over 9,600 miles and first prize was £2000. It began in Sydney with 246 cars and ended with 127 passing the finishing line. The trial passed through Brisbane, Rockhampton, Mackay, Townsville, Mount Isa, Darwin, Broome, Meekatharra, Madura, Adelaide and Melbourne finishing at Moore Park July 20, 1954. Most of the roads would have been dirt tracks. No doubt this was why the towns of Ayr, Bowen and Townsville began their Sporting Car Clubs. The Townsville Club sponsored a trial at the opening of the Bowen Sports Club in 1953. The cars left Bowen through Home Hill and on to Townsville by the Woodstock Roads. In 1954, the Firm of McKimmon’s Townsville sponsored a round trip from Townsville to Bowen over two days via Woodstock, (the inland route) Giru, Ayr, Bowen and on the return trip it was from Bowen, Ayr, Giru and the coast road back to Townsville.

Does anyone still have photos in their family albums of any of the cars and people of the Ayr Sporting Club? If so, can I copy them for our Burdekin History? Contact can be made through Burdekin Life. The photos will be returned to you. The photos supplied are from the internet. I take this opportunity to thank those people who have supplied me with old Ayr Advocate and Home Hill Observer Clippings which have allowed me to bring Burdekin History alive and renew memories.

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Contributed by Glenis Cislowski

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