7 replies to this topic

[Amaroo Park]

Hello All,

I was wondering if any TNF's out there know any information about Don Robertson. Don was the last man to break the speed record between Melbourne & Sydney in 1930. After that two more drivers attemted to beat his record but died in the attempt. After those fatalities the authorites banned any further speed attempts on public roads. I am just interested to know if there is much know about him since there seems to be little in the way of written documentation.

Thanks
Andrew

[john medley]

He spoke at a Vintage Sports Car Club of Australia meeting in Sydney in the 70s if I remember correctly, and the article he then wrote about his record attempt appeared in(among others) "Restored Cars". I have that article somewhere. I will search for it

[john medley]

His car was a stripped 1929 model Graham Paige, he made his run starting 3.45 am 23rd March 1930 from Sydney GPO ( after an earlier reconnaissance run), and did the 570 miles run to Melbourne in 10 hours 5 minutes. A 27 years old draftsman , Don Robertson had sponsorship from Graham Paige distributors W H Lober's, who produced a little commemorative booklet including Robertson's well written report of his record attempt-- which is what "Restored Cars" No. 31 reprinted.
Don Robertson at the time of the "Restored Cars" report was living in the Blue Mountains.

Edited by john medley, 27 April 2012 - 22:03.

[Ray Bell]

Perhaps this is an opportunity to start discussing the multitude of town-to-town record attempts in Australia?

In 1928, for instance, Herb Avery completed the Brisbane to Longreach trek in 29 hours, from memory, driving a stripped Studebaker. And when I say stripped, all that was left was the radiator to cowling, headlights, running gear, driver's seat (probably a passenger seat as well) and a bundle of spare wheels.

Avery, a cohort of Hudson Fysh and involved in what was probably a minor way with the establishment of QANTAS, lived in Longreach and had a business known as Western Motorworks... which is now the Holden dealer IIRC. He had moved to Longreach from Cooma in company with his brother due to medical conditions, and both of them were keen motorists.

It was his brother's speed in the Vauxhall 30/98 when they raced each other on the local clay pans that led to the construction of the Regal Special which ultimately held (with Rex Law driving) the lap record at Lowood. Avery also made money by taking bets on how long it would take him to get from town to town in those western Queensland districts.

Such characters must have abounded in our past, it would be good to get some more stories of them together.

John, is there any chance you can photograph the article and e.mail it to me? Or, perhaps, if a camera isn't in your bag of goodies, could you photocopy it and put it with my toaster for my next convenient trip?

[Amaroo Park]

His car was a stripped 1929 model Graham Paige, he made his run starting 3.45 am 23rd March 1930 from Sydney GPO ( after an earlier reconnaissance run), and did the 570 miles run to Melbourne in 10 hours 5 minutes. A 27 years old draftsman , Don Robertson had sponsorship from Graham Paige distributors W H Lober's, who produced a little commemorative booklet including Robertson's well written report of his record attempt-- which is what "Restored Cars" No. 31 reprinted.
Don Robertson at the time of the "Restored Cars" report was living in the Blue Mountains.

Yeah John he was living at Bowen Mountain in the later part of his life. He and his wife were apparently from Vaucluse.

[Ray Bell]

Bowen Mountain?

What a wonderful spot... at least until they filled in the swimming pool. But semi-secluded, not far from all the amenities but removed from suburbia, I wanted to live there at one time.

[Amaroo Park]

Did Don ever compete in Motorsport events on closed circuits?

[Ray Bell]

The closed circuits available pre-war were:

Maroubra Speedway
Penrith Speedway
Aspendale in Melbourne

...and, until the advent of Bathurst in 1938 and without counting the public road circuits of Phillip Island, Lobethal, Port Elliot because they weren't in his neighbourhood, there wasn't much else.