Like the Australian Automobile Grand Prix, the Motorcycle Grand Prix of Oz has a long history, extending far back before the time it became a world championship event in 1989. It is one of the few events that Vincent Glon of the phantastic racingmemo site (http://racingmemo.fr...GP-PALM-AUS.htm) hadn't researched in full before his untimely death, so I endeavoured to fill the void. So far, I have found satisfactory info about the events of the 70s and 80s, and am still in the process of finding stuff about earlier years, including prewar events. I would like to start this thread to post, in loose order and at a relaxed pace, results and stories about the events of each year, but even though researching backwards in time is possible, and even quite interesting to do, I feel it's not the best way to go about the project to tell the story 'back to front' (which I could start right away - I have basically all I need for the 70s and 80s), and I would rather do it in (at least roughly) chronological order, but I am missing some 'guiding information' about the earlier years - most of my research is done in newspapers, which are often not that clear about basic information (e.g. with some events in the thirties, it is not exactly clear whether the papers are reporting about the Australian GP or the Australian TT in some cases!). Does anyone know of a source which outlines some of that basic information for those early years in a reliable way?
Australian GP in former days
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#2
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Posted 19 January 2024 - 16:37
The Racing Boys by Wayne Adams, published in Goulburn NSW in about 2000, covers the Australian TT and GP until 1930.
#3
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Posted 01 April 2024 - 16:55
Easter was the traditional date for the Australian Grand Prix, so it would be fitting to start fleshing out this thread today. Unfortunetaly, I'm currently strapped for time a bit, so as an appetizer here's a list of winners from 1973 onwards (I have results from earlier years, but only continually and complete from period sources for 1973 and later):
1973-04-21, Bathurst
unlimited: Bill Horsman (Yamaha)
500cc: Gregg Hansford (Yamaha)
350cc: Bill Horsman (Yamaha)
250cc: Kenny Blake (Yamaha)
125cc: Kenny Blake (CSD)
sidecar senior:Steve Bayliss/Graham McGregor (Honda)
sidecar junior:Steve Bayliss/Graham McGregor (Honda)
1974-04-13/*14, Bathurst
*unlimited: Warren Willing (Yamaha)
500cc: Ron Toombs (Yamaha)
350cc: Ron Toombs (Yamaha)
*250cc: Warren Willing (Yamaha)
*125cc: Tony Hatton (Yamaha)
*sidecar senior: Stan Bayliss/Jeff Randall (Honda)
sidecar junior: Ross Allison/David Lambert (Yamaha)
1975-03-29/*30, Bathurst
*unlimited: Warren Willing (Yamaha)
sidecar junior: not held/cancelled (?)
*sidecar senior: Geoff Taylor/Barry Frazer (Yamaha)
sidecar junior: not held/cancelled (?)
1981-04-18/*19, Bathurst
unlimited: Greg Pretty (Yamaha)
*500cc: Ron Boulden (Yamaha)
350cc: Gary Coleman (Yamaha)
*250cc: Paul Lewis (Yamaha)
*125cc: Barry Smith (MBA)
*sidecar senior: Geoff Taylor/Barry Frazer (Yamaha)
sidecar junior: Geoff Taylor/Barry Frazer (Yamaha)
1982-04-11, Bathurst
unlimited: not held/cancelled (?)
500cc: Ron Boulden (Yamaha)
350cc: Graeme Geddes (Armstrong)
250cc: Chris Oldfield (Rotax)
125cc: Paul Lewis (Morbidelli)
sidecar: Geoff Taylor/Barry Frazer (Yamaha)
1983-04-03, Bathurst
superbike: Malcolm Campbell (Honda)
500cc: Andrew Johnson (Honda)
350cc: Chris Oldfield (Yamaha)
250cc: Chris Oldfield (Yamaha)
125cc: Ian Saunders (MBA)
sidecar: Geoff Taylor/Barry Frazer (Yamaha)
1984-04-22, Bathurst
unlimited: not held/cancelled (?)
350cc: Peter McKay (Yamaha)
250cc: Richard Scott (Yamaha)
125cc: Tony Hinton (MBA)
sidecar: Doug Chivas/Margaret Halliday (Yamaha)
1985-04-06, Bathurst
unlimited: Michael Dowson (Yamaha)
500cc: Tony Hinton (Yamaha)
350cc: Jeff Sayle (Yamaha)
250cc: Jeff Sayle (Yamaha)
125cc: Ian Saunders (Morbidelli)
sidecar: Doug Chivas/Margaret Halliday (Yamaha)
1986-03-30, Bathurst
1000cc: Malcolm Campbell (Honda)
350cc: Michael Dowson (Yamaha)
250cc: Michael Dowson (Yamaha)
125cc: Andrew Palmer (Mugen)
sidecar: Graham Biggs/Jim Colligan (Ireson)
1987-11-01, Winton
unlimited: Kevin Magee (Yamaha)
250cc: Jeff Sayle (Yamaha)
125cc: Peter Galvin (Honda)
sidecar: Barry Ditchburn/? (Yamaha)
1988-04-03, Bathurst
1000cc: Michael Doohan (Yamaha)
250cc: Matt Cooley (Honda)
125cc: Andrew Palmer (Honda)
sidecar: Gavin Porteous/? (Suzuki)
Edited by Michael Ferner, 05 April 2024 - 18:46.
#4
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Posted 03 April 2024 - 12:52
Michael, You may have this, but I do have some info on 1976 at Bathurst. Perhaps there is some info you may not have - these are taken from "The Bike Book Number 8" which was published in 1976 and has a detailed report of the meeting.
One notable difference to your results are in the ultra lightweight where they report it was a deadheat
Unlimited
1. Ikujiro. Takai - (Yamaha OW31) 2. Warren Willing (Yamaha TZ750) 3. Masahiro Wada (Kawasaki KR750) 4. John Woodley (Suzuki RG500) 5. Sadao Asami (Yamaha TZ750) 6. Laurie Barnett (Yamaha TZ750) 7. Dave Burgess (Yamaha TZ750) 8. Paul Graydon (Yamaha TZ700) 9. Gregg Hansford (Kawasaki H2R 750) - Hansford elected to ride the H2R instead of the KR750, although he had practiced on the KR, as it was slightly faster reports the Bike Book
Other entries included: Mick Hone (Suzuki TR750), Murray Sayle (Kawasaki H2R), Rob Hinton (Yamaha TZ750), Len Atlee (Yamaha TZ750), Ken Blake (Yamaha TZ750), Pat Hennen (Suzuki)- Bob Rosenthal (TZ750)- withdrew after his brother in law Ross Barelli(RG500) was killed, Stephen Klien (TZ750)- who crashed in practice and was injured
Senior GP (500cc)
1. John Woodley (Suzuki RG500) 2. Laurie Barnett (Suzuki RG500) 3. John Warrian (Suzuki RG500)4. Ray Quincey (Yamaha TZ350) 5. Rob Hinton (Yamaha TZ350) 6. Mick Hone (Suzuki TR500) 7. Gary Thomas (Yamaha TZ350) 8. Peter A. Smith (Yamaha TZ350) 9. Jeff Sayle (Yamaha TZ350)
Junior GP (350cc)
1. Rob Hinton (Yamaha TZ350) 2. Ray Quincey (Yamaha TZ350) 3. Sadao Asami (Yamaha TZ350) 4. Peter A. Smith (Yamaha TZ350) 5. Rick Perry 6. Gary Thomas 7. Len Atlee 8. Phil O'Brien
Lightweight GP (250cc)
1. Rob Hinton (Yamaha TZ250) 2. Ray Quincey (Yamaha TZ250) 3 Murray Sayle (Kawasaki KR250) 4. Dave Robbins 5. Bill McCulloch 6. Jeff Irvine 7. Roebuck 8. Peter L. Smith (note - not Peter A. Smith)
Ultra Lightweight (125cc)
1. Dave Burgess (Kawasaki) and Geoff Sim (Yamaha) - deadheat 3. Jeff Irvine (Yamaha) 4. Fraser Stronach (Yamaha) 5. John Maher (Yamaha) 6. Graeme Sigeley (Yamaha)
Senior Sidecar GP
1. Bob Salter/Trevor Luck (Yamaha 700) 2. Geoff Taylor/Barry Fraser (Kawasaki 900) 3. Alex Campbell/Russell Campbell (Yamaha 650) 4. Paul Vercoe/Geoff McMillan (Kawasaki 900) 5. Mal Mapperson/Rusty Scrivener (Kawasaki 750) 6. Grahan Allen/Jim Duncan (Kawasaki 750) 7. Levy/Bryne 8. Lindsay Urqhart/Jim Craig (Vincent 1000)
Junior Sidecar GP
1. Alex Campbell/Russell Campbell (Yamaha 650) 2. John Macklin/John Lloyd (Yamaha 600) 3. Bill Roberts/John O’Brien (Konig 500) 4. O’Hanlon/Maude 5. Ridgeley/Liddy 6. Stumbles/Alston
Edited by brands77, 03 April 2024 - 13:40.
#5
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Posted 04 April 2024 - 06:13
Many thanks, appreciated! 
#6
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Posted 04 April 2024 - 12:16
#7
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Posted 04 April 2024 - 12:27
Yes, I have - at home, will add later. Sorry for not having done so already 
But generally, Easter at Bathurst (with only one exception, I think)
#8
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Posted 05 April 2024 - 17:58
Have added dates and venues to my earlier post.
#9
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Posted 05 April 2024 - 18:45
Michael, You may have this, but I do have some info on 1976 at Bathurst (...)
Interestingly, I did have some of it, but not all, yet I can still add some info. In fact, I even had the bit about the dead heat in the Ultra-Lightweight, but that somehow slipped by
I also have Mick Hone finishing 10th in the unlimited, with Doug Sharp 11th and B. Thomas 12th (both on TZ700), also Kenny Blake on an RG500 (not Yamaha). In the 500cc, I have Vaughan Coburn (TZ350) finishing 10th, and Murray Sayle on a Yamaha in the 250cc (not Kawasaki).
