White Park Scone’s Spiritual Home of Racing

By Harley Walden

Harley Walden

DURING the war years, a number of race meetings were held by the Scone Race Club, namely at “Alabama” and St Aubins.

On December 7 1944 an enthusiastic band of gentlemen gathered to form a committee for the sole purpose of constructing a leisure outlet for the people of Scone and the Shire.

Mr. Doug Robertson was elected President, Mr. Ted Howell treasurer and Mr. Cecil Parry honorary secretary. The committee comprised: Messrs. B. Price, AW Riddle, S. Keene, S. Readford, C. Duncombe, L.R Morgan, H. Johnston, S. Clark, L. Israel, N. Lochead and Sgt. J. Loomes.

The committee was formed with the aim to raise sufficient funds to obtain at the time, many people considered a “pipedream”.

In an endeavour to obtain these funds to build the course, the committee opened a public subscription list, which met with liberal support from the people of the district.

In addition, one prominent horde-breeder of the area stated he would donate one Hundred pounds towards the expense of building the course.

When this was made known to other breeders in the district, six of them agreed to do likewise.

Thus, with seven hundred pounds guaranteed, plus eight hundred and seventy-eight pounds from public subscriptions, the committee set about to build a course on White Park, and in August 1945, Mr. G. McRae was employed to lay out the course and a start was made.

For many years past there had been a desire, even a demand, for a club-owned course and appointments in the Scone district, the acclaimed home of the thoroughbred of the extensive terrain beneath the Southern Cross itself.

This was made possible, but only after more than a modicum of hard work, pulsating from a comparatively small body of sportsmen – men who placed the public first and foremost and who never lost sight of the fact of the needs of the district from an angle envisaged and worked from what must be at all times within its ambit.

These public-spirited men and their colleagues found the wherewithal to have a track laid out and the appointments placed in position.

These self-same did more, they appreciably co-operated in bringing into use an expanse of country destined by nature to bring relaxation and a colourful occupation to the residents of the town and environs, and even further afield.

The entrance to White Park, Scone

White Park itself is steeped in history.

Originally it was part of Kelly’s Farm, the property of sailor Richard Kelly who lost two of his ships while employed under government contract and received a grant of 1920 acres in Scone as compensation.

This was Governor Darling’s day and Kelly Street was then the track leading to Kelly’ Farm.

The farm became part of St Aubins soon afterwards and when Bakewells subdivided the old Racecourse Paddock the people of Scone were given the use of another paddock known as the Town Paddock or Bakewells Paddock as a recreation area.

For many years school picnics, Empire Day functions and many sporting activities were held there, but when further subdivisions of St Aubins were made in the early 1920s it seemed that the town would once again lose a popular recreation area.

It was purchased and given to the town by Mr. Alf White of Belltrees, in whose honour it was named “White Park” in 1924.

Thus in 1947 the Scone Race Club staged its first Cup meeting on a parcel of land belonging to the people of Scone.

Related Stories:

• A New Racecourse is Born – Pt 2
• Memories and Openings – Pt 3