Warrnambool & District Drag Racing Association's search for new home continues following VCAT hearing
Drag Racing will continue at Warrnambool Airport on a year-by-year basis as the search for a new home for the sport continues.
The Warrnambool & District Drag Racing Association (WADDRA) committee met last week to discuss the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) decision to deny the racers a new home at the former Koroit racecourse.
WADDRA president Tony Frost said the committee was disappointed but remained positive.
“We’re going to continue on as we are,” Mr Frost said.“We do a lot for the community … through our show and shines, and we’ll continue to do that. We’ll continue to have our three events at the airport like we did last year.”
But the search for a new home will go on. “We’ll go back to our members (on June 15) and get their feedback and go from there,” Mr Frost said. “
It’s pretty disappointing. We thought we’d done everything Moyne Shire had requested. Not only has the club spent (over) $70,000 in studies, plans, various testing and a VCAT hearing, Moyne Shire and Warrnambool City Council have spent ratepayers’ money conducting their own studies (as well as) defence lawyers, all of which are funded by the ratepayers. We’ll address our members and sit down with Warrnambool City Council and Moyne Shire and go through what’s happened. Warrnambool City Council has always said they’ll find us a home, so this has put the ball back in their court.”
Warrnambool City Council acting chief executive Andrew Paton said: “the council has and will continue to work with the Warrnambool and District Drag Racing Association to find a new venue for its activities”.
END
Words by Matt Neal (The Standard) and photo by Morgan Hancock