Geelong Racecourse facts for kids

The Geelong Racecourse is a big place in Geelong, Victoria, Australia, where exciting horse racing events happen. This racecourse has been around since 1908. Every October, a famous race called the Geelong Cup takes place here. Many other horse races are also held throughout the year.

History of Horse Racing in Geelong

Horse racing in Geelong started a long time ago. The very first race meet happened on 1 May 1841. It was held at a place called Corio, and three races took place that day. Later, another race meet was held near the Moorabool River at "Airey's Flat."

Building the First Racecourse

In 1849, people decided to build a proper racecourse. They chose a large area of land, about 727 acres (2.9 square kilometers). This land was next to the Barwon River in a place called Marshalltown. However, this spot was close to Lake Connewarre, which meant it often flooded.

The Geelong Racing Club and Early Races

The official Geelong Racing Club was created in 1866. Their first race meet happened on 18 and 19 January 1866. A few years later, on 23 February 1872, the very first Geelong Cup was held at the Marshalltown course. A new grandstand, which is a big seating area for spectators, was also opened that day.

To make it easier for people to get to the races, a special railway line was built to the course in 1878.

Moving to a New Location

The old racecourse at Marshalltown had problems with flooding. So, in 1907, a big decision was made. They decided to move the Geelong Racecourse to a new, better location. This new spot is on Breakwater Road in East Geelong, where it is today.

The first race meeting at the new venue happened in March 1908. The Geelong Racing Club held its first official meet there on 12 December 1908. A new train station, called Geelong Racecourse railway station, was also built at this time. Several groups, including the Geelong Racing Club, helped pay for the station.

Modern Upgrades to the Course

Over the years, the Geelong Racecourse has been improved many times. One of the most recent upgrades included building a third grandstand. The race track itself was also made better. These changes help make sure the racecourse stays a great place for horse racing.