STAWELL RACECOURSE
The country racecourse at Stawell is in the State of Victoria approximately 140 miles West of the city of Melbourne. It can be reached via the Western Highway. In 1998 the Wimmera Racing Club was established and made Stawell Racecourse their administrative centre. The Club also administered racing at Apsley, Donald, Edenhope, Murtoa, Horsham, Nhill, St Arnaud and Warracknabeal.
	Early records show that racing took place in the area in November 1857 when a meeting was held at the Pleasant Creek track. The town was a rich gold mining area and the principal race was a 3 mile affair with a prize of 100 sovereigns, a huge purse in those early days.
It was in early 1906 that the Pleasant Creek Racing Club came under financial pressure and the Stawell Amateur Turf Club was established.
	Two features of the racecourse were the viewing hill, buily in 1919, and a red brick building developed in 1925. The wooden grandstand was gutted by fire in 1973 and replaced by a more permanent brick construction.
If you have badges, racecards, pictures of the racecourse or further details about the course, including your memories, then email johnslusar@fsmail.net