03/06/2026
I want to put my support behind the proposed Moreton Motorsport Park
As someone who lives and breathes motorsport through my photography and media work, I know how important purpose-built venues are for the future of this sport. Motorsport is so much more than cars and bikes on track. It is teams, officials, volunteers, mechanics, photographers, videographers, safety crews, sponsors, families, spectators and local businesses all coming together.
A proper venue like this would give competitors and fans a safe, legal and professionally managed place to enjoy motorsport, while also creating real benefits for the wider community through tourism, jobs, local spending and major events.
I do understand that some residents in the Beachmere community have concerns. I come from a region where people are extremely vocal when it comes to issues that affect their home, lifestyle and community, and I completely understand people wanting to protect where they live. People have every right to ask questions, raise concerns and make sure things are being done properly.
But at the same time, I think it is important that those concerns are raised respectfully and peacefully. If you want your voice to be heard and you want real outcomes, it should not be done through personal attacks or distasteful behaviour. That only takes away from the actual issues people are trying to raise.
Noise is obviously one of the biggest concerns around any motorsport venue, and I do understand that. But from my own experience, my closest and home tracks, Lismore Speedway and Grafton Speedway, are both located at their local showgrounds, close to their townships, and they are still able to operate by working within rules, conditions and community expectations. That shows motorsport venues and communities can coexist when there is proper planning, communication and management in place.
There are also people within the industry actively working on solutions to reduce noise. People like Gonzo and his team have been producing race mufflers and exhaust products aimed at helping bring noise levels down without taking away from the sport itself. That shows the industry is not just ignoring the issue. People are trying to improve it and find practical ways forward.
I am also someone who genuinely cares about wildlife, ecology and the environment. From what I have seen and read, this project does not appear to be a case of developers simply coming in, bulldozing native bushland and destroying wildlife habitat for a quick dollar. The proposal has been going through reports and assessments around noise, flooding, traffic, bushfire, ecological impacts and community benefit, which is exactly the sort of process that should happen for a project like this.
Flooding is another concern I understand. Living in the Northern Rivers, I know what floods can do. The 2022 floods were one of the worst natural disasters this country has seen and nearly wiped out entire towns in our region. So I do not dismiss flooding concerns lightly. But that is why proper flood studies, planning, council input and conditions matter.
You only have to look at venues like Perth Motorplex, Queensland Raceway, Albert Park and countless other motorsport facilities across Australia to see how much good they can do for a region. Queensland has a massive motorsport community, but we still do not have a true premier dirt oval venue on the scale needed to properly support major national-level speedway events into the future.
Moreton Motorsport Park could help fill that gap.
Personally, motorsport has given me opportunities, friendships, a career path and a community I am proud to be part of. I have seen firsthand how much this sport means to people, and how much good can come from having the right facilities in place.
Change is always hard, and I understand that not everyone will agree with the proposal. But I think everyone should take the time to listen, look at the facts, be civil and give the process a fair go. This could end up being a really positive thing for the area, the wider community and motorsport in Queensland.
With the right planning around noise, safety, traffic, environment, flooding and local residents, I believe this venue could be a huge step forward.
I strongly support Moreton Motorsport Park and what it could mean for the future of motorsport in this state. š
You can have your say on the proposal at https://planning.dsdmip.qld.gov.au/infrastructure-designation/submission/new/e7511131-2324-f111-8341-6045bdc3f566
