Lost & Found - Longford racing circuit, Tasmania

Lost racing tracks litter mainland of Australia, but 23 kilometres southwest of Launceston before the land hits the wilderness are a few dead-end roads and overgrown concrete patches left from one of Australia’s fastest circuits.

Longford, also known as Launceston racing circuit, held its first race meeting in 1953 and was Australia’s fastest grand prix track until Albert Park opened in 1996. A picturesque loop, some of its renowned features were the wonderful wooden Kings Bridge over the South Esk River, a rickety timber section of road called Long Bridge, a fast - and dangerous - sweeping corner which tucked under a railway viaduct, a fast mile long straight known as the ‘Flying Mile’ and a sharp right hander around the town’s local pub where patrons would cheer and cheers the drivers as they hurtled past.

Not just a track for locals, Longford hosted the Australian Grand Prix in 1959 and 1965, and the 7.242km circuit attracted over 45,000 spectators each year when it hosted the Tasman Series from 1964-1968. That series brought F1’ style racing to the southern hemisphere during Europe’s winter but the cars at Longford featured quicker 3-litre engines rather than the F1’s regulated 1.5-litre engine at the time.

Famous international motorsport champions who graced the corners and straights of Longford include Jim Clark, Sir Jackie Stewart, Sir Stirling Moss, Bruce McLaren and Graham Hill. So impressive was the little Tasmanian town’s circuit that Sir Jack Brabham declared it the best circuit in the southern hemisphere.

The circuit was also host of the 1962 Australian Touring Car Championship where Bob Jane triumphed in his Jaguar Mark 2 3.8, but half a decade later the circuit would hold its last meeting.

In its last meeting, in 1968, Chris Amon recorded the fastest lap ever on the circuit. The New Zealand racing car driver set a time of 2min12.6sec in a Ferrari 330P4 at an average speed of almost 200km/h, making Longford one of the fastest circuits in Australia. But, unfortunately, financial difficulty closed the track indefinitely.

As grand a track as Longford was the two bridges have since been demolished and most of what is left of the track is in slow decay.