Supercar plan refuelled

Premier to weigh up V8 track benefit as Cabinet meets

AS PUBLIC support grows for Toowoomba to get its own V8 Supercar track, the State Government says it will weigh up the benefits before committing fully to the development.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk will today hold a State Cabinet meeting at City Hall in Toowoomba, with infrastructure expected to top the list of the items to be discussed.

Whether that will include discussions on whether to back the $40 million world-class motorsports facility near Wellcamp airport remains unclear.

It follows overwhelming public support for the 450-hectare facility on the back of calls from industry group Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise last week.

A government spokesman yesterday told The Chronicle the motorsport facility, which could cater for 30,000 campers onsite and bring more than 140,000 tourists to the region for major events, could be considered in the future.

“We are always looking to grow events in regional Queensland, and supporting major events like the Carnival of Flowers,” the spokesman said.

“Our agreement with the Supercars currently includes events in Ipswich, Gold Coast and Townsville. If this stacks up for taxpayers we’ll take a look at it.”

Key aspects of the project include an FIA Category 2 standard 4.35km race track which would capitalise on an existing memorandum of understanding with V8 Supercars that if the park is built racing will occur in Toowoomba.

Integrated Event Delivery Management chairman John Howe said people were willing to travel to regional towns to take advantage of major infrastructure, such as the motorsport facility.

“They are a major benefit to Toowoomba tourism for events, as well as driver and motorbike training and other uses of the site,” he said.

A proposed plan of the facility reveals a rally cross circuit feeding off part of the V8 Supercar circuit designed by racing legends Mark Skaife and Mick Doohan.

Off-road circuits are also mapped out along with other off-road tracks, a kart circuit and a carpark with 2500 spaces.