PHOENIX RISES LOST SPEEDWAY ON TRACK FOR RETURN T O GLORY DAYS
PIONEER PARK’S STORY IS ONE FULL OF TWISTS AND TURNS. THE INTERNATIONALLY RENOWNED COMPLEX AT BRANDON WITH THE UNIQUE RURAL ATMOSPHERE ATTRACTED COMPETITORS FROM NEAR AND FAR BEFORE BEING ABANDONED. BUT ONE MAN’S PASSION HAS BROUGHT IT BACK TO LIFE, AS REPORTS
DERELICT, abandoned and in an absolute state of disrepair, one of North Queensland’s most popular motorsports precincts and a hidden gem among the vast Australian sporting landscape has risen from the ashes like a phoenix on the brink of death.
Pioneer Park Speedway, nestled among towering, lush cane fields in the town of Brandon, just over 5km west of Ayr, was established in 1973 by Brian Hodder, and fast became an internationally renowned speedway track.
Owned and run by Rod and Teri Heathcote between 2000 and 2003 after it was handed down to them by Mr Hodder, the venue was a favourite of speedway competitors from all over.
As Suncorp Stadium is to rugby
league, the track was a world-class facility and one of Australia’s best speedways, offering a unique rural atmosphere with grass viewing hills, lush manicured grounds and a family-friendly, theatre-like feel.
A state and national solos rider, Rod managed and maintained the complex over three years, often competing at race meets while curating the track and helping out, in addition to all the organisation and preparation that went into those events.
It wasn’t an easy task with two young children at home, his wife Teri still working full-time as a schoolteacher and himself putting in 60 hour-plus weeks at his panel business. The heavy workload was part of what led the husband and wife combo to sell the complex in 2003, after which it changed ownership multiple times before being abandoned when the company that owned it collapsed in 2011.
“I walked into the complex in about 2013 and it was derelict,” Rod said.
“The grass was over your head, everything worth anything had been taken – it was just in an absolute state of ruin and it broke my heart to look at it.
“I sort of felt responsible for it because Brian handed the complex over to me, even though I had nothing to do with the demise of the company itself and letting it get to where it was.
“Honestly, I looked up at the sky and I apologised to Brian. I said ‘I’m so sorry mate it’s ended up like this’ and from that day I tried to buy it back to right the wrong.”
That destiny was fulfilled by Rod in 2016 when he purchased the speedway complex for about $85,000 at a council auction, as well as the block of land beside it.