Harpers Bush
The City of Blacktown in Western Sydney recently erected signage in recognition of an area now officially known as Harpers* Bush Reserve. Located on the corner of Holbeche Road and Reservoir Road, the 6.5 hectare site was owned by the late Gordon Harper, an instrumental and active member of the Blacktown Motorcycle Club during its heyday. Gordon and his friend and fellow Blacktown member Jack Hogan were both keen road racers on Velocettes – Jack won the Lightweight TT at Bathurst in 1955.
Harper’s property in what was then bushland in Blacktown at one stage housed clubrooms for the members and a small but popular dirt circuit was also carved out by willing workers – few Sydney clubs had the luxury of their own race track. It is believed the circuit was in use up till 1975. Blacktown Council acquired the site in 2005, two years before Gordon Harper passed away. In 2008, the name Harpers Bush Reserve was approved by the Geographical Names Board. It is nice to see official recognition of the site; a small but important chapter in local motorcycling history.