Albert Newton

One of the great characters from the ‘sixties Sydney scrambles scene, ALBERT NEWTON, passed away in December 2020, age 87.

Albert was a Life member of the Hawkesbury Motorcycle Club and raced at Moorebank, Mount Kembla and at the club’s own circuit at Bilpin, just a few hundred metres from where he lived on Bell’s Line of Road. Albert, Milton Vincent and other club members were the driving force behind the creation of the Bilpin circuit, which was hacked out of bush in a gully behind the Bilpin District Hall. Albert was the archetypal wiry, reed-thin bush Aussie, with a distinctive drawl that was frequently punctuated by laughter. His modest house sat next to the Bilpin Bush Fire shed, and he was a tireless worker for that organisation in an area that was frequently ravaged by fires. He began racing on a 350 Ariel (which he owned up to his death) before lashing out on a new 250 Cotton Cobra purchased from Ryans of Parramatta. He later bought a 250 Montesa from the same shop. As well as the NSW meetings, Albert often loaded up and travelled to the Australian titles when they were held interstate. He was never a star but nevertheless a very competent and committed rider and frequently finished in top five amidst the top names. Although never a smoker, Albert battled lung problems for much of his life and spent the last few years in poor health.

LEFT Albert Newton makes a spectacular and noisy arrival at the entrance to the old Bilpin Scrambles track on the occasion of Hawkesbury MCC’s 60th anniversary in 2011. At a spritely 78 years of age, Albert rode his old Ariel – open exhaust and all – the 300 metres from his home, arriving to a round of applause.