OLD BIKE AUSTRALASIA: 53TRACKS IN TIMEQUORN HALL
During World War 2the Federal
Government decided, with the Japanese
so close, they needed somewhere safe
where the air force could retreat to and
regroup if necessary. Many large
Tasmanian properties had basic airstrips
and Western Junction (later to become
Launceston airport) was being used as a
training airstrip for new pilots. So,
Tunbridge, Valleyfield and Quorn Hall
were upgraded to be able to handle
heavy bombers. Quorn Hall was situated
on Mr T.C. Clark’s property. It had been in
the Clark family since the 1830s and
specialised in fine wool.
As Trevor Jowett described how to get
there in his January 1952 column in the
Tasmanian Motor Trade Journal,
“To reach the course from Campbell
Town, spectators should travel to the
southern end of the town, turn left on to
the Lake Leake Road, some 200 yards
beyond the bridge. Approximately three
miles along this road, banners will be
seen on the right hand side. Turn right
through the gate for half a mile, and there
you are. It’s as easy as that and you’ll
have a great day’s fun. Be seeing you!”
Astute members of the Tasmanian
Motor Cycle Club organised in May 1946
a club ride to Quorn Hall for a picnic
lunch where keen beach racing members
were able to see the potential for the
airstrip. In fact, later reports indicate the
TMCC did run some races on that “picnic”
day. By then many states were using ex-
war airstrips as race tracks. The runwayABOVE The November
1952 Tasmanian TT.
Senior winner Ray Owen
with second placed Dave
Powell (21) and Max
Stephens (74).
BELOW Start of the Senior TT
in 1952 with the Stephens
brothers Col (49) and Max
(74) well away.was still in use for commercial flights and
was in the midst of a tug of war as to
which airstrips should be upgraded and
which should be closed.
The plan hatched was to put straw
bales down the middle of the runway
with 44-gallon drums as corner markers
and use some of the oiled gravel access
road in a “J” shaped pattern. It may➢