The rich history of Ipswich Turf Club has been brought to the fore with the opening of a new museum and event space in a disused tote building.
The building, just inside the main entrance, was built in 1950 and used to take bets on race days for many years before sitting dormant for at least the past two decades.
Now, it has been refurbished with new electrical wiring, restored timber paneling, the installation of a bar and a fresh coat of paint inside and out.
A timeline adorns the walls inside, telling the story of how the racing industry developed locally, the people who shaped it and the horses that made their mark.
There is also a display of machines used to take bets, bookmaker board and a few other pieces of memorabilia on show.
On the outside, the old tote windows have been covered over and a series of plaques celebrating the winners of the famed Ipswich Cup, which was first run in 1866, installed.
Ipswich Turf Club marketing and communications manager Claire Power was among the team that spent many an hour researching for the museum.
“Racing has been in this region since the early 1840s and has been a major part of the community so it’s wonderful to be able to pay tribute to the people and horses that shaped it,” she said.
“There are some fascinating insights into not just racing in Ipswich but also how society has changed over the years.
“One in particular that stands out is a photo that shows the men on one side and women on the other in the mounting yards; times have certainly changed.
“The museum is a real credit, inside and out, to everyone here at the club who worked on it.
“Importantly, we’ve left space so we can add to the museum as more research is done and as the club develops.”
As well as showcasing Ipswich’s horse racing history, the refurbished tote building will double as a function area.
“It provides an extra space that can be used for private functions on race days and throughout the year, which will really complement the $13m redevelopment,” Ms Power said.
Ipswich Turf Club is set to undergo its biggest change in more than two decades with major upgrades to the racing surface and new member’s lounge and events centre.
The museum’s opening also coincided with the switch being officially flicked on a 99.36kW solar power system at the club.
“In partnership with Planet Ark Power, we are thrilled to be integrating clean energy into our footprint,” Ipswich Turf Club chairman Wayne Patch said.
“We’ve installed a 99.36kW system on the Viewing Terrace and expect to reduce our carbon footprint and save the club $1m over 25 years.
“That means environmental benefits equal to 121 tonnes of carbon offset, 491 trees being planted and 1339 cars off the road annually.”
The horse that put Ipswich racing on the map
Thousands of horses have galloped at Ipswich since racing came to the region in the early 1840s. In the early years racing at Ipswich was relatively low key, but that all changed when a horse named Zoe made its way up from Sydney to race in the 1861 Australian Champion Sweepstakes.
A predecessor to the Ipswich Cup, the three mile Sweepstakes was in 1861 Australia’s richest horse race, offering 1,000 pounds to the winner, significantly more than the 100 pounds and gold watch on offer the same year for the Melbourne Cup winner.
It was the most important horse race that had ever taken place in Ipswich and a great social event, enticing people from Brisbane and all the outlying districts. Governor Sir George Ferguson Bowen was patron of the event.
Four horses ran – Zoe, Ben Bolt, Eclipse and Van Tromp. Zoe was said to be the most beautiful animal to have been seen in the Australian colonies and went on to win the race in 5 minutes 55 seconds ahead of Ben Bolt.
The real winner however was Ipswich racing which ever since has been an important part of the horse racing landscape in Queensland and Australia.
Today, the Ipswich Turf Club’s biggest event is the annual Ipswich Cup which draws 20,000 people.
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