Gnowangerup History

Gnowangerup had a active motor cycle club around 1948-52. Names that I have found include Des Gaze, Hector Copeland, Zic Walker, George Woods, Norrel Herbert, George Aylmore, Eddie Crouch, Roy Crisp, Reg Hagg, Spencer Stains
The Gnowangerup Motor Cycle Club competed on the Showgrounds including ring events when the show was on, and travelled to other towns like Katanning, Albany and other towns in the area, and held gymkhanas, speedway events, speed trials and scrambles. 
G S Hendry provided a trophy-Zic Walker did pretty well in most events.
There were  a series of events organized by the Motorcycle Racing Club of W.A called "Round the houses" and was for the State Motorcycle Championships. 
They were held in Gnowangerup about 1970 I think. I remember riding to Jerramungup to watch the races there also. Sandy Vladich, who owned the roadhouse at Jerry, used to race in the sidecar events.  In Gnowangerup some of the riders slept in the sheep pens at the showgrounds, and one of them told me it is the coldest place on earth.

GNOWANGERUP SPEEDWAY
Sat 21 Aug 1948

The Road Board has widened and banked the local speedway oval and the local rivals of Jack Sharp have expressed themselves pleased with the job, but pipes will have to be put in to carry water away from the low side. 
We are hoping to see two new speed merchants on the job this season in the persons of George Aylmore and Des Gaze. 
Both are up and coming lads and, at present are hotting up their motors. George will be riding at 350 ohv Bitzer Rudge and Des a Blue Smoke 500 cc ohv B.S.A. cum-Indian. 
Stanes has given a monkey gland to his 1932 Rudge Ulster motor but, the frame is a bit the worse for wear since he looped the loop on the cemetery bend recenty. 
Zic Walker is still endeavouring to prove he knows more about his 498 cc Levis than the 'chap who built it. 
Owen Moore has found the horse power his Matchless lost when the Albany boys were here. 
Des Wray has an AJS with no piston--an economical and safe job if it remains so. 
R. Crisp's machine is not so crisp, so be will be a doubtful starter this season. 
Reg. Hagg will still be top-weight starter. 
With the new machines getting about we are hoping to see some fast times in the flying quarter this year.

MOTORCYLE CLUB RACING 1950 GNOWANGERUP SHOW #4

Gnowangerup Speedway
 
On Sunday last some 200 people attended the showgrounds to see motorcyclists from Albany and Gnowangerup clubs competing in events on the track and oval.
The day took the form of a points competition between the two clubs with six men per side. 
A fast moving programme packed full of thrills kept spectators on their toes in the morning and afternoon and it was very disappointing when a shower of rain cut out the main track events about afternoon tea time.
The mud, however did not damp the riders' spirits at all for they reared and skidded about the oval in novelty events that gave the onlookers no time to notice the rain.

At a meeting at night the Albany boys expressed their pleasure on having made the trip and were looking forward to another meeting with the Gnowangerup.
They also paid tribute to hospitality shown them by those concerned.
The local club have to thank H. Lower for the use of his amplifier, W. Cuneo for announcing, Dr. Parton for his attendance and H, Gillies, G. Hendry and F. Murray for joining with those who assisted to make the day a success, not forgetting Mine Host for making the visitors at home�.
Results of events were as foliows :
Scratch Track Race: Theayer 1, Smith 2, Hagg 3.
Track Scratch Race: Bairstowe, Stanes 2, Moore 3.
Miniature TT: Theayer 1, Walker 2, Killick 3.
TT Handicap: Smith 1, Moore 2, Hagg 3.
Track Handicap: Killick 1, Crisp 2, Willliamson 3.
TT Handicap: Smith 1, Theayer 2, Williamson 3.
TT Scratch: Smith 1, Theayer 2, Killick 3.
Track Scratch: Williamson 1, Hagg 2, Wray 3.
TT Scratch: Theayer 1, Rowe 2, Walker 3.
South Port: Theayer 1, Killick 2, Moore 3.
TT Handicap: Williamson 1, Moore 2, Hagg 3.
Track Handicap: Williamson 1, Theayer 2, Moore 3.
Track Scratch: Stanes 1 (Record time 1.30), Theayer, Smith 3.
MOTORCYCLE GYMKHANA 
2 October 1948
Article from Gnowangerup Star
On Sunday last a large crowd drawn from Gnowangerup, Tambellup, Katanning and surrounding districts gathered at the show grounds to see a thrilling and well organised motor cycle meeting of the Gnowangerup and Albany clubs.
Once again the Albany team ran out winners with the points standing at 75 to 27, but the local boys took their share of the records and made Albany go flat out in every event. 
The highest total point scorers for Albany were D. Killick 18,: M. Williamson 17, and W. Theaver 16, while
Gnowangerup�s most successful were S. Stanes 8. O. Moore and I. Walker with 7 each and Des Gaze 6.
Owen Moore with a time of 1.26 25th�s took the 3 lap rolling start record, M. Smith (A) 1.30 for the standing start record while W. Thaeyer secured the record at 1.29.
All officials are thanked for their assistance in making the day a success and especially the ladies who assisted with the afternoon tea. The club is deeply endebted to Mrs. Stanes, Mrs. Gillies and Mrs. Creedon their willing efforts in this department.
Results of events on the programme were as follows:
Track standing start:  Lavater 1, I. Walker 2, Doering 3
Track Rolling Start:  Williamson 1, Smith 2, S. Stanes 3.
Sidecar track: D. Killick 1, K. Williamson 2, W. Thaeyer 3
Miniature TT: W. Theayer 1, Smith 2, Lavater3
Sidecar Track: Theayer 1, K Wiliamson 2, D. Gaze 3
Miniature TT: D. Killick 1, M Williamson 2, Crisp 3
Track Sidecars: W.Theayer 1, Ken Williamson 2, D. Gaze 3
Track, rolling:  O. Moore 1, R. Hagg 2

Ian Potter: I understand Mum ( Gladys Potter n�e Marshall ) rode a BSA Bantam. i know Mum had to get two blokes to stand it up when it fell over ...lol .....I rode a 650 twin Yamaha road bike for awhile and Mum took that for a spin when I got it.
Gladys Potter: BSA Bantam. We used to have a wonderfull time together, average speed was 60 miles per hour. We had respect for our property.It was my brother Johnny, who was a very small person until after He turned 21 years of age, who had trouble standing his bike up, and needed help to do so .
I did not have any trouble with mine ,
I eventually sold mine to Johnny Eastwood, when I bought a Morris Minor that had a canvas hood that rolled down. I was working in Albany so the car was much more suitable for my needs .
My brothers, Robert and Leslie had a Gold Flash police bike, both Colin and his cousin John Laurence had motor bikes the same time that we did.
I think one bike was an Ariel but I can�t remember the make of other one. We all had leather Jackets and gloves ,plus helmets and when we went to dances down Albany way they never charged us to enter, (I think they thought we were Bodgies and Widgies, bikers who had a very bad reputation at that time, but they soon found out that we were quite harmless and always invited us back.)
Motorbikes riding can be a very cold pastime, and sometimes when we got home at night it took us a while to get our fingers to open off the handlebars as they were near frozen, before we could go inside to bed .
Lewis Mogg: I have known Reg Hagg in his later life, he always talked about The motorcycle racing and riding to Perth to ride at the track near Fremantle. I can't quite recall the name of the track but it has been there for a long time. He talked about riding from gnowangerup to perth and narrogin to race, sometimes traveling at night with no lights. And of course the track at the gnowangerup show grounds. I haven't seen Reg for a good ten years, he used to come to my shop in Bunbury for smoko, he would always bring a packet of biscuits and a good chat/story most often than not about motorcycle racing. I miss old Reg, I presume he may have passed. Reg was a driver in the army, and worked at a garage in Gnowangerup after that he drove tour busses all over Australia.
Glen Oliver: In speed trials organized by the Gnowangerup Motorcycle Club in 1951, Don Davis recorded a speed of 82 mph (132 km/hr) in his Citroen, (A green Citroen car nick-named "The Green Beetle"). Reg Hagg on his Vincent motorcycle recorded a speed of 110mph (177 km/hr).