Wallabadah Racecourse has been given a new lease on life after the NSW Government approved an expanded use of the Crown land reserve for a range of community events.
Minister for Racing Kevin Anderson said after a meeting with the local trust it was decided to shift the focus of the racecourse to more community-based activities.
"Community events are so important to regional towns and that is why the NSW Government has partnered with the Wallabadah community to give it a fresh start, as part of our commitment to investing in local communities," Mr Anderson said.
"The land will now be able to be used to host a range of regional activities onsite like fairs and markets, functions, sports other than horse racing, and other community events."
The Wallabadah reserve was first gazetted by the government 123 years ago in 1899 for a 'racecourse and athletics sportsground' but now it has been re-gazetted for 'public recreation and other community purposes'.
Wallabadah Racecourse Reserve hosted its first community event on 14 and 15 May with market stalls on Saturday and a feature packed 'The Way it Was' weekend with heavy and light horse displays, NSW yard dog trials, blacksmith and post splitting demonstrations, and a fleet of vintage cars, motorcycles and trucks.
The event included official opening of a new toilet block built on the reserve with a $163,000 grant from the NSW Government's Crown Reserves Improvement Fund.
Minister Anderson declares a new community purpose for the former Wallabadah racecourse reserve.
The Way it Was Community Festival kick off the reserves new purpose.
