History
In 2010 the Shire of Cranbrook approached interested shire residents with the prospectus of establishing a motorcycle track on the Cranbrook Memorial Sportsground, Rockwell Road Cranbrook, at the request of Albany rider Jay Voak seeking a new venue. This would be an opportunity for a club to utilise the vacant oval and clubrooms.
After a public meeting held on the 16th November 2010 an inaugural committee was established consisting of local shire residents, John Tucket, Ben Sprigg, Scott Reynolds, Brendan Watterson, Harvey Gillam, Neil Preston and Dallis Preston. Due to the committee’s limited experience in operating a motorcycle club, Jay Voak from Albany was invited to join as an administration advisor.
This committee would operate the club being “Cranbrook Districts Motorcycle Club Inc.” under the affiliated body, Motorcycling WA. This would entitle all registered riders of the Rockwell Flats Track to full insurance in the case of an accident.
The committee established that the primary purpose of this club was to create a safe, responsible and fair environment for the residents of the Shire of Cranbrook and surrounding areas to enjoy motorcycling sports under the Motorcycling WA (MWA) guidelines. They also set a long term goal that the club would move from being a grass roots club to hosting interclub, state and national motocross events. The club was incorporated on 19th June 2012.
The committee set to work designing a motocross track on the Cranbrook Memorial Sports Ground oval meeting Motorcycling WA guidelines and facing all acceleration straits and corners away from the town site were possible to minimise noise to residents. All track design and construction work was performed voluntarily, a credit to the residents of the Shire of Cranbrook, ready for the 2012 season. Our first event Come & Try Day "Family Ag Bike Challenge" was held on Saturday 11th August 2012.
In 2012 the Shire of Cranbrook, at the request of local Cranbrook town residents, paid for Lloyd George Acoustics to conduct two noise monitoring sessions on, Saturday 8th September 2012 being a Club Day, and Saturday 22nd September 2012 being a Race Day. Lloyd George Acoustics measured sounds at three loggers, being location 1 Motocross venue at club house, location 2 boundary fence Rockwell Road opposite motocross driveway entrance, and location 3 cricket pitch at Fredrick Square town centre. A normal conversation is 60 dB(A), busy road is 69 dB(A), factory floor is 90 dB(A) and a rock band is 104 dB(A). The results of the Lloyd George Acoustics graph showed that no noise exceeded 89 dB(A). In fact, the Rockwell Road boundary fence and Fredrick Square reading did not exceed 71 dB(A) being equivalent to a noisy road such as Great Southern Hwy and CBH.
It should also be noted that the location of the Rockwell Flats track is north of the town site of Cranbrook, and that the prevailing wind direction during the day for much of the motocross season (being April - October) is south-west. Therefore the town is generally upwind of the Cranbrook Districts Motorcycle Club Inc. venue.
At the 16th October 2013 council meeting, the Councillors seeing the benefit this sport can offer the Cranbrook community, asked the Shire of Cranbrook to partner with Cranbrook Districts Motorcycle Club to source an alternative site due to the perceived noise and proximity of Rockwell Flats track to the townsite of Cranbrook. A steering committee was formed and a 20ha section of the Sukey Hill Reserve 9520 was earmarked as a potential venue. This reserve originally set aside for railway water supply purposes on 30th December 1904, vested to the (then) Minister for Water Resources on 15th October 1971, and later vested to the Water Corporation on 23rd May 1997. The Great Southern Region Water Corporation have now vested this land into the Shire of Cranbrook's name, who can then lease it to Cranbrook Districts Motorcycle Club Inc.
The club, as of the 2015 race season, became a member of the Motorcycling WA Motocross South West Interclub Series, hosting the event on Sunday 2nd August 2015 with 123 motocross riders competing. This competition has seven competitive events, one at each of the member clubs being, Albany Motorcycle Club, Bunbury Motorcycle Club, Collie Motorcycle Club, Denmark Motocross Club, Manjimup Motorcycle Club and Southern Capes Motorcycle Club (Busselton).
2015 was a year of acknowledgement of our contribution as a sporting club, from the local community and our governing body winning the following awards;
The Sukey Hill steering committee pressed on in 2015 & 2016 organising a Flora Study by Wendy Bradshaw, Feasibility Study by Steve Pretzel, building concept drawings by Robert Gardiner Architects, and engaging in Greg Moss from Moss Institute to assist with the motocross track design to develop a regional motorcycling facility at Sukey Hill with the ability to host national events, ready for the 2017 motocross club season.
On 31st January 2017 Cranbrook Districts Motorcycle Club Inc received a $200,000 grant from the Great Southern Development Commission funded by Royalties for Regions Fund to be spent on Stage 1, being rider waiting bay, scruitineer/first aid hut, with an in kind contribution agreement from the Shire of Cranbrook for the construction of a venue access road and the Cranbrook Districts Motorcycle Club Inc for the construction of a Motocross track. Stage 1 was officially opening on 15th July 2018. On 17th December 2018, the club received a $32,600 grant from the Federal Government - Community Sporting Infrastructure Grants, for Stage 2, being Camp Ground Ablution Block. Further grants are currently being sourced for Stage 3 - Track Watering, and the final Stage 4 - Club House.
The club signed a 21 year lease for a section (being Lot 300) of Reserve 52284 Sukey Hill Road commencing 18th May 2017, securing the clubs future in the Cranbrook community. This land is referred to as "Sukey Hill Regional Motorcycling Facility", home of Cranbrook Districts Motorcycle Club Inc, or just simply "Sukey Hill".
On Saturday 27th May 2017 Sukey Hill hosted its first Motocross Club Day. Riders and spectators were impressed with the Greg Moss inspired track, natural terrain and liquorish all sorts track surface. This was quite an achievement after being given the okay to start building by the Shire of Cranbrook just a week earlier on the 21st May 2017. A credit to Andrew from AA Contractors Australia Frankland River and Harvey & Ann Baxter from Baxter Bulldozing, along with the track maintenance committee. This was demonstrated when Sukey Hill hosted the South West Interclub Series & Windup on Sunday 24 September 2017. Peter Clark Motorcycling WA president and Peter Northover Shire of Cranbrook CEO in attendance, were very impressed at the venue presentation standard, and looking back in hind site Sukey Hill is a much more suited, free draining site ideal for the sport of motocross then Rockwell Flats.
The busy year of 2017 was capped off with Justin Shepherd Club President and head of Track Maintenance Committee being awarded 'Volunteer of the Year' at the 2017 Motorcycling WA Night of Champions, for his hands on foreman approach in coordinating the clubs venue move and overseeing the construction of the Sukey Hill track. MWA President Peter Clark said of Justin's efforts "This has been an enormous effort, and while we acknowledge that there are many others that contribute to the building and running of a club, that extra effort by an individual is inspiring to others."
The committee are continuing to develop the Sukey Hill Regional Motorcycling Facility venue, as per the steering committee planning, and have started construction on a Moto Trials site and are incorporating the motocross track as a section of an enduro track loop, after hosting an inaugural trail ride at the venue on 25th March 2017.
As of the 2018 season Cranbrook DMCC joined forces with Albany MCC and Jerramungup MCC to host an annual Great Southern Tri Series. The event format is a combination of competitive and non competitive races, with the goal being to promote the sport within the region.
Funding for Stage 2 - Camping Area Ablution Block development at Sukey Hill Regional Motorcycling Facility was announced by MP Rick Wilson on 17th December 2018. This is a federal government grant of $32K under the Community Sporting Infrastructure Fund. Opening of Stage 2 is scheduled for 23rd June 2019.
Cranbrook Districts Motorcycle Club moved from a "grass roots" club in 2019 when they secured a place on the WAMX Motocross State Round Calendar. The event, a Double Header held on the 6-7th July showcased the open, traditional style natural terrain motocross track to the rest of Western Australia with 260 riders competing and 1300 spectators attending. The motocross riders loved this new track despite the unfavourable weather conditions with MX1 & MX2 Champion Reagan Duffy podium speech hailing it his favourite WA track, "Manjimup MCC will always be special with its history but this track is worthy of a national round". 20000 tuned into the live streaming Round 4 seniors day, a record for 4Style Riders.
In 2010 the Shire of Cranbrook approached interested shire residents with the prospectus of establishing a motorcycle track on the Cranbrook Memorial Sportsground, Rockwell Road Cranbrook, at the request of Albany rider Jay Voak seeking a new venue. This would be an opportunity for a club to utilise the vacant oval and clubrooms.
After a public meeting held on the 16th November 2010 an inaugural committee was established consisting of local shire residents, John Tucket, Ben Sprigg, Scott Reynolds, Brendan Watterson, Harvey Gillam, Neil Preston and Dallis Preston. Due to the committee’s limited experience in operating a motorcycle club, Jay Voak from Albany was invited to join as an administration advisor.
This committee would operate the club being “Cranbrook Districts Motorcycle Club Inc.” under the affiliated body, Motorcycling WA. This would entitle all registered riders of the Rockwell Flats Track to full insurance in the case of an accident.
The committee established that the primary purpose of this club was to create a safe, responsible and fair environment for the residents of the Shire of Cranbrook and surrounding areas to enjoy motorcycling sports under the Motorcycling WA (MWA) guidelines. They also set a long term goal that the club would move from being a grass roots club to hosting interclub, state and national motocross events. The club was incorporated on 19th June 2012.
The committee set to work designing a motocross track on the Cranbrook Memorial Sports Ground oval meeting Motorcycling WA guidelines and facing all acceleration straits and corners away from the town site were possible to minimise noise to residents. All track design and construction work was performed voluntarily, a credit to the residents of the Shire of Cranbrook, ready for the 2012 season. Our first event Come & Try Day "Family Ag Bike Challenge" was held on Saturday 11th August 2012.
In 2012 the Shire of Cranbrook, at the request of local Cranbrook town residents, paid for Lloyd George Acoustics to conduct two noise monitoring sessions on, Saturday 8th September 2012 being a Club Day, and Saturday 22nd September 2012 being a Race Day. Lloyd George Acoustics measured sounds at three loggers, being location 1 Motocross venue at club house, location 2 boundary fence Rockwell Road opposite motocross driveway entrance, and location 3 cricket pitch at Fredrick Square town centre. A normal conversation is 60 dB(A), busy road is 69 dB(A), factory floor is 90 dB(A) and a rock band is 104 dB(A). The results of the Lloyd George Acoustics graph showed that no noise exceeded 89 dB(A). In fact, the Rockwell Road boundary fence and Fredrick Square reading did not exceed 71 dB(A) being equivalent to a noisy road such as Great Southern Hwy and CBH.
It should also be noted that the location of the Rockwell Flats track is north of the town site of Cranbrook, and that the prevailing wind direction during the day for much of the motocross season (being April - October) is south-west. Therefore the town is generally upwind of the Cranbrook Districts Motorcycle Club Inc. venue.
At the 16th October 2013 council meeting, the Councillors seeing the benefit this sport can offer the Cranbrook community, asked the Shire of Cranbrook to partner with Cranbrook Districts Motorcycle Club to source an alternative site due to the perceived noise and proximity of Rockwell Flats track to the townsite of Cranbrook. A steering committee was formed and a 20ha section of the Sukey Hill Reserve 9520 was earmarked as a potential venue. This reserve originally set aside for railway water supply purposes on 30th December 1904, vested to the (then) Minister for Water Resources on 15th October 1971, and later vested to the Water Corporation on 23rd May 1997. The Great Southern Region Water Corporation have now vested this land into the Shire of Cranbrook's name, who can then lease it to Cranbrook Districts Motorcycle Club Inc.
The club, as of the 2015 race season, became a member of the Motorcycling WA Motocross South West Interclub Series, hosting the event on Sunday 2nd August 2015 with 123 motocross riders competing. This competition has seven competitive events, one at each of the member clubs being, Albany Motorcycle Club, Bunbury Motorcycle Club, Collie Motorcycle Club, Denmark Motocross Club, Manjimup Motorcycle Club and Southern Capes Motorcycle Club (Busselton).
2015 was a year of acknowledgement of our contribution as a sporting club, from the local community and our governing body winning the following awards;
- 2015 Motorcycling WA Night of Champions 'Most Improved Club' Award
- 2015 Shire of Cranbrook Australia Day 'Community Achievement' Award
- 2015 Cranbrook Show 'Best Presented Local Community Organisation' Ribbon
The Sukey Hill steering committee pressed on in 2015 & 2016 organising a Flora Study by Wendy Bradshaw, Feasibility Study by Steve Pretzel, building concept drawings by Robert Gardiner Architects, and engaging in Greg Moss from Moss Institute to assist with the motocross track design to develop a regional motorcycling facility at Sukey Hill with the ability to host national events, ready for the 2017 motocross club season.
On 31st January 2017 Cranbrook Districts Motorcycle Club Inc received a $200,000 grant from the Great Southern Development Commission funded by Royalties for Regions Fund to be spent on Stage 1, being rider waiting bay, scruitineer/first aid hut, with an in kind contribution agreement from the Shire of Cranbrook for the construction of a venue access road and the Cranbrook Districts Motorcycle Club Inc for the construction of a Motocross track. Stage 1 was officially opening on 15th July 2018. On 17th December 2018, the club received a $32,600 grant from the Federal Government - Community Sporting Infrastructure Grants, for Stage 2, being Camp Ground Ablution Block. Further grants are currently being sourced for Stage 3 - Track Watering, and the final Stage 4 - Club House.
The club signed a 21 year lease for a section (being Lot 300) of Reserve 52284 Sukey Hill Road commencing 18th May 2017, securing the clubs future in the Cranbrook community. This land is referred to as "Sukey Hill Regional Motorcycling Facility", home of Cranbrook Districts Motorcycle Club Inc, or just simply "Sukey Hill".
On Saturday 27th May 2017 Sukey Hill hosted its first Motocross Club Day. Riders and spectators were impressed with the Greg Moss inspired track, natural terrain and liquorish all sorts track surface. This was quite an achievement after being given the okay to start building by the Shire of Cranbrook just a week earlier on the 21st May 2017. A credit to Andrew from AA Contractors Australia Frankland River and Harvey & Ann Baxter from Baxter Bulldozing, along with the track maintenance committee. This was demonstrated when Sukey Hill hosted the South West Interclub Series & Windup on Sunday 24 September 2017. Peter Clark Motorcycling WA president and Peter Northover Shire of Cranbrook CEO in attendance, were very impressed at the venue presentation standard, and looking back in hind site Sukey Hill is a much more suited, free draining site ideal for the sport of motocross then Rockwell Flats.
The busy year of 2017 was capped off with Justin Shepherd Club President and head of Track Maintenance Committee being awarded 'Volunteer of the Year' at the 2017 Motorcycling WA Night of Champions, for his hands on foreman approach in coordinating the clubs venue move and overseeing the construction of the Sukey Hill track. MWA President Peter Clark said of Justin's efforts "This has been an enormous effort, and while we acknowledge that there are many others that contribute to the building and running of a club, that extra effort by an individual is inspiring to others."
The committee are continuing to develop the Sukey Hill Regional Motorcycling Facility venue, as per the steering committee planning, and have started construction on a Moto Trials site and are incorporating the motocross track as a section of an enduro track loop, after hosting an inaugural trail ride at the venue on 25th March 2017.
As of the 2018 season Cranbrook DMCC joined forces with Albany MCC and Jerramungup MCC to host an annual Great Southern Tri Series. The event format is a combination of competitive and non competitive races, with the goal being to promote the sport within the region.
Funding for Stage 2 - Camping Area Ablution Block development at Sukey Hill Regional Motorcycling Facility was announced by MP Rick Wilson on 17th December 2018. This is a federal government grant of $32K under the Community Sporting Infrastructure Fund. Opening of Stage 2 is scheduled for 23rd June 2019.
Cranbrook Districts Motorcycle Club moved from a "grass roots" club in 2019 when they secured a place on the WAMX Motocross State Round Calendar. The event, a Double Header held on the 6-7th July showcased the open, traditional style natural terrain motocross track to the rest of Western Australia with 260 riders competing and 1300 spectators attending. The motocross riders loved this new track despite the unfavourable weather conditions with MX1 & MX2 Champion Reagan Duffy podium speech hailing it his favourite WA track, "Manjimup MCC will always be special with its history but this track is worthy of a national round". 20000 tuned into the live streaming Round 4 seniors day, a record for 4Style Riders.