South Queensland's Surfers Paradise Raceway, the oldest remaining drag strip in Australia, has been closed down following the conclusion of a deal between the track's owners, Westmark Corporation Ltd., and the neighbouring Daikyo Group, which runs a golfing complex on adjoining land at Nerang, just inland from the populous Gold Coast strip.

The Australian motor racing community was stunned to hear that the track had been sold, when news of the deal between the Perth-based Westmark and its new owners leaked out on July 9. Even the track's management is believed to have been ignorant of the deal until only hours before the media became generally aware of what was supposed to have been a secret arrangment.

At the time everyone was assured that negotiations were underway to secure the use of the track for at least another 18 months to permit the conclusion of obligations already entered into by the track.

Initially the new owners were not known, though rumours soon began to spread that it was the Daikyo Group, a Japanese corporation which operates a golfing complex and a number of condominiums on adjacent land. It has since been confirmed that they purchased the site to both expand their operations and to eliminate the noise factor, which they viewed as annoying to their clients.

Surfers Paradise track manager David Harding told DRAGSTER at the time that "any speculation that the Nationals won't be staged (at SPID) in November would be incorrect." He added, "It would make no sense for the place to cease operations immediately."

And he was right, except that one of the prime objectives in the purchase of the property was to reduce noise, and so any profit that the track might have been able to make for the new owners while they proceeded through the planning and preparation stages for whatever developments they had in mind was of little importance. They wanted to end the noise. And they have.

The deal between Daikyo and Westmark was subject to the approval of the Foreign Investment Review Board, and that delayed the date of closure, until it was revealed to the track management on Monday, September 7 that the facility would cease to operate as of Thursday, September 24.

This means that the last drag racing event to be staged at Surfers Paradise was the not overly exciting national open of August 2. As it was expressed by disappointed South Queensland racers, "not with a bang but a whimper."

Suggestions were made that at the conclusion of a two day motorcycle meeting scheduled for the weekend of September 19 and 20, that a special last ditch final drag race be staged on a one-qualifier then race basis, this was rejected as being unworkable in the time available.

Surfers Paradise had been sold to the Perth-based Westmark Corporation Ltd. only 12 months ago for a rumoured $2.9 million. Information published in the financial press in the months prior to the sale to Daikyo indicated that Westmark was revaluing the property by the issue of bonus shares to raise the paper value to at least $7 million. Rumours were then circulating that several parties were interested in purchasing the property.

The sale of the track, and its subsequent closure, has been widely covered in the press and on radio and television. While the track's long history, its status as the base of touring car racing in Queensland and as the base for the Yamaha factory bike testing were widely spoken of, not once, in anything on the subject seen by anyone at this office, did drag racing gain a mention, nor did the threat to the 1987 Nationals, which became apparent from the time of the announced sale, receive one word of coverage.

Given that drag racing was one of, if not the major money earner for the strip for so long it seems a little said that it should be quietly swept under the carpet when the time came for summing up the likely loss of the track as a venue for all forms of motorsport.

Within two days of the announcement of the imminent closure of Surfers Paradise Raceway it was announced that in just over a year a new and improved track, incorporating an international-grade drag strip as well as a Formula One motor racing circuit would be constructed on land recently purchased at Beenleigh, halfway between Surfers Paradise and Brisbane.

The new track is to be built on land currently operating as Bullens African Lion Safari and Zoo. In existence for over twenty years, the lion park, which has a frontage of 2 km. to the major freeway south from Brisbane has become a rather run-down facility and was prime property for redevelopment. The land is surrounded by industrial land and very little private housing, which should ensure a good life for the new track. It is generally level and has no major drainage problems.

Westmark Corporation Ltd., which has just sold its track at Surfers Paradise for a handsome profit, reinvested in the Beenleigh site to commence construction of a $10 million theme park incorporating a Formula One standard motor racing circuit to rival that in operation at Adelaide, and an international standard drag strip.

The new track is planned to be in operation at the end of 1988, subject to the smooth passage of the necessary approvals. Westmark chairman Barry Rogers stated in press interviews that the 90 hectare site would be developed into a family entertainment park. It would include children's entertainments, car museum and a branch of Sir Jack Brabham's driving school. Brabham is one of the directors of Westmark.

In his press statements, Mr. Rogers stated that operating a motor racing circuit is a commercially difficult proposition, and added that the family-based entertainment facility was one answer that was hoped would make the facility viable.

At this stage little consideration has been given to details of the proposed new track, other than the fact that Surfers Paradise manager David Harding assured DRAGSTER readers that it would incorporate the latest in facilities.

Mr. Harding will stay on at the Surfers Paradise site for some time after the September 24th close-down and will oversee the removal from the property of most of the equipment, which, where possible, will be transferred to the new track. He will then be intimately involved in the planning and construction of the new track.