AUSTRALIA’S OLDEST PROVINCIAL RACECOURSE - RACING Since 1843

 Horse racing has been part of life in York since 1843, when the York Jockey Club was established. The club began racing at the present York Racecourse site in 1846. Set beneath Mount Bakewell and just over an hour from Perth, the course has endured changing fortunes, natural disasters and enormous social change while remaining a gathering place for generations of Western Australians. 

Image:  Howard Baldwin at York Track. Photograph courtesy of Chris Baldwin and the WA Historical Cycle Club.  

  For more than 180 years, York Racecourse has remained part of the social and sporting fabric of the Avon Valley, enduring wars, crop failures, economic depressions and Western Australia’s gold rush and mining boom eras. Over the years, the club has undergone several transformations, including changes to its name.  The club was originally known as the York Jockey Club and later became the York-Beverley Turf Club through an association with the neighbouring Beverley racing community. This resilience and adaptability are a testament to the enduring spirit of York Racecourse. 

  Now managed by York Racing Inc, the course underwent significant upgrades in 2009, including re-turfing and cambering, to enhance track safety for racing. In 2011, a severe storm caused extensive damage to the heritage-listed grandstand, which had stood at the racecourse since 1924. The damaged grandstand was subsequently demolished. Racing was put on hold until 2015, when the thoroughbred and harness racing clubs united to create a new entity, York Racing Inc, marking the beginning of a new chapter for the racecourse. 

York Racecourse now features a modernised turf track, new trotting track and upgraded infrastructure, making it a premier destination for racing enthusiasts. We host six thoroughbred meetings each year, with the highlight being the prestigious York Cup in November.

 A DISTINCTIVE COUNTRY COURSE 

• 1,661m track circumference 
• 320m home straight 
• 1,300m and 1,500m starting chutes 
• Up to 1,920m race distance

Images 2, 3 & 4:  Donated by Michael Watts 

 Today, York Racing Inc. proudly carries forward more than 180 years of racing tradition. York Racecourse remains a place where racing, community and country hospitality come together—welcoming new generations while preserving an important part of Western Australia’s sporting history.