Gerringong Speedway

Seven Mile Beach played a significant role in the history of the motor car in Australia. The 100 miles p/h barrier was broken on Seven Mile Beach in 1925. The beach became known as the Gerringong Speedway and it was quite a social event to attend car races on the beach during the 1920s and 30s.

For the Royal Automobile Club speed trials in March 1925 there were approximately 2000 spectators, all hoping to witness a moment in history. The record was finally broken on 7 October 1925 by Don Harkness on Seven Mile Beach. His official speed was 107.75mph in his Hispano-Suiza, V8 Minerva.

Don Harkness and Norman 'Wizard' Smith made a further attempt to break the 200 mph barrier on 1 December 1929 in a Cadillac with a Rolls Royce aeronautical engine. However, the rough surf and the bumpy sand caused this to fail. Smith reported that the car hit a bump and sailed above the sand for 40 feet.

Many other car and motorcycle clubs came to race along the beach during this period. One such club was the Goulburn Motorcycle Club who visited the beach in 1923 and they clocked 75mph on a 4 cylinder Henderson motorbike.

In the years before the cars and bikes took up on the Gerringong Speedway, the beach was used for regular horse racing. Horse racing occurred on Seven Mile Beach from as far back as the 1860s.

In 1933 Seven Mile Beach was used as a runway for the first commercial flight between Australia and New Zealand. Cars were lined up along the beach with their headlights on to provide extra illumination for the takeoff at 2.30am. Sir Charles Kingsford-Smith was the pilot for this flight and several thousand spectators were watching this monumental event in history.

Possibly Don Harkness in his speed trials c.1925

Speed races on the 'Gerringong Speedway' - Seven Mile Beach. c.1920s.

Sir Charles Kingsford-Smith flying the Southern Cross on Seven Mile Beach c.1933.

Gerroa and Seven Mile Beach.