Redline cleared to light-up

Cameron Pearson in action at Ballarat's Redline Raceway.

Liam McNally

Redline Raceway has been permitted to keep the lights on following a Moorabool council decision that drew multiple objections at a meeting on Wednesday, June 7.

Redline had submitted a planning application to council requesting a permit for six new, 12 metre-high light poles, and to be able keep those lights on until 11.59pm.

The application drew 30 objections during the public consultation phase and five objectors spoke at the meeting.

Jane Robson said she has lived in close proximity to Redline for 40 years.

“To imply there’s any safety issue is ridiculous, more lights are not needed,” she said.

“The current lights are already intrusive to neighbours, are a safety issue for road users, and upset stock, poultry and native fauna in the area. Additional lighting or longer operating hours will only intensify these problems.”

The two main lights at Redline have a current curfew of 11pm, and the hour-long extension comes with the condition that they are only to be used in an emergency.

Other objectors complained about the noise of the raceway and accused Redline of using the emergency as a guise to hold races later.

Councillor Paul Tatchell said the motion before council was “purely about the lights”.

“We are not a judge and jury … our role is a planning role,” he said.

Redline Raceway president Mick Purdie told Star Weekly that it’s “only in an emergency that there will be lights, no one wants to run until one or two o’clock in the morning”.

“I don’t know why they’re jumping up and down complaining about us, we’ve been here for 60 years,” he said.

“It’s only a minority of locals, the majority of locals enjoy the speedway … We try to respect the neighbours as much as we can and we try to work with council as much as we can.. We bring millions of dollars into the economy of Ballarat.

“We are appreciative of the council. They’ve been good with us and good with the locals, they see both sides of the story which is understandable but this time they voted on our side.”