Catalina Park, motor racing venue in New South Wales, Australia
Catalina Park is a former racing circuit in Katoomba in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales. The track was about 2 kilometers long, had seven turns, and was lined with wooden fences, rock walls, and metal barriers for safety.
The site opened in 1961 after the conversion of an abandoned amusement park and hosted racing events with top Australian drivers until 1970. The closure was driven by poor accessibility from Sydney, frequent fog, and the relocation of events to other circuits.
The site is named after a Catalina flying boat that once sat in a lake after World War II, drawing visitors to the area. Today it holds deep meaning for the Gundungurra and Darug peoples, who used the valley as a summer gathering place long before the track was built.
The site is accessible today by foot and bicycle, allowing visitors to explore the old track layout. Keep in mind that the surface is uneven and parts of the ground have been damaged by water erosion. Plan enough time to walk the landscape and take in the surroundings.
The racing circuit was built on the remains of an amusement park that operated in the 1940s with a Catalina flying boat, a ferris wheel, and a cinema. The original aircraft gave the venue its name, though it had disappeared long before the track opened.
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