The Burrandowan Picnic Races

For 364 days each year, Burrandowan is a fly-speck on the map. In May each year, the tiny rural area in Queensland’s South Burnett Region blossoms into a virtual township when as many as 6000 people descend on Chahpingah Reserve, the home of the famous picnic race track.

Burrandowan, like many far-flung picnic race meets, has a colourful history. The club began 90 years ago when a mere handful of interested property owners decided to run a picnic race meet, so the Burrandowan Picnic Race Club was formed.

History records that 11 local men formed the Burrandowan Picnic Race Club when they met at nearby Mullers Crossing on the 27 November 1921. The first meeting was held on the 13 May 1922 at the present site, – Chahpingah Reserve. Only grass fed horses, which had been paddocked under supervision for one month prior to the race, were eligible. Owners and jockeys had to be club members to race. Membership was half a guinea, (around $1.10) luncheon was one shilling and sixpence (15 cents) and afternoon tea was 9 pence (approximately 10 cents).

In 1939, due to the outbreak of the Second World War, club members voted to close down racing ‘until the committee thought fit’ to re-introduce racing. A race meeting was however held during the war in 1941, with the profit of 21 pounds, 19 shillings and 6 pence being donated to the Patriotic Committee, the Red Cross and the Comforts Fund. This was the only meeting held during the dark days of World War II. Largely because of the war and its impact on rural communities with many of the men folk lost during the war years or returning as disabled diggers, racing didn’t re-commence at Burrandowan until 1953.

In 1954, the race committee introduced a race for unregistered horses. For some years the fastest of the districts stock horses competed for this trophy. The presence of a special constable at race meetings was requested in 1955 to control the crowd as popularity had grown and attendances were strong.

Racing at Burrandowan steadily grew in popularity through the sixties, seventies and eighties. Jockey scales were purchased, insurance was arranged for both the public and for jockeys and a race for lady jockeys was added to the program in 1967. In 1980, photo finish equipment was installed and races for local grass fed horses were no longer held.

In the 1930s a boxing‑wrestling tent was allowed at the race venue and in 1956 a clay pigeon shoot (which continues to this day) was added to the day’s activities. The Burrandowan Picnics have always been a great social event with dances, first in the old hall and more recently under the stars, following the days racing and the traditional barbeque.

The social standing reached new heights with two Vice Regal visits in 1978 and 1980 by His Excellency the Governor of Queensland, Sir James Ramsay and Lady Ramsay.

In 2004, the Burrandowan races faced their biggest challenge since the Second World War when their future was threatened due to the State Government’s restructure of country racing.

Country spirit in these local communities is particularly strong and locals would not hear of the demise of the annual picnic race meeting. Faced with the loss of financial backing from Racing Queensland, the club decided to run the 2004 picnic race meet from its own reserves. That year, at the 81st annual race meeting more than 1,000 race goers marched down the home straight in protest at the prospect of losing their race meet.

Despite the lack of support from the state racing authority, Burrandowan Race Club continued self funded race meetings for the next six years.

The popularity of the picnic race meet at Burrandowan has ebbed and flowed over the years, due largely to the racing authority’s lack of priority for picnic race meets. However, in recent times, Burrandowan, not unlike its more famous cousins, the Esk and Birdsville picnic race meets, has enjoyed renewed interest and an ever increasing attendance.

This year was the club’s 90^th year. I’d been to the Burrandowan Picnic Races more than 20 years ago when a friend of mine (and these days committee-member) John McLaughlin invited me to attend. When, quite by accident, I discovered that 2012 was the club’s 90^th year, I decided it was time to visit again. A quick phone call to John and my tickets were arranged.

Burrandowan is, as I said, a fly-speck on the map. The track at Chahpingah Reserve is some 66 kilometres west of Kingaroy, the ‘capital’ of the South Burnett Region. The road to Burrandowan is part bitumen and part gravel and can be dangerous for the unsuspecting driver not used to bush roads as it twists and turns and, at that time of year, there is a lot of dust!

From Brisbane, the state’s capital, Burrandowan is around three and a half hours drive along either the Brisbane Valley Highway or the D ‘Aguilar Highways. Such is the popularity of the races amongst locals that a local bus company runs shuttle coaches to and from Kingaroy and Burrandowan throughout the day and late evening with the last coach(es) leaving Burrandowan at 11.30pm.

Not unlike the big metropolitan meets, Burrandowan Picnic Races is an all-day affair. Activities commence at 9.00am with the clay pigeon target shoot. Naturally, the bar opens at 10.00am to quench thirsts and avoid dehydration in the country atmosphere!

Burrandowan hosts a competitive ‘Fashions of the Field’ which commences 10 minutes after the first race at 1.00pm and continues throughout the afternoon culminating in the awarding of prizes for the best dressed just prior to the start of the last race. Around $4000 is offered in prizes for those wishing to strut their stuff.

The five race program is keenly contested and a local bookies ring allows race goers to place bets on their fancies.

During the races, visitors flock to the rails to watch the horses enter and leave the straight, often in a flurry of dust. The races are run over distances from 1000 metres while the main race (Race 5) is contested over 1600 metres. Prize money too is not insignificant and profits are donated to the Royal Flying Doctor Service – ever so important to isolated rural communities.

While the racing finishes around 4.30pm, it is then that the Chahpingah Reserve really comes to life. The traditional ‘pit’ barbeques are the stuff of legends. Steaks as big as Texas are on offer and wood fired pits are ablaze to allows locals and visitors alike to cook their steak and snags just as they like. Local service clubs offer barbeque packs for sale and of course, a well catered bar continues throughout the evening.

It is a rare and fabulous atmosphere. Entertainment and fellowship just how is used to be – good old fashioned country fun and lots of dancing under the stars encouraged by fabulous bands and entertainment acts.

Burrandowan Picnic Race Club President Brendan McCormack said, “For our community, this is the event of the year. We work to prepare the grounds and organise the event, then dress up and join our friends for a great day out.”

Not surprisingly, the Burrandowan Picnic Race Meeting injects many thousands of dollars into the local community with visitors travelling from afar to attend. In recent years, a growing number of ‘grey nomads’ have attended the picnic races. This year, the wasn’t a caravan space remaining with literally hundreds of vans, mobile homes and campers taking up temporary residence for a few days prior to and following the race meet. The night sky is dotted with campfires and frivolity.

This tiny bush community springs to life again on Saturday 7th May 2022 as they celebrate 100 years of this event.

For more information head to the Burrandowan Website at https://www.burrandowan.com.au/

Story and Photography: Peter Scott