Flemington
Racecourse H1story
Flemington,
became firmly and thoroughly established when, in 1844,
plans were submitted to the Town Council, and, that
body approving of them, the place was declared to be
a reserve for the purposes of racing.
Five trustees were appointed, in whose
name the ground was held, these including the Crown
Commissioner of the day, the Surveyor-in-Charge, Mr.
J. C. Riddel, Mr. Dalmahoy Campbell and Mr. William
J. Stawell.
Shortly
afterwards the Superintendent of Port Phillip declared
this transaction not to be legal, and a new grant was
completed on October 22nd, 1847. The land included those
portions of the Parish of Doutta Galla from 23 to 28
inclusive, beside the Saltwater or Maribyrnong River,
the trustees being Mr. Riddel, Mr. Stawell, Mr. Dalmahoy
Campbell again, and Mr. Colin Campbell.
The
term of years was subsequently increased from ten to
twenty-one, which, on the latest renewal of the compact,
was finally extended to ninety-nine, at the rent of
one peppercorn per annum. The spot was then known to
the inhabitants as "The Racecourse," but a
little village now began to grow up in the neighbourhood,
and this was soon christened "Flemington,"
in honour of a genial butcher who supplied meat to the
hamlet, and whose name was Bob Fleming.
In those early days everyone went to
the races, and the route to and from the course was
either by river-steamer or by road. The boats left the
wharves at eleven o'clock and returned at sunset, and
you may be sure there were hot times in the town on
nights after the races. Bands and Christy minstrels
enlivened the voyage by water. Passengers on the trip
home not infrequently toppled overboard, and one or
two were actually drowned.
Accidents by road were common. At one
meeting alone three men were killed, two being run over
by vehicles, and one by a runaway horse. Assaults were
common, and fighting very popular.
Mr. O'Shanassy—who afterwards
became Sir John—was attacked whilst taking a meditative
canter round the course, and struck over the head very
viciously by a ruffian armed with a heavy hunting crop.
It was proved to have been a premeditated crime.
Not being disabled by his injuries,
and being a man of much determination and courage, O'Shanassy
turned upon his assailant, pursued and captured him,
and had the satisfaction of seeing him receive a sentence
of six months' imprisonment.
The winning post stood alongside the
river bank somewhere between the present mile and seven
furlong barriers. It was a handy spot at which the steamers
could tie up to gum trees on the banks, and could disembark
their passengers, but it had the disadvantage of being
a considerable distance from the top of the steep, rising
ground which soon became known as Picnic Hill.
It
was not, however, until the sport had been in existence
for some twenty years that it was found advisable to
change the winning post to its present site, thus converting
the Hill into a permanent, convenient and "commodious"
stand.
