Austadiums.com :: Claremont Showground

Located in Claremont, a leafy western suburb of Perth, there is a venue of varied history and character – Claremont Showgrounds. Not only has sideshow alley and animal pavilions been a part of the ground, Speedway had its home here for almost 80 years and the Claremont Football Club, who play in the WAFL, have hosted infrequent matches at the venue.

As the City's showgrounds, the venue also has an important role to play as the site of annual Perth Royal Show, numerous exhibitions and the very popular Big Day Out which attracts a sell out attendance of rock music lovers every year.

Installation of lights at the main arena was completed in September 1927, due to the ever rising popularity of the Claremont Speedway, which was first hosted at the showgrounds in May of that year. The speedway remained at the venue until 1999, when after becoming the longest serving venue of its type in the world, the calls of the ultra modern Quit Motorplex and those of neighbours were answered.

After speedway left the venue, it undertook a $1.8 million re-development of its main arena, creating a more appealing venue. This transformation involved the safety fences and speedway track being removed as well as the old dirt banks surrounding the arena being replaced with limestone terracing, thus making the venue more suited to exhibitions, concerts and WAFL football.

The main arena at the showgrounds has found itself under-utilized since the speedway left, only being used for the occasional concert and the Perth Royal Show each year. Other facilities within the complex are often used for exhibition and storage purposes.

The venue could find itself used more regularly each year after plans for the Claremont Tigers to relocate to the venue were unveiled in 2004. The Tiger’s plan is to move from the adjacent Claremont Oval to the showgrounds for the 2006 season. This proposed re-location would end six years of the main arena operating without a primary tenant.

The showgrounds create different emotions for everyone. For some it’s the smell of hotly cooked donuts, for others it’s the smell of burnt tyres running around the track for 72 years. Memories however are sweet for everyone and thus the venue is priceless to the people of Western Australia.