Australia’s best quad bike riders will converge on Collie next month with the town set to play host to the All Terrain Vehicle Motorcross Nationals.
Star competitors including Luke Gaisford, Chris Bosnakis and Jake Van Vliet will be some of the riders competing for the title of Australia’s best at the Stockton Park track from October 5 to 7.
Returning to Western Australia for the first time since 2011, the event will be hosted by Quad Riders Western Australia and the Collie Motorcycle Club and will feature races from a range of classes, including the pro, veterans and women’s championships.
Sport and Recreation Minister and Collie-Preston MLA Mick Murray said hosting the event would be a big achievement for Collie.
“Collie is a proud motorsport town and we are delighted to have the country’s best in our backyard to battle it out next month,” he said.
“This is a great opportunity for visitors to spend the weekend camping by the beautiful blue Lake Stockton, enjoying the events, and taking in all of the unspoilt natural surroundings that the region has to offer.
“It’s going to be a very, very big event. We’ve got people travelling from all over Australia .. and one from Italy.
Mr Murray said the event would provide a huge economic boost for the Collie community.
“There’s many different benefits … [including] the economic benefit that will come with about 1000 people turning up throughout the week and spending money in the town,” he said.
“It’s something that not only the government has been pushing but also the shire, working to make sure Collie is on the events calendar.
“It’s about jobs for the future, if we can be on the circuit for events, that will certainly create jobs in town.”
Quad Riders Western Australia president Michael Harcourt said it was a natural choice to bring the competition to Collie.
“It was an obvious choice for us,” he said.
“[The facilities] are absolutely brilliant. Everyone enjoys the track, it’s a really fast track to ride and it’s really good facilities.”
Mr Harcourt said anyone turning up for the event could expect a weekend full of ‘fast-paced action’.
“The ATVs these days are nothing like the farm quads you see out in the paddocks,” he said.
“It’s something that’s a little bit different for people watch.
“Everyone’s seen motorcross before, but we do all the same jumps and it’s exciting to watch.”
Multiple time national champion Chris Bosnakis said he was hoping to see the community get behind the event.
“The more people [that come out], the better … it’s going to be a good show,” he said.
