Leyburn. It’s a peaceful little stop-off for travellers on the Southern Darling Downs as they head between Goondiwindi and Toowoomba or Warwick.
One pub, one shop, one post office, one school, a police station, two churches and a few scattered houses for its estimated 350 inhabitants.
That’s Leyburn – except for two days a year. On 23-24 August it will come alive with the buzz of up to 18,000 visitors and 2560 racing cars attending the Historic Leyburn Sprints.
The Sprints, now in its 29th year celebrating Leyburn’s hosting of the Australian Grand Prix in 1949, drives an annual winter migration that’s understandably popular with tourism operators throughout the region.
Yet the town itself has virtually no fixed accommodation – only a handful of cabins attached to the 1863 Royal Hotel – and so it becomes one of the biggest gatherings of campers and caravanners you’ll find anywhere along the highway.
Sprints organisers estimate up to 5000 visitors stay in dedicated campgrounds beside Canal Creek on the edge of the event precinct and at several adjacent camp sites.
Still more set up their tents and vans in the yards of residents’ homes that line the one kilometre closed-street course running through the township. They enjoy some of the best seats in the house.
All come to experience the fun of the Sprints, which twice has been judged Queensland Motorsport Event of the Year. The weekend offers an exciting show of historic, classic and high performance cars of all makes and models and ranging in age from modern-day to 100- plus years.
After the huge Supercar events in Townsville and the Gold Coast, the Sprints are thought to be Queensland’s biggest motorsport festival and certainly no other offers the number or variety of competitors.
This year’s entry list is a record and includes exotics such as Ferrari, Jaguar and McLaren through to more humble wheels like MGs and Sunbeams.
Motorsport Alley, a new display area in the main street near the 100-year-old CWA, will showcase a variety of very special cars including two associated with Sir Jack Brabham, three that raced in that 1949 grand prix and a rare Giocattolo Group B that claims to be “Queensland’s own supercar”.
Patrons will also find plenty of off-track entertainment. There’s a Show ‘n’ Shine display on Sunday, live music at three venues, a charity auction at the pub on Saturday night, fun-run, market stalls, race-car rides and plenty of other attractions for all the family.
At night – and a few nights either side of the weekend because many travellers take the opportunity for a longer break in their journeys – the campgrounds pump with happy vibes as groups gather around their campfires and barbecues. (Someone will win the Best Campsite competition.)
That will be especially the case this year at the Sprints’ newest attraction, the Vintage Van Village. The annual gathering of many colourful and restored vintage caravans and, often, their matching classic tow vehicles, has become so popular that organisers have reserved a dedicated new area in the town’s main street and adjacent to the first corner on the racing course.
The Village is also next to the Golden Fleece Bar, long-gone and remembered only in name as one of many pubs that were built during Leyburn’s goldrush days in the 1860s.
In fact, the Leyburn district oozes history, from the goldrush information plaques and remaining buildings around the township to the site of the disused wartime airbase that provided the site for the grand prix.
“The atmosphere is very friendly and relaxed and the huge gathering of campers and caravanners is a special and welcome part of the Sprints weekend,” says Tricia Chant, President of the organising committee of community volunteers.
“We go out of our way to keep it a grassroots event, with as few restrictions as possible and no big-city prices for camping, food or drinks.
“And if you’re lucky to bump into one of our VIP guests of famous former drivers, such as Queensland 150 Icon Dick Johnson, you’ll find they’re happy to stop for an autograph and a souvenir selfie.”
For those not equipped or inclined for camping, there are other inviting accommodation options. Authentic country pub comfort and food may be found at historic establishments such as Rudd’s Pub in Nobby, Bull and Barley Inn in Cambooya, and Karara and Sandy Creek hotels.
Historic Leyburn Sprints visitors exploring the Southern Downs region will find plenty of magnificent rural vistas and other interesting attractions. A great way to discover these is by driving the dedicated Sprint Route, a 137 km loop that passes through the districts of Allan, Leslie and Cunningham (named after the explorers) and the townships of Pratten, Leyburn and Karara.
Adult tickets to the Historic Leyburn Sprints cost $30 per day or $40 for the weekend.
Accompanied children under 14 enter free.
