MOUNT Isa may see a new multipurpose sporting complex built on the outskirts of town, if successful in receiving a $100,000 grant from Holden Homeground Advantage.
Mount Isa Drag Racing and Hotrod Association applied for the grant on behalf of all motorsporting groups in Mount Isa including go karts, motocross, driver training, off-roading and even the Mount Isa Gun Club.
Holden Homeground Advantage is a grant any sporting community in Australia can apply for to build infrastructure. Mount Isa’s application was a bit different, looking at the design of the complex including a bore, development applications with Mount Isa City Council and a video displaying our motorsports.
Brett Peterson said by allowing to get the design work in the application, each club now knows where they sit, what grants they would need to apply for and what they would have to do to set themselves up.
“Hopefully this will speed up the whole process of being able to see this built in Mount Isa,” Peterson said.
“It is a big step forward, if we receive this funding it will go a long way to ticking a lot of boxes. Once we receive funding the process would happen very quickly.”
If we could have this here, we could invite the rest of Australia to come and see what we have got to offer.
- Brett Perterson
In a feasibility conducted in 2012-2013, 92 per cent of 300 polled said they would participate or attend the motorsport complex more than four times a year.
Mount Isa City Council are working close with Mount Isa Waterboard to excise a block of land at the R48 reserve on Moondarra Drive.
“The reason we chose this location, it is still close enough to town that a kid can jump on their pushbike and ride there and watch, but still far enough from town that it wouldn’t be annoying people,” Peterson said.
“Because Mount Isa is detached from other communities with these facilities, competitors have to travel at least 1000km. If we could have this here, we could invite others to come and see what we’ve got to offer.
“With this new complex it would bring tourism and recreation to the town. For example there could be a championship between Mareeba, Mackay, Alice Springs and Mount Isa, bringing other communities to Mount Isa.
Mount Isa motorsport groups will hear the results of their application in April.
