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This is only a very
brief chronology of the development of the Avondale Racecourse, from the
upcoming (as at July 2026) book History & Hoofbeats. The
situation around the future of the site is history still being written,
the pen still scratching across the page. More updates to come as they
are available.
1841
29 June -
second land agreement or tuku whenua between the Crown and Ngāti Whātua,
includes what is now Avondale district.
1843
Land
surveys around Avondale as part of the Parish of Titirangi.
1845
23
January – Date of Crown Grant held by Richard Mariner and Francis Bowyer
of Hokianga for Allotment 12, including racecourse land.
1850
Allotment
12 sold to Andrew Rooney. James and Alexander McDonald on the farm soon
after. They later purchase it, and partition, each taking half in 1856.
1859
October – Alexander McDonald sells his portion to James McKenzie, which
includes racecourse land.
“Whau Bridge” subdivision advertised.
1860
Charles Burke begins his land purchases of parts of the Whau Bridge
subdivision. These conclude in 1871
1862-1866
Dundee Sawmill racecourse at Henderson
1863
John
Bollard leases his farm from William Innes Taylor, James McDonald’s
former share of Allotment 12.
July – appearance of Burke’s Brickworks
1864
November – Rev Andrew Anderson purchases paddock next to Allotment 12.
This is purchased by James Palmer in December 1865, and from 1888 was
owned by Hancock & Co. Leased out to the early Avondale Jockey Club from
1889.
1871–1874
Early Avondale races, near Whau Hall, and on Thomas Aickin’s paddock.
1873-1891
Henderson’s Mill racecourse
1873
July 4 – James Palmer opens his new wooden Whau Hotel at corner of what
is today Wingate Street and Great North Road.
1882
Bollard purchases his farm outright.
1885
Subdivision of Bollard’s farm begins.
1888
April –
Whau Hotel burns down
July – Construction of replacement Avondale Hotel begins
1889
June – Michael Foley new licensee of Avondale Hotel.
Martin & Patterson lease on Burke’s farm comes to an end.
30 August – Avondale Jockey Club formed at meeting in Avondale Hotel. A
three-year lease obtained from Charles Burke by the club in the name of
committee members as trustees: Moss Davis, Michael Foley, Harry Hayr.
Excludes brickyard land beside Whau River.
Track layout begins (left hand), course accessed via Wingate Street land
owned by Hancocks.
1890
March – construction of first grandstand
April 26 – First race meeting, first Avondale Gold Cup (won by Tamora.)
1892
Burke three-year lease likely renewed in that year.
December – Debts on the racecourse construction had been cleared.
1893-1900
Coursing Club uses western end of racecourse, next to the brickyards.
1893
Formation
of Racing Conference
October – Polo match
December – Avondale Cricket Club match
1895-1897
Gradual replacement of poles and flags marking the track layout, with
wooden fencing and rails.
1895
Burke
three-year lease likely renewed in that year.
1897
March – Special race trains arranged
1898
Burke renewed lease for seven years, starting from 1899.
Grandstand and judge’s box enlarged, totalisator shed built.
1899
Special “racecourse platform” at Avondale Railway Station
1901
Transfer of part of Bollard land to the Avondale Jockey Club.
Track reconfigured to be right-handed. Buildings shifted from Wingate
Street side to Ash Street. Old grandstand relegated to public stand,
replaced by new public stand. A members’ and stewards’ stand
constructed. Members’ paddock, saddling paddock, stables.
1902-1905
Fruit and horticultural shows
1903-1904
Fancy Dress football charity matches
1904
The leasehold land owned by Burke now purchased, excluding brickyard
land.
1909
Racecourse went “dry.”
1910
New members’ stand
November -- "A" Squadron First Regiment Auckland Mounted Rifles camp
1911
New totalisator building at rear of the public and main stands This was
extended in 1914.
Rugby league match, Eden Ramblers v. Ponsonby
1912
April - 3rd (Auckland) Mounted Rifles camp
1913
Main grandstand extended.
Flights of the Manurewa.
1914
April - Auckland Gun Club’s Pigeon Shooting Championship
Trainers’ stand built.
October - First Pioneer Māori Contingent camp, “Waiatarua”
1915
October – NZ Tunnelling Company of Engineers camp
1916
May - Field Ambulance training camp
1917
May – Territorial camp
1918
November
– Influenza Hospital
1919
Last of Burke’s land purchased, the old brickworks site.
Auckland Rugby Union agreement with Avondale Jockey Club for use of
eight playing fields.
1920
National jockey strike starts at Avondale.
1921
March - Senior Cadet companies picnic and sports meeting
Report of Royal Commission of Inquiry recommends closure of Avondale as
a racecourse
December – The Jockey Club draws up new constitution, and incorporates
under the 1908 Incorporated Societies Act in April 1922.
1922-1923
Deaths of last trustees of the Avondale Jockey Club’s lands: Hayr, Foley
and Robert Duder.
September-October – Plans for Turkish War mobilisation camp. Did not
eventuate.
1923
Steeplechase route removed. A new route included with 1926-1927
configuration.
1924-1925
Land purchases on Wingate Street and Ash Street.
September – Explosion in the totalisator building
1926-1928
Reconfiguration of the racecourse, and laying of new drainage.
November – Cadet training
1927
Demolition of the original 1890 grandstand. Replaced by open terraced
seating in 1928, finally covered over in 1937.
1928-1928, 1929-1930, 1935-1936
Seventh-Day Adventist camps
1928
New looseboxes to the west, along Ash Street frontage.
1932- at least 1940
Lynndale Harrier events
1932
John William “Billy” Savidan’s Olympic trial on the racecourse
1932-1933
Avondale Ex-Servicemen’s Christmas Parties for children
1933
April – races from Avondale broadcast on radio
1936
Main grandstand shifted forward in two pieces.
1939-1940
New mile/1600m start completed.
1940
September - 1st Battalion, Auckland Regiment
October - 1st Field Company, NZ Engineers
December - officers and non-commissioned officers of the 22nd
Field Company, NZ Engineers
1941
December 1940 – January -- Women’s National Service Corps
May -- Territorials for home defence service
July – Much of the Ash Street property of the racecourse taken over by
military authorities
September – Last race meeting at Avondale for duration of the war.
1943
March - Temporary prisoner of war camp.
June - temporary (one month) US Forces camp
1944
January - National Service Department camp
1945
February -- Avondale Technical (later College) and Intermediate students
use racecourse for sports grounds
1946
Reconstruction work on the racecourse ceases because site declared
“black” by unions.
September – first post-war race meeting
1947
February – end of the National Service workers camp
Three ex-Army buildings combined for tea-rooms
1949
Two more ex-Army buildings combined as a doubles totalisator.
Early 1950s
Half mile/800m start added.
1951
Eastern addition to members’ stand, and five small open public stands
next to the public stand.
1952
Auckland City Council lease of inner sports fields begins.
1955
Swabbing
clinic set up near old stables by Ash Street. Dope testing of racehorses
on the course begins.
Property of late Avondale trainer Samuel G Lindsay purchased from his
estate. Used as a members’ carpark, and house becomes course manager’s
residence. 1970s used as site for implement shed, and sold to Portage
Trust. 1985 – site of Peninsula Inn.
1956
“Hamburger and shandy bar.” This may have been the conversion of the old
1911 totalisator building into a cafeteria, and brasserie.
1958
Hurdles footing dispute between AJC and jockeys. Settled amicably.
1959
Three 32-foot high camera towers erected
1961
April – liquor could be served on the racecourse once more. Members’ bar
and garden bar constructed.
1963
January - new three-storey public stand next to old 1901 stand.
1964
Old members’ stand demolished.
1969
Block of 18 loose boxes and out buildings constructed on the former
brickyard site.
AJC provide main prize for the Auckland Racing District’s Apprentices
School of a trip to Sydney for a fortnight
for next five years.
1970-1987
Period John K Wild is secretary of AJC
1972
Inauguration of Racing Authority
1973
July -
Four races from Trentham broadcast live at Avondale races
1974
December – AJC hold twilight meeting due to daylight saving
c.1975 – c.1980
AJC offers travel subsidies to winning South Island horses to race at
Avondale
1976-1977
Old 1901 grandstand finally demolished for 1963 grandstand extension
1977
Construction of underground toilets at playing fields
1979
Birdcage track added
in front of members’ stand.
1981
Two-stage improvement project referred to in annual report, including
grandstand improvement and night racing
February -- New Zealand Polynesian festival
1982
September-October - An international soccer tournament
1983
New totalisator building
Beginning of the Sunday Market.
1984
New parade ring
1985
January – Fire at the Derby or outer stand. Remains demolished, not
replaced.
1986
Night lights installed
1987
April – First night racing meeting at Avondale.
1988
Discussions with Portage Trust for casino project
June – Auckland City Council decline offer by AJC to purchase the
playing fields
1990s
Auckland Land Yacht Club uses course
1990
Land sales – Wingate Street
May – Racing ceases.
City Council again turn down purchase of the playing fields. Phil Warren
said he felt confident the BNZ would donate the land to the Council “in
a fit of corporate community spirit,”
or just continue to lease to the Council.
July – Racecourse put under a three-man board of administration.
September – AJC starts winding up procedure, but this is halted after an
agreement with the bank.
November – Racing resumes
1991
June – Last night racing meeting
December -- Touch Football World Cup
1992
October - inaugural Auckland Phonecard Society Expo
1993
Second Beatles convention
1994
August – Iconz comic convention
1995
Ash Street land sold – future Sandy Lane and Nacton Place.
Part of former brickyard land sold -- Corregidor and Michael Foley
Place.
1998
May – Control passed back to AJC
1999
Former 52ha property now just over 36ha.
2001
The Avondale Plan by Auckland City Council plans for provision for a
further 2000 to 3000 homes over 50 years. AJC President declares AJC
“would never sell its land.”
2007
Introduction of tiered-racing. Avondale meetings cut back, become just
"industry".
2010
July –
AJC suspends racing.
Avondale Cup now held at Ellerslie.
2012
Auckland
Council fund AJC “Master Plan.” Sports fields lease negotiations begin,
still not finalised as at 2026.
October – AJC resumes racing
2015
More land sold – future Tamora Lane.
2017
July – Dedicated training facilities on racecourse close
2018
July – Massara Report.
“Venue with 11 meetings in 2017/18. Training. Excellent location. Poor
infrastructure. Freehold. Extremely valuable land with an estimated
value of more than $200 million with rezoning and which should be sold
for the benefit of the entire industry. Avondale JC should race at
nearby Ellerslie or possibly Pukekohe.”
2019
NZTR (former Racing Conference) released their “NZTR Venue Plan – a
Document for Industry Consultation,” which identified Avondale’s
racecourse as “surplus” and that the club’s allocation of race meetings
should be reduced to zero on or before the 2024/2025 season.
2020
Racing Industry Act. Allowed “for a racing code [NZTA] to have a surplus
venue owned by a racing club transferred to that racing code. Once the
transfer has been approved by Order in Council, an application can be
made to the RGL [Registrar- General of Land] to register the racing code
as the owner of the fee simple estate.
2022
July – announcement that 2025/2026 would be Avondale’s last season.
September – AJC submit to Plan Change 78 that whole of racecourse land
be zoned Mixed Use, Residential Terraced Housing and Apartment Building
(THAB).
2023
January – Cyclone Gabrielle flooding
2024
September -- Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Avondale
Jockey Club and NZTR.
2025
February - I Love Avondale team gave a presentation to the Auckland
Council policy and planning committee, letting that committee know just
how concerned Avondale residents were regarding the uncertain future of
the racecourse.
May - Members of the Jockey Club’s committee hosted a community forum in
the Marshall Stand, the former Owners and Trainers stand, at which
representatives from the Whau Local Board, Avondale Business
Association, I Love Avondale, Rosebank Business Association, and an
organisation named Community Assets Ltd attended.
September – Avondale Racecourse Alliance release first plan for
racecourse
December – AJC submit to Plan Change 120, echoing Avondale Racecourse
Alliance proposals for recreation/parkland use of racecourse. NZTR on
the other hand submit for total THAB rezoning.
2026
July – last race meeting at Avondale
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