Catalina Park has laid abandoned for some time, but remains open as a walking track enabling motorsport fans to reflect on an amazing piece of history.
A picturesque 2.092km circuit located just out of Katoomba opened on February 12, 1961, Catalina Park proved a popular venue where sports and touring cars, open-wheelers in addition to rallycross later on contested rounds.
Events run by the Australian Racing Drivers Club and the Blue Mountains Sporting Drivers Club lasted until the former took on Amaroo Park in 1969.
The BMSDC held one event in 1970 before entering liquidation leading to Catalina Park closing.
Amaroo Park and Oran Park’s openings impacted the use of Catalina Park, with fog in the gully where the circuit was located causing constant delays in the race day schedule.
Part of the circuit re-opened to host rallycross events in the early-1970s also using an infield section featuring jumps and enjoyed live television coverage.
It’s use further diminished to rally special stages and single-lap sprints until the mid-1990s where in fact a Yokohama tyre event was held featuring Jim Richards in his Winfield Holden VP Commodore, the Lansvale Smash Repairs entry and Tony Longhurst driving the Benson & Hedges BMW M3.
Prior to racing being held at Catalina Park, it was known as the Gully where it was a summer camp for the Gundungurra and Darug peoples before permanently resettling there before 1950.
A tourist park was developed in 1946 and the Katoomba Falls stopped due to the Kedumba Creek being dammed to form an ornamental lake. A Catalina PBY-5 flying boat shell was installed in the middle of the lake hence providing the name.
The dilapidation and lack of attendance closed the amusement park by 1952, opening up the New South Wales Government to purchase the land.
A group of 83 local businessmen formed the Blue Mountains Sporting Drivers Club Limited and began work on a race track with support of the local council.
Half a century later, The Gully was declared an Aboriginal Place becoming the largest in NSW.
Although the circuit has collapsed in a couple of places, it is still largely intact and can be walked around providing a unique experience. Some of the wooden fences still remain, as does the start-finish area and maybe the sounds of Frank Matich in his SR4 setting the lap record at 53.4s.
