The North Brisbane Junior Motorcycle Club, a long-standing institution that has trained Australian champions and fostered a strong local motorsport community, is at risk of closure after being told its Banyo site will be rezoned and sold for industrial use.
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The club, which has operated on Raubers Road for over three decades, has been on a short-term lease from Brisbane City for the past 14 years. Earlier this year, members were formally advised that the land would be sold, leaving the club in limbo and unable to plan for the future.
Club president Brett Nicholls said the potential closure would have a significant impact beyond the club’s 400 members. He said it would affect several other motorsport groups in southeast Queensland, describing the club as more than a riding venue, a place that serves as a community and sporting institution.
The North Brisbane Junior Motorcycle Club is the only facility in the region offering programs for both junior and senior riders. It has hosted major events like the Brisbane Cup and the Queensland Dirt Track Championships, with no comparable venues nearby, and is the closest similar club is located in the Whitsundays.
Mr Nicholls said the uncertainty has already disrupted the club’s planning process for 2025, forcing them to delay their competition calendar and budget, which are usually finalised six months ahead. He also noted a drop in attendance at recent events, reflecting growing concern among members.
Relocation would not be easy or cheap. Mr Nicholls pointed out that moving to a greenfield site would cost millions, as the club requires extensive infrastructure, not just open land. He added that no other suitable locations have been identified in Brisbane.
The club has started a petition on Change.org, which has gained over 1,500 signatures in support of saving the venue.
“This isn’t just about losing a patch of land. It’s about losing a sporting institution, a youth development hub, and a family that spans across Queensland and beyond,” the group wrote.
Council’s Community Services chair, Vicki Howard, said the site is a contaminated former landfill in a designated industrial zone and is better used to create jobs. She said the council would assist the club financially to help with relocation and was working with other local governments to find a regional solution. Cr Howard also said the council was committed to supporting the club long-term in a location better suited to its needs.
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However, Labor Opposition Leader Jared Cassidy criticised the move, calling it a “cash grab.” He described the club as a vital grassroots facility and urged the council to either reverse the decision or help the club find a new home where it can continue its operations.
With no confirmed date to vacate and planning on hold, the future of the motorcycle club, and the community it serves, remains uncertain.
Published 14-July-2025