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Light Car Club of Australia 1924 - 1992

In 1924 a group of members of the Royal Automobile Club of Victoria founded the Victorian Light Car Club to organise events for those wishing to engage in competitive motoring activities. Many of the events initiated by the club attracted participants from across the nation and later became major events of the international racing calendar.  The club was renamed the Light Car Club of Australia in 1931.

The memorial to the club`s achievements marks the adjacent location of the LCCA club rooms, formerly the Albert Park Golf Club rooms, at 46 Queens Road from 1961 until the building was demolished in 1993.  Visitors to the club rooms included Donald Campbell, Juan Manuel Fangio, Stirling Moss, Jack Brabham, Graham Hill, Jim Clark, Jackie Stewart and many other world famous drivers.

- The VLCC organised the first Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island in 1928, and another seven through to 1935, after which the race was shared between states. 

- Before moving to 46 Queens Road the club rooms were situated at 19 Brunswick Street Eastern Hill from 1931 to 1961.

- In 1937 the LCCA constructed the Rob Roy hill climb near Christmas Hills, and organised hill climbs there until 1961.  The venue the moved to Lakeland Park near Lilydale where events were run from 1962 to 1975.

- The LCCA organised six highly successful motor race meetings at Albert Park from 1953 to 1958, including the Argus Moomba meetings and the Olympic Australian Grand Prix held in December 1956, won by Stirling Moss in a Maserati 250F.

- In 1960 the LCCA initiated long distance sedan car racing in Australia by organisng the Armstrong 500 race at the Phillip Island track.  The race was run at Philip Island twice more before moving to Mount Panorama, Bathurst NSW.

- The Light Car Club of Australia took over the organisation of motor racing at Sandown Park in 19666 and ran meetings at the venue until 1990, including Tasman Cup races and the popular Sandown 500 touring car race.  The club ran a further five Australian Grand Prixs at Sandown from 1968 to 1978.

- In December 1984 the club ran the first ever world championship motor racing event in Australia, the Sandown 1000, a heat of the World Endurance (Sports Car) Championship.  A similar race was held in 1988, but large financial losses were incurred and as a result the club ceased operations in 1992.

Further information on the history of the Light Car Club of Australia is available through the RACV web site, www.racv.com.au

Memorial erected by the Royal Automobile Club of Victoria April 2010