The town is 133 km south east of Melbourne via the South Gippsland highway.
About 5000 people live in this small town.
Its the home town for former professionals as David Mc Farlane (pro 1984-1994), Terry Watchorn (pro 1954) and John Sauvarin. (pro 1987-1992, who died in April 2006)
The city has an outdoor cycling track. Every year since 1979 the Leongatha Cycling Club organized the Leongatha Cycling Carnival. Twice i was the guest (togheter with my wife Lieve) of the Watchorn family at the time the carnival was on, February 2004 and March 2007.
For Terry and Gwenda Watchorn its a real hectic period. From the search for sponsors, hanging up banners throughout the town, sweeping the track (with the local fire-bigade) and negotiating the contracts with the riders! Even their house becomes a temporarily hotel. In 2004 we spend our days at the Watchorns together with the Meares sisters, Nathan Clarke, Darren Young etc...
What you need when you organize an outdoor event is .....nice weather. You'll say, no problem in Australia and that is most of the time correct. The two times i was there it was more then 35° C.
And that is hot! But unfortunately when it is that hot, you get big thunderstorms and haivy rains. That is what happened in 1999, 2005 and 2006.
Despite the big efforts of some of the clubmembers, the funds for the 2008 edition where not found. A very big disappointment for Terry.
When you look at the honour roll of the different races over the years you find names of Stephen Pate, David Mc Farlane , Shane Kelly and Gary Neiwand.
from l to r: barb neiwand, ron neiwand, gwenda, terry, meself and darryl veale
kerrie meares, terry wallace, rosealee hubbard and leon watchorn
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