Great Western
Racecourse
Wimmera Region -
Victoria 
Great Western is a quaint village located in the heart of the Grampians wine region. The Great Western Racecourse is just off the Western Highway, behind the famous Seppelt Great Western Winery.
click for google map - for directions
Great Western racecourse is located 219 km west of Melbourne, access Great Western via the Western Highway. Turn onto Moyston road, off the highway, and follow the racecourse signs.
Great Western Racecourse Feature Event
Seppelt Salinger Great Western Cup -
Australia Day Long Weekend
Saturday, 24th January 2009
Non-TAB
Take advantage of the Australia Day long weekend soak up the sun and experience country racing at its finest, at the Great Western Cup.
Positioned on the biggest long weekend of the year the Great Western Cup is the perfect place to be. Sun, fun, friends, drinks and a flutter on the horses, what else could you ask for?
If you prefer to be a little covered up book a marquee, there’s something for everyone or try out the umbrella package- complete with table and chairs. The kids can have heaps of fun jumping around all day in the jumping castle.
General Admission: $15 adults/ $10 concession/ under 17s free
Great Western Racecourse History
The small Western highway town of Great Western is famous for two reasons, wine and horse racing. Home of the renowned Seppelt winery, the town also hosts one of Victoria’s best known and most loved country race meetings, Great Western Cup Day.
The earliest reports of horse racing in the town date back to 1859. In 1860 the Ararat Advertiser reported a particularly colourful day at the Great Western races. Supporters of favourite Black Boy invaded the track in order to prevent the second horse, Punch, from winning. Naturally Punch’s supporters were not impressed with this display of poor sportsmanship and a wild brawl erupted. Eventually the course was cleared so the races could continue, but “as the last race was about to start, fighting broke out again and the day’s racing terminated in a general free fight”.
Racing at Great Western Racecourse has come a long way since the early pioneer days, and the annual Cup Day now boasts a family picnic atmosphere, although there is naturally plenty of fine wine to be enjoyed, courtesy of major sponsor Seppelt.
While relatively small in circumference, the track has a 300 metre long straight which is lined with trees, creating extremely picturesque surrounds as well as providing much needed shade.
The Wimmera Racing Club took over the administration of racing at Great Western Racecourse in 2004 however still relies heavily on the Great Western local Committee in both the upkeep of the track and facilities and the organization and promotion of the races.