Phillip Island holds a special place in Australian motorsport history. The first eight Australian Grand Prix races were held on the country roads south of Cowes, Victoria before World War II. The Victorian Light Car Club announced the “100 miles Road Race” was to be held on 26 March 1928, although poor weather forced its postponement by five days. The 1928 race was won by Captain Arthur Waite’s Austin 7 and only later assumed the Australian GP moniker. There had been growing local resistance to closing a 6.5-mile network of roads and the race moved on after 1935. A shorter triangular course comprising the pit straight and roads to the west of the original layout was used for the Australian Race Drivers’ Cup on 5 November 1935. A final motorcycle race was held on that course in January 1940.
