A bit of history.

[V8Ian]

Every city had had a venue, or more.

Brickies, the home of Australia’s illegal street racing in the 1970s (https://www.whichcar.com.au/features/archive-brickies-the-home-of-australias-illegal-street-racing-in-the-70s)

In Brisbane it was Eagle Farm, later moved to Fisherman's Island. The latter venue, with only a single road access and no commercial activities after dark, made for an easy ambush by the cops. Smart cookies, competitors or spectators, carried a fishing rod to justify their visit to the isle.
Best use of a fishing rod ever. [biggrin]

[scarry]

There was a well known night run down our way,many years ago[bighmmm][biggrin]

Start,Springwood lights on the old Gold Coast HWY.
Through Beenleigh,up over Tamborine,down the other side back onto the HWY, at Oxenford,or it could have been Pimpama or Coomera,then finish at the Crab farm,north end of the Coast.Then back again.

Torana,V8 was the car of the day,i honestly dunno how we didnt get into some kind of trouble....[biggrin]

The only issue i remember ever having was cleaning up the occasional hare.[bigsad][biggrin]

[drivesafe]

That brings back good memories but while the story may have been printed in 1979, the photos were of the very early 1970s.

I use to go to both Brickies and the other drag strip, at Shell straights in the mid 70s and the vehicles were MUCH younger than those in those photos.

Still, a good story and a great find V8Ian.

[V8Ian]

When I moved from the northside, to the west, I went to a recommended "posh" Italian restaurant.
Ipswich has never been known for its sophistication or restaurant strip, so the experience was disappointing. The mediocre cuisine was counterbalanced by the view from the al fresco venue.
I had unknowingly chosen "laps night" for my gastronomic reconnaitre. Repeatedly passing the restaurant were cars of various type and condition, ranging from muscle cars from days of yore, faded and tatty barn finds and show cars; the condition of said pride and joys varied illegally modified to barely roadworthy. The came in waves, all the XU-1s in tight formation, all the rotaries, all the panel vans, etc., etc..
The numbers slowly dwindled, a car or two at a time.
I later found out that every week, on the same night, the same cars turned up to strut their stuff in a continuous circuit of Brisbane and Limestone streets. Quite coincidentally, I'm sure, on the same night, every week the cops would set up a vehicle check at the bottom of town, where the convoy would turn from Brisbane to Limestone street.
This regular vehicle check was so well known that the local tow trucks would congregate, doing a roaring trade, removing the cars that had been deemed too dangerous to drive.
Rinse and repeat next week. Did l mention that Ipswich wasn't known for its sophistication?

[3toes]

Think this went on everywhere there were young men (boys). This version perhaps more for country kids. Everyone parked up in the Main Street then all of a sudden with no verbal command all into the cars and do a lap or two then park back in the Main Street until the movement started again

[austastar]

Hi,
Doing blockies on Saturday night in Hobart was part of growing up.
Cheers

[jonesfam]

We used to do Laps in Toowoomba in the 70's, call out crap to the girls on the street (very improper these days) & the police would pull us over to roadworthy the cars.
There was also an Un-official "Best Time" from the BP at the top of the range to Black Soil near Ipswich. The Marburg range had to be crossed & my 302 Ute would almost use a full tank of fuel on that run. Scary thinking back, crap lights, flat to the floor, lap seat belts, 3 of us across the bench seat & crap brakes.
We really were silly but I remember it as a great time.
Jonesfam

[V8Ian]

Paul, I've seen photos of some of the horrific crashes SES had to attend, on Marburg and Minden ranges, in that era.

[V8Ian]

Those of a certain age and geographic disposition, will recall the leader of the blockers.

https://youtu.be/r7xwpoBC_M0
Recollections of a Brisbane legend - Neos Kosmos (https://neoskosmos.com/en/2010/09/27/features/rock-n-roll-george-kyprios-brisbane-greek-australian/)

[1950landy]

Those of a certain age and geographic disposition, will recall the leader of the blockers.

https://youtu.be/r7xwpoBC_M0
Recollections of a Brisbane legend - Neos Kosmos (https://neoskosmos.com/en/2010/09/27/features/rock-n-roll-george-kyprios-brisbane-greek-australian/)

Used to see him on a Friday night when doing laps in my FE . My FE had a small Hot Dog bolted to end of extractors & 2 1/2" copper pipe straight out the back , had to be careful didn't get caught for excess noise , Another good spot was under the rail bridges between Grey St & Merivale St , the exhaust was loud through there . We had a mate who was going out with the Sherwood police Sargent's daughter , she would tip us off when they were doing a blitz for excess noise & none RWC vehicles.[biggrin]

[scarry]

Which reminds me,i was listening to a reporter interviewing Dick Johnston,quite a few years ago

Dick was saying,in his younger years,they(whoever they were), used to drive flat out through the Valley, along Brunswick street,without stopping at any intersections,just straight through,flat.

They used to dare each other to give it a go.

It used to be pretty bumpy through there,up and down,over Whickam and Anne st,then onto St Pauls Terrace,so it would have been interesting flat out....[biggrin]

[V8Ian]

Which reminds me,i was listening to a reporter interviewing Dick Johnston,quite a few years ago

Dick was saying,in his younger years,they(whoever they were), used to drive flat out through the Valley, along Brunswick street,without stopping at any intersections,just straight through,flat.

They used to dare each other to give it a go.

It used to be pretty bumpy through there,up and down,over Whickam and Anne st,then onto St Pauls Terrace,so it would have been interesting flat out....[biggrin]
Had tram lines then, too. :burnrubber:

[jonesfam]

Paul, I've seen photos of some of the horrific crashes SES had to attend, on Marburg and Minden ranges, in that era.

Stupidly, at that age you think you are immortal.
Not saying it was wise or clever & nor would I do it again or want my kids doing it but,
It was Fun.
Jonesfam

[scarry]

Had tram lines then, too. :burnrubber:

And maybe even a Trollybus,to dodge,although they would have been at the end of their run by then i am guessing.

[V8Ian]

And maybe even a Trollybus,to dodge,although they would have been at the end of their run by then i am guessing.
Trolley busses ran to behind the RBH from/through the Valley, I'm not sure if they went to Merthyr or New Farm Ferry, but there were certainly overhead wires. I didn't come in from the boonies until after the trams were withdrawn.

[1950landy]

When I did my apprenticeship with UK Motors at Chermside , I caught the train from Darra to the Valley , then the tram from the Valley to Chermside . On the trip home I needed to get off the Tram at the crossing in front of the Valley Station & not at the tram stop that was further down the street , run down the ramp to catch the train to Central & change trains there to catch the express from Roma Street to Corinda than all stations to Darra. If I missed the first train in the Valley the trip home took an extra hour & a half. I did that for about a 1.5 years when I got my licence & bought a Morris Minor Tourer & the trip to & from work was half the time.

[V8Ian]

When I did my apprenticeship with UK Motors at Chermside , I caught the train from Darra to the Valley , then the tram from the Valley to Chermside . On the trip home I needed to get off the Tram at the crossing in front of the Valley Station & not at the tram stop that was further down the street , run down the ramp to catch the train to Central & change trains there to catch the express from Roma Street to Corinda than all stations to Darra. If I missed the first train in the Valley the trip home took an extra hour & a half. I did that for about a 1.5 years when I got my licence & bought a Morris Minor Tourer & the trip to & from work was half the time.
Chermside or Herston? I never knew UKs to be at Chermside, doesn't mean they weren't.
My Dad had a builder friend who had trouble getting blokes to work north of Chermside, out in the sticks. [biggrin]

[scarry]

out in the sticks. [biggrin]

When my parents bought a block of land at Daisy Hill,in the early 70's,we thought that it was way out in the scrub,as did most others[biggrin]

Well it was on a dirt road...[bighmmm]

[1950landy]

Chermside or Herston? I never knew UKs to be at Chermside, doesn't mean they weren't.
My Dad had a builder friend who had trouble getting blokes to work north of Chermside, out in the sticks. [biggrin]

Chermside , Heading out of town UK Motors was on the corner of the street on the right before Chermside Picture Theatre , the Shell Service Station & workshop behind it was the service department then heading towards town there was one of the use car yards then the showroom & then another the other used car yard. The next business was a Dry Cleaners , then a Speed Shop ( can't remember the name) & Simpson's Saw Mill was behind all these business. The other BMC Dealer Howards had a car yard in Hamilton Rd next to Chermside Shopping Centre. The Picture Theatre was also owned by Doug Wagner who was the Manager of UK Motors . Across the side road from the workshop was Alex Hamilton's house who owned Hamilton bodyworks further towards the city in Gympie Rd .

[POD]

In Melbourne from about 1979 onwards it was the 'Mole Factory' in Broadmweadows, so named because the turnoff into the industrial estate was behind Mole Engineering who made the Ditch Witch. By 10pm on a Friday night, there would be hundreds of young hoons lining the back street that formed the drag strip, and cars queued up around the block in pairs. The road into the 'venue' actually crossed the end of the drag strip and there were several fatalities, none on nights that I was there except once after I had left. The days of real Aussie muscle cars, the smell of burning rubber always transports me back there...
The cops would regularly bust it and put 'canaries' on every car they could catch, those lucky enough to evade them would head over in convoy to Cherry Lane in Brooklyn which was a burgeoning alternative venue and eventually became the main event. I particularly recall a pigeon-poop grey ZF Fairlane with tunnel rams protruding through the bonnet, the front wheels would both come 4 inches off the ground when the thing took off.

[Saitch]

We used to do Laps in Toowoomba in the 70's, call out crap to the girls on the street (very improper these days) & the police would pull us over to roadworthy the cars.
There was also an Un-official "Best Time" from the BP at the top of the range to Black Soil near Ipswich. The Marburg range had to be crossed & my 302 Ute would almost use a full tank of fuel on that run. Scary thinking back, crap lights, flat to the floor, lap seat belts, 3 of us across the bench seat & crap brakes.
We really were silly but I remember it as a great time.
Jonesfam

Tsk, tsk, tsk. I, for one, would never have been involved in anything like this!.........................although Woodford to Petrie via the Mt. Mee-Dayboro-Petrie Roads was time trialed by some, in my day! [bigwhistle]

[V8Ian]

If only there were more angels in the world, like you Steve. (Cough, cough):twisted:
You seem to forget you've shared some of your antics, with a privileged few, here. [bighmmm]
There were occasions you went off the rails.[bigwhistle]

[scarry]

A bit of history,and we were talking Trams.

Note the Aspro adds on the sides.

Kingsford Smith Dr,1969.

Pic stolen from another site.

https://www1.picturepush.com/photo/a/16451347/640/16451347.jpg (https://picturepush.com/public/16451347)

[Saitch]

The high rise building in the background would be 'Torbreck' apartments, at Highgate Hill.
Also, what about the tail gating by the EK!

[scarry]

Also, what about the tail gating by the EK!

They had good brakes,drums all round[tonguewink]

[V8Ian]

I reckon the hi-rise would be SGIO building, possibly still under construction. Torbreck is on Dornoch Terrace, Highgate Hill. I think the other side of Dornoch is Dutton Park.

[V8Ian]

A bit of history,and we were talking Trams.

Note the Aspro adds on the sides.

Kingsford Smith Dr,1969.

Pic stolen from another site.

https://www1.picturepush.com/photo/a/16451347/640/16451347.jpg (https://picturepush.com/public/16451347)
That photo would have been taken before '69. Trams were withdrawn in '68.

[JDNSW]

They had good brakes,drums all round[tonguewink]

No. They had tiny drums all round!

[Saitch]

https://youtu.be/9SS3jwS60Q0

[bob10]

We used to do Laps in Toowoomba in the 70's, call out crap to the girls on the street (very improper these days) & the police would pull us over to roadworthy the cars.
There was also an Un-official "Best Time" from the BP at the top of the range to Black Soil near Ipswich. The Marburg range had to be crossed & my 302 Ute would almost use a full tank of fuel on that run. Scary thinking back, crap lights, flat to the floor, lap seat belts, 3 of us across the bench seat & crap brakes.
We really were silly but I remember it as a great time.
Jonesfam

Going home on leave to Dalby, 67, 68, the Saturday night consisted of laps of the main street, then if you had an older brother, a couple of largies , & a quiet spot for a drink or two. I will always remember the dance we went to, at the local community hall, out of town. 3 cars, boys & girls, driving along & then when a favourite song came on the radio, pull over & get out & dance. I still remember the song, " Jeremiah was a bullfrog". A much more innocent time. And I remember the kids killed on the road to Toowoomba on a weekend, at one spot where there was a jump up on the road, and it was not possible to see the oncoming traffic. A head on , passing at the wrong spot. Funny what sticks in your mind. But good times, and genuine people.

[PhilipA]

I knew old Rock n Roll George to say hello to.
He was a strange bloke, in Queens St every Friday night in his old FX all done up with baubles etc.

After a while the cops would pull us over for undue noise even if we switched off at the top of Queen St and glided down.

We were pretty quiet but one or two would always have to razz the girls at the tram safety zones and we would sit on him to shut him up and avoid intervention.

There was a burger joint at Morningside where we used to congregate and again the cops would come.

One bloke had a Mk2 Zephyr with a Jaguar 3.8 in it,. and one had a Mark 1 Cortina with a 302 in it. He was always giving the cops a run and they couldn't catch him in their Rambler Ambassadors.

One of the mates had a most beautiful FX with a very hot motor and Singer 4 speed which he used to break regularly, until he got sense and bought a beautiful Jaguar 3.8 Mk2 manual in sunset red and chrome wires, although we then thought he was a bit up himself.
Ah memories.
Regards PhilipA