Back in 1972, an Australian entrepreneur, Linden Prowse organized Australia’s first ever international series. It was an exciting, although eventually unsuccessful exercise when it came to being a money winner, but it was the start of international motocross down under. Invited from the Grand Prix scene was Roger De Coster, Joel Robert, Adolf Weil, Willie Bauer, Bengt Aberg, and many more and the series would be run at three different circuits across Australia.

I remember the series well, just 10 years old, and having never witnessed a motocross race in my life, but excited to watch these riders from overseas races, from countries I didn’t know and had no idea where Belgium, or Sweden even was.

My father was the leading motorcycle racing photographer in Australia for the leading magazines, REVS and Two Wheels, and usually took us to speedway, road Racing and short circuit events across the country, but having watched the movie, On Any Sunday at the Australian premier at the Opera house in Sydney some months earlier, he wanted to shoot some images at one of the rounds of this international motocross series.

My first ever motocross race at Oran Park on the outskirts of Sydney in Australia and a couple of things that stood out for me, was first, how cool Roger De Coster looked on the podium, with two beautiful young Aussie girls on each side. His long blonde hair and European swagger and the way these two trophy girls looked at him. As 10-year-old kid, I got it 100% and I was addicted to motocross from that moment.

Of course, the other thing, was the gladiatorial look of the riders. In those days the riders rode with Jofa mouth guard, which looked a lot like something a Roman soldier might wear in the colosseum in Rome. These rugged men, covered in dirt and sweat, it was just such a tough vibe they delivered, and that delivery continues to this day, as names like Gajser, Herlings, Prado and Febvre battling in Europe and around the World.

Oran Park was conducted on a track inside the road race circuit, but at least this one benefited from the undulating nature of the terrain and had in fact staged several motocross meetings previously.

To the relief of the promoters, a very healthy crowd, said to be between 10-12,000 filed in through the gates. On this layout, the Europeans simply flew, soaring over the jumps as if they weren’t there, braking later into the corners and hitting the throttle earlier onto the straights.

After a somewhat disappointing series by his standards, de Coster really hit his straps, winning the opening encounter from Robert and Weil after Bauer suffered a broken chain. Stung by the realisation that the retirement had probably cost him the series win, Bauer scorched to the lead in Leg Two, harried by Aberg for the entire distance, while de Coster claimed third. Klitland was again best of the locals, from Jim Scaysbrook, and Garry Adams, while Aberg was declared the overall winner of the series. Klitland took home the gold for best local.

Of the three rounds, Oran Park certainly produced the best racing, and at the end of an exciting day there was much talk of a bigger, better series for 1973. But behind the scenes, all was not well. Spectator attendance overall had fallen well short of expectations, and despite the promoters’ pleas, local sponsors were conspicuously absent.

It took some time before the published prize money was paid, and although debts were eventually settled, the promotion company quietly disappeared. The promoter, Linden Prowse walked away from a considerable personal investment to pursue other lines of business, and later became a breeder of successful racehorses.

The positive, motocross in Australia was truly born and our young riders suddenly understood what they had to do to get better and also, their goals of racing internationally were made a realistic endeavour. Soon after, Terry Gunter, one of the top Aussies at the time races in Europe, as did others. A little over 10 years later, for the first time in the countries history, Australia sent a team to the Motocross des Nations and led by names like Stephen Gall, Vaughn Styles, Jeff Leisk, Craig Dack, Glen Bell and David Armstrong Australia battled the best in the World and suddenly, Australia was a known motocross country. Finishing fourth in the 1986 and 1988 MXdN and on many occasions on the podium.

Action Group, who promoted the Grand Prix’s headed to Australia at the start of his century and young men like Chad Reed, Andrew McFarlane, Micheal Byrne and again, many others got opportunities to race overseas. The ball was truly rolling and for me, now 63, I have followed that progress and as we saw at Matterley Basin, now, some 52 years after that race in Oran Park, Australia rule the World.

That my friends, is why our sport needs to travel, to visit places like Indonesia, Argentina, China, and now, again Australia in 2025. For people to complain, to pick holes in the way Infront run the sport, try and think a little harder and dig a little deeper into your sports history, because without the best riders in the World travelling, back in the day, its very possible the sport of motocross in both America and Australia, would look very different.

Photos: Gregory Heath