Family ties binding Bart Wilkinson to Twin Hills Race Club

By Andrew Smith

What started as just a chance for his kids to catch up with their grandparents has turned into a lifelong contribution to country racing for Bart Wilkinson.

The 53-year-old is the latest Racing Queensland Cheer A Volunteer Award winner. 

Bart has been attending the meets at the Twin Hills Race Club for decades, and in recent years has taken on more of a hands-on role volunteering at the remote Central Queensland track.

The club hosts its annual two-day meeting in late September, but Bart plays a pivotal role in the preparations that usually start around two months out from the big event. 

“We wouldn’t have our first working bee until about August…at the start of August, the ground just looks like a cattle pasture where it’s overgrown and the grass is knee-high,” Bart said. 

“So we have around eight weeks of working bees leading up to the event, where we bring in slashers and whipper snippers, and repair the running rail around the racetrack. 

“The bathrooms at the grounds are also frog-infested, and it looks like a proper deserted ghost town. 

“When Racing Queensland come up for the inspection before the races, they ask ‘how is this event going to run?’ 

“But with 20 people hitting the working bees for eight weekends in a row, it really transforms the place and we get it done.”

The Twin Hills Race Club sits around 140 kilometres from the nearest town, Clermont, in the Isaac Region.

Around 2000 people will camp on the isolated site for the two-day race meeting, with the weekend also featuring campdrafting and rodeo competitions.

Bart and wife Tegan live approximately 40 kilometres from the track on a property and will make the trip every weekend in the two months leading up to the race meet to help out.

Accompanying them are their four children in Ben, Olivia, Reece and Erin, while Bart’s father John used to call the races at the track and be on the club committee.

Bart explains how the desire for his kids to see their grandfather more often was the catalyst for his own involvement with the club.

“My father John was there before me and we never got to see him because he lived in Clermont and he would just go straight to the racetrack,” Bart said.

"When the children were younger in primary school, we started going to working bees just so we could hang out with him, and have lunch and work alongside him.

"All of my Mum’s brothers own properties around Twin Hills and she was brought up on a place next door to Twin Hills before she was married, so that was always a place she took us kids for school holidays as well.

“And then as we had our own families, it has just become an annual tradition and a family reunion.”

Flooding, drought, equine influenza and the COVID-19 pandemic have all caused the iconic meeting to be called off at different times over the last 30 years. 

Bart has been there for all of them and noted the impact the cancelled country race meetings have on the local farming community, whose livelihood is greatly affected by the weather.

“Back in 1993, I had my 21st birthday on the Twin Hills weekend, and it was on that weekend it was called off because of the drought - the cracks in the racetrack were too big,” Bart explained.

"During COVID as well when it was called off, we were talking about how good the meeting is for people’s mental health.

“They can come and have a bet, have a few drinks and a dance, catch up with their friends and forget about the pressures of work on the rural land.”

His father John, now 80, is still involved with the club but it is Bart that has taken over the mantle of vice-president.

Twin Hills Race Club secretary Jasmin Scharf, who nominated Bart for the award, described his contribution to the small club as invaluable.

“Bart and his family regularly volunteer their time, skills and equipment at our working bees with slashing the track & grounds, building & repairing infrastructure and doing anything asked of them,” Jasmin said.

“They travel on an 80-kilometre round trip to attend working bees and meet RQ's project managers, tracks team and compliance/minimum standards staff throughout the year. 

“On race day, you will find Bart fixing on-the-spot problems, organising & driving to town for last minute supplies & helping with the massive clean up after race days.

“Bart is a wonderful team member and is devoted and dedicated to our iconic community event.”

Rather than claiming the honour for himself, Bart was keen to share the Cheer A Volunteer award with his family and the rest of the Twin Hills committee.

“It's a great committee - there's probably about 10 of us in the main staff, and we live in each other's pockets, but everyone's got that much respect for everyone,” Bart said.

“We joke that we love the working days more than the race weekend itself because the weekend is so bloody big - but with the working bee it’s just the close 20 of us and we can sweat up and have a few beers and a burger at the end of it.

“Jas as the secretary, everyone respects her and she keeps us all in line and she works her guts out.

“I don't think I deserve probably as much as other people, I think I'm just the lucky one that got pulled out of the hat.

“They're not my best friends, but they're a bloody good family!”

The club is set to host this year's annual meeting on Friday, September 26 and Saturday, September 27.

Clubs are encouraged to nominate their valued volunteers for the award, which is sponsored by Neil Mansell Transport & Mittys.

State-wide, there are more than 8,300 volunteers who make an invaluable contribution to the industry, providing their time and expertise to sustain Queensland’s three codes of racing.

Click here for more information on Cheer A Volunteer and to nominate.