The South Australia city of Port Pirie, the sixth largest in the state, is a seaport on the east coast of the Spencer Gulf. It is located approximately 75 miles from Port Augusta and boasts a population of just under 15,000. In the early part of the 20th century it had its own racecourse at Phoenix Park, with racing administered by the Port Pirie Race Club and, to this day, continues offering racing, albeit harness racing on a track with a 950 metre circumference and 170 metre straight.
The photo above, although in the public domain, is shown courtesy of the State Library of South Australia.
Much of the information about this course has been found using internet research and is in the public domain. However, useful research sources have been:-
London Illustrated News
Racing Illustrated 1895-1899
The Sporting & Dramatic Illustrated
Northern Turf History Volumes 1-4 by J.Fairfax-Blakeborough
The Sporting Magazine
A Long Time Gone by Chris Pitt first published in 1996 ISBN 0 900599 89 8
Racing Calendars which were first published in 1727
