100 years of Australia’s Hottest Racing
About Us
For the past 110 years, Cannon Park has been the home of the Cairns Jockey Club and has continued its commitment to local racing making it one of the top things to do in Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef.
Originally owned by the Cannon family, the land where the CJC now sits was donated, with the first race meeting held in 1911. Records show that the first Cairns Cup took place in the early 1900’s.
Our progressive racing strategy, combined with our dynamic events throughout the year is consistently increasing our on-course patronage and viewing audience providing even more value to our sponsors and spectators and making Cairns a must visit for Horse Racing in Australia.
Cannon Park boasts crowds of over 12,000 per day during the peak carnival times and has many function rooms and hospitality areas.
Membership Renewal
$200pp
Runs from 1st January 2025 – 31st December 2025.
2024 New Membership Registration
$235pp
Become a Member
meet our
Committee
Tom Hedley
President
Anthony Dall’Alba
Committee Member
Bruce McDonald
Committee Member
Warren Massingham
Vice President
David Robertson
Committee Member
Damien Nowak
Committee Member
Kate Fern
Committee Member
John Forsyth
Committee Member
Gary Riches
Committee Member
Rebecca Conlan
Committee Member
Brett Cahill
Committee Member
Our History
Cannon Park Racecourse
The long and colorful history of the Cairns Jockey Club started in the townships Mining Exchange Hotel in July 1884.
Over fifty enthusiastic people signed up for membership and the very first race meeting was conducted shortly after. The day was proclaimed a holiday, and the meeting attracted attendees from as far afield as Herberton and Port Douglas.
The Cannon family generously donated the land where the club is currently located, with the first race meeting held in 1911. Records show that the celebrated Brothers Cairns Cup was first conducted in the early 1900’s, with only the war years interrupting the continuous running of this event.
In recent times several developments have taken place at Cannon Park. The grandstand was opened 15th July 1972, by the Minister of Racing the Honorable Sir Gordon Chalk KBE. It was shortly after that work was started to an extension which now houses the main public bar, tote office and windows, and the Barrier Reef function room. New improvements include the extension of the gallops track to 1800m, construction of the horse swimming pool, completion of the air-conditioned swab stall, upgraded stewards towers and installation of an improved semaphore board and photo finish systems.
In March 2006 the edge of Cyclone Larry whipped through Cannon Park causing minor track and building structural damage. Several sections of the running rail were twisted beyond recognition, and the work shed roof was ripped off, exposing the starting barriers to water damage.
On-course signage was damaged, as was the front gate ticket office. Nevertheless the saddest loss was for some of the magnificent fig trees in the tropical gardens. With office and bar buildings, and stables and tie-ups stalls escaping major damage, the club was fortunate enough to be able to continue trade.
A team of members, volunteers and workers ensured that the cleanup and running rail repairs were completed swiftly, allowing trainers to continue their horses work programs with minimal disruption.
Cannon Park has been the home to several smart gallopers who have graduated to becoming stakes place getters and metropolitan winners. These include recent Queensland Cup winner Regal Punch, and the north Queensland bred trio Strictly Smart, See You Twist and Dirtiere. The far north breeding ground does not stop with the gallopers. John O’Shea, Brian Mayfield-Smith and Jack Wilson spent their formative years honing their skills and talents at Cairns.
Cairns Amateurs History
The Cairns Amateurs Racing Carnival is three days of fun, fashion, glamour, food and entertainment built around two days of horse racing in Cairns in early September each year.
What began as a small amateur meeting in 1959, designed to bring city and country together, has expanded over the years to become one of Australia’s premier spring horse racing carnivals. The Far North Queensland Amateur Turf Club has become widely and affectionately known as “The Cairns Amateurs.”
66 years on, the Cairns Amateurs is now complemented by a host of formal and informal social activities, including a host of formal and informal social activities and corporate functions, as well as events and areas for the general public on both race days.
In 2024, the Cairns Jockey Club (CJC) solidified an IP License agreement with Racing Queensland, marking the transition of the Cairns Amateurs Carnival into the Club’s operational structure under the guidance of a Steering Committee. This new structure underscores the CJC and Steering Committee’s commitment to preserving the Carnival’s rich heritage while enhancing its sustainability and appeal as a premier tourism drawcard. Taking this collaborative and mutually beneficial approach, we combine expertise and resources to infuse the Carnival with fresh energy and vibrancy. The dates for this year’s carnival are 12th – 14th September 2024.
The race meeting prize money draws interest Queensland-wide and attracts large race fields each year, both new and returning participants. The two-day race meeting has always been held at Cannon Park Racecourse; however, the social functions that surround the Carnival vary in style and venue.
The Carnival aims to provide events that appeal to the community as a whole as well as to members and their guests. Each year the events evolve to suit the requirements and requests of members and the public accordingly. The social events are the premier functions held in Cairns each year and see locals mixing with Governors and Premiers mixing with celebrities and business leaders mixing with fashionistas.
The Carnival is determined to keep abreast with the advances in tourism and population growth and to provide the necessary infrastructure at our Carnival that offers first-class racing and social events that capture the interest of all Australians, as well as remaining a viable draw card for the advancement of Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef.