Victoria Racing Club (VRC) – Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne

Turnberry was appointed by the VRC in 2011 to undertake a strategic review that advised how Flemington should develop to achieve financial sustainability and to perpetuate in its physical environment the spirit of the track. The project initially involved an intensive two-week process, incorporating individual and collective stakeholder discussions and workshops, statistical analysis and benchmarking of the position of Flemington in the context of worldwide racing, culminating in a presentation of recommendations to the VRC Board.

The commission has involved further in-depth analysis and the preparation of a development strategy to support a staged approach to the development of a masterplan for the racecourse and surrounding area. As part of this process, the position of Australian racing on a world stage, and the importance of Flemington as a track within this context, has been considered; as well as the optimum approach to delivering changes over time that are sensitive to the historic elements of the racecourse whilst being responsive to the needs of the various client groups. Turnberry supported a planning application for the replacement of the Old Members’ Stand, approved in 2014, with a new Club Stand (scheduled completion 2018).