The New South Wales town of Murwillumbah lies on the Tweed River some 850 kilometres north-east of Sydney and just 130 kilometres south of Brisbane. It boasts a population of approximately 9,500 and has its own racecourse, with racing administered by the Tweed River Jockey Club. The Jockey Club is situated 3 kilometres north of the town, enjoying spectacular countryside highlighted by the view of Mount Warning in the background.

One of the earliest records of a meeting organised by the Tweed River Jockey Club was on Easter Monday 1884 when the principal races were the Tweed River Handicap and the Cudgeon Plate. Later that year a 2 day meeting was staged on 24th and 25th September 1884. The next year the main meeting was held on Saturday 26th December 1885 when the main races were the Tweed River Handicap over 2 miles and the Corinthian Cup over 1 ½ miles. The results of these races are shown below:-
Boxing Day 1885
Tweed River Handicap over 2 miles
1. Mary Anne (6/4 fav) owned by Mr Stansfield and ridden by R Gibson
Corinthian Cup over 1 ½ miles
1. Holly Joe (2/1 ON fav) owned by Mr Armstrong and ridden by Smith

In 1901 a meeting was organised by the Tweed River Jockey Club on Thursday 15th August 1901 when the big handicaps were both won by The Persian, while Gilder was successful in the other races. By 1913 a full programme of Handicaps was offered for the meeting on Saturday 15th November 1913. The programme consisted of:-
Opening Tweed Handicap over 6 furlongs: Morris Kealey & Costumiere dead-heated
District Maiden Handicap over 6 furlongs: Nellie R
Show Handicap over 7 furlongs: Amberina
First Novice Handicap over 6 furlongs: Ceti
First Welter Handicap over 7 furlongs: Inaction
Flying Handicap over 7 furlongs: Canadium

In 1915 saw the establishment of an aerodrome on Tygalgah Racecourse to aid the effort in the First World War. This meant that the inaugural meeting on the South Murwillumbah racecourse took place on Wednesday 25th October 1916 under the direction of Mr R A Toose. The first meeting after the War had ended took place on Saturday 15th March 1919 after all restrictions had been lifted.

By 1923 the Tygalgah Racecourse was in use once more for the meeting on Saturday 4th August 1923 because the usual South Murwillumbah course was being upgraded. Racing had certainly returned to the course for the meeting on Saturday 27th November 1927 when Mr H J A Brown acted as Secretary and Mr A E Robinson as Steward. By 1928 all advertisements referred to meetings on the South Murwillumbah Racecourse, known at that time as the Old Pony track, when the principal races were the Murwillumbah Plate, The Purse and the Murwillumbah Handicap.

Currently the racecourse stages 11 race meetings annually, generally from March to June, and caters for all tastes by hosting meetings during the week and at the weekend. The races receive good news coverage, with the Northern River Press group providing the public with race details and a full set of results.

ISBN 978-0-9957632-0-3

652 pages

774 former courses

ISBN 978-0-9957632-1-0

352 pages

400 former courses

ISBN 978-0-9957632-2-7

180 pages

140 former courses

ISBN 978-0-9957632-3-4

264 pages

235 former courses