Australian Turf Club (ATC) Heritage Centre, Randwick, Sydney

Australian Turf Club (ATC) Heritage Centre, Randwick, Sydney

• Formerly Australian Jockey Club Racing Museum
• Australian Jockey Club (AJC), 1842-2011
• Sydney Turf Club (STC), 1943-2011

• Business

The Australian Turf Club was created in 2011 from the merger of the Australian Jockey Club, founded in 1842 and the Sydney Turf Club, founded in 1943 after the passing of the Sydney Turf Club Act 1943 (NSW).

The Australian Turf Club Heritage Centre was opened in 2016 with the collection recognised in 2011 as having importance to the club and needing formal management.

The Heritage Centre is a business unit in the Australian Turf Club, a business that manages the running of horse races across four racecourses in Sydney - Rosehill Gardens, Royal Randwick, Canterbury Park and Warwick Farm. The collection is managed by two staff members based at Royal Randwick. They report to the membership team.

We collect material relating to the four racecourses managed by the Australian Turf Club as well as material relating to thoroughbred horse racing across New South Wales. The material often relates specifically to the clubs who manage and did manage racing as well as the people and horses involved in the industry. The collection is built on donations.

The collection holds:

• artwork: framed pictures;
• objects: trophies, whips, saddles, silks, other racecourse paraphernalia, etc;
• photographs: unframed;
• library books on the history of racing, horses, personalities, racecourses, and reference items such as turf registers, Miller's Guide, Australian Jockey Club Racing Calendars, race results, etc;
• race books; and
• the archives: minutes of the Australian Jockey Club and the Sydney Turf Club, correspondence, regulatory material such as licences for jockeys, trainers and bookmakers, property information (about the tracks and buildings), membership lists, stewards inquiries, etc.

The Reading Room is open by appointment.
Closed to appointments on public holidays and between Christmas and New Year.

Appointments should be made a week in advance or no less than two days prior to the appointment. The library material is freely accessible but written requests must be received for access to other parts of the collection, particularly the archives. For sensitive material, permission will be sought from the Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Turf Club.

The Heritage Centre is all on level ground with no steps. Parking is available out the front of the building.

Reference advice is available from the archivist with applications for such advice preferred in writing. Heritage Centre staff undertake to complete enquiries on behalf of the public but encourage those doing substantial research or writing a book to come in and use the library for themselves.

Depending on the condition of the books or papers, photocopies can be made at a cost (black and white, colour, A4, A3 size). Researchers can use their own camera (without flash) to take images of material. Private use of these images or information is allowed. Permission must be sought before use in publication.

Revised 11 December 2021

• Recreation / Leisure / Sports (Thematic area)