It's pretty funny how we as a club celebrated the fact that we got out of the pokie machine industry only to set up a headquarters at a horse racing track 🤔

9 hours ago, The Jackson FIX said:

Is Andy Dufresne digging it with a teaspoon??

Racing Chair one day:

I was half joking when I suggested a bridge, but as others posted, if for some unimaginable reason a tunnel is impossible, a retractable/swingable bridge doesn't sound silly. Well, really a walkway rather than a bridge. It doesn't have to be more than 30cm above the turf - a couple of steps at each end would do.

But even that sounds unncessary. I gather the weights of players are no longer publised. But I suspect our players weigh less than iron-shod horses. 40 blokes crossing the track a few times a week can surely be managed to ensure no rabbit run develops across the track.

2 hours ago, sue said:

I was half joking when I suggested a bridge, but as others posted, if for some unimaginable reason a tunnel is impossible, a retractable/swingable bridge doesn't sound silly.

I like the idea of a slide 🛝 rigged up to the clock tower at the furlong

2 hours ago, sue said:

I was half joking when I suggested a bridge, but as others posted, if for some unimaginable reason a tunnel is impossible, a retractable/swingable bridge doesn't sound silly. Well, really a walkway rather than a bridge. It doesn't have to be more than 30cm above the turf - a couple of steps at each end would do.

But even that sounds unncessary. I gather the weights of players are no longer publised. But I suspect our players weigh less than iron-shod horses. 40 blokes crossing the track a few times a week can surely be managed to ensure no rabbit run develops across the track.

and dog walkers are already crossing the track nearly every day

How about recommending a retractable bridge over the track?

Doesn't need to be permanent.

Retracts when we need it and closes out of sight.

Some of the “problems” seem blown out of proportion in the article.

So is this some sort of MRC leak to scupper the plan?

Are we cooked?

4 hours ago, sue said:

I was half joking when I suggested a bridge, but as others posted, if for some unimaginable reason a tunnel is impossible, a retractable/swingable bridge doesn't sound silly. Well, really a walkway rather than a bridge. It doesn't have to be more than 30cm above the turf - a couple of steps at each end would do.

But even that sounds unncessary. I gather the weights of players are no longer publised. But I suspect our players weigh less than iron-shod horses. 40 blokes crossing the track a few times a week can surely be managed to ensure no rabbit run develops across the track.

Most racehorses weight about 500 kgs more than the average afl footballer and rip up the turf track all the way around with their 4 metal plates, when galloping in a group of other racehorses in a race.

This damage could never be compared to any negligible damage caused by footballers in runners, crossing the track in one small section.

However, laying a carpet across the track for 2-3 hours of training, until a better solution is agreed, would eliminate any risk of damage by the footballers whatsoever.

There doesn’t seem to be any other real dispute between us and the MRC, there is no other suggestion we would affect horse racing at Caulfield.

Just get it done.

20 hours ago, Redleg said:

Agree.

It’s probably a 25 to 30 metre long by 3 metre wide pedestrian tunnel.

Nah, it would have to be at least 100m. There are two track widths plus to cover. Even so, it’s not going to need a year. What a crock.

3 hours ago, titan_uranus said:

Some of the “problems” seem blown out of proportion in the article.

So is this some sort of MRC leak to scupper the plan?

Are we cooked?

Seems like it...I mean the idea of closing racing down for 12 months, seriously.

1 hour ago, rjay said:

Seems like it...I mean the idea of closing racing down for 12 months, seriously.

Arnt they closing down the track from this years Caulfield Cup into next year for an upgrade already? (Or was that just AI?). Don't they have somewhere else to race like Sandown? I have a memory of Caulfield been closed when they resurfaced the entire track.

I would expect a tunnel to take up to 6 months. We are not building the Metro Tunnel nor are we building the escape tunnel from Stalag 13.

I suspect the MRC probably wants some joint offices/facilities with the MFC to save money on economies of scale.

Where is the paper bag.

A retractable zipline

Might even be a plus for recruiting players.

Seriously this is a mess. The tunnel issues probably cover up deep seated rejection by the race club

Yeah it's quite clear they don't want us there. Can't imagine they'd be making life easy for us of we ever eventually manage to move in.

Do we have a plan B?

Settle down everyone. MRC obviously want more $$$$ from the Government. They will get it and our facility will get built. Tunnel included.

52 minutes ago, Mouseymoo said:

Yeah it's quite clear they don't want us there. Can't imagine they'd be making life easy for us of we ever eventually manage to move in.

Do we have a plan B?

Further upgrades to Casey such as stands etc for wind break.

Sad reality, but it may be our only option long term.

1 hour ago, Mouseymoo said:

Do we have a plan B?

Yes, Caulfield.

On 13/02/2026 at 18:15, Grr-owl said:

Come on, being stuck at Waverley would be better than being stuck at Gosch’s…

Kot for me, Goschs is not so far away, get the train to Richmond then a short walk. Remember why Waverley failed. It's car only.

I think the Caulfield idea is dead in the water. There are too many issues the racing club don't want and no money.

1 hour ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Further upgrades to Casey such as stands etc for wind break.

Sad reality, but it may be our only option long term.

Nothing sad about it.

Best and cheapest option.

$10m for a tunnel is a joke. what a waste of money.

and what's this OHS nonsense. walk around the bloody track to get to the admin buildings.

The MRC sounds like a nest of vipers. wouldn't trust them as far as i could throw them.

22 hours ago, 3KZ is Football said:

If we are at this crossroad after 2 years of negotiations, then it all seems fairly flimsy to me. It wouldn’t take 12 months to build a short tunnel.

Road Construction Companies can build a short tunnel over a weekend with the right equipment.

It’s clear the MRC are not interested in having the MFC as a neighbour.

BANG, Thats the issue right there!

14 hours ago, picket fence said:

BANG, Thats the issue right there!

Correct pf. Also the racecourse track would be unusable for a considerable amount of a year. They simply don’t want the problems of creating ovals in the centre of their course. IMO heavy equipment would be needed in the creating the playing ovals. The only way to do that is to cross the racing track meaning repair work after the machinery is finished. So no racing for a considerable time. Sadly we will never IMO get a home there.

22 hours ago, titan_uranus said:

Some of the “problems” seem blown out of proportion in the article.

So is this some sort of MRC leak to scupper the plan?

Are we cooked?

Yes.

22 hours ago, titan_uranus said:

On 21/02/2026 at 11:08, Fritta and Turner said:

and dog walkers are already crossing the track nearly every day

Some of the “problems” seem blown out of proportion in the article.

So is this some sort of MRC leak to scupper the plan?

Are we cooked?

Yes.