The Helena Vale Racecourse was a

Thoroughbred horse racing Thoroughbred racing is a sport and industry involving the racing of Thoroughbred horses. It is governed by different national bodies. There are two forms of the sport – flat racing and jump racing, the latter known as National Hunt racing in t ...

track in the eastern suburb of

Perth Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth is ...

, Western Australia now known as Midvale. The course operated from the 1890s until the late 1960s.

Early stages

The first meeting was held in April 1898. The racecourse complex included stables, grandstand, mounting yard and racing track. Patrick (Lucky) Connolly brought a controlling interest in the racecourse in the pre world war one era, and maintained an interest for over 30 years.

First world war

The Helena Vale railway branch which started in the vicinity of Bellevue railway station was utilised to move troops from Blackboy Hill in the first world war. The racecourse was across the road to the

Darling Range Hotel Darling Range Hotel was a hotel in Bellevue, Western Australia, on the end of the slope on the Great Eastern Highway at the 'bottom of' Greenmount, Western Australia, Greenmount Hill and just north of the former Bellevue railway station, Perth, ...

where the proprietor in the early stage advertised the capacity to hold horses in his hotel grounds The railway branch was used to store ambulance train rolling stock in the second world war.

Later years

Racing at Helena Vale stopped in 1969. The current development over the land that was the racecourse property was being investigated in the 1970s. The suburb of Midvale was named for its location between the racecourse and Midland. The suburb later encompassed the area formerly occupied by the racecourse.

References

{{Reflist, 30em Defunct horse racing venues in Australia Sports venues in Perth, Western Australia Shire of Mundaring 1898 establishments in Australia 1969 disestablishments in Australia