Billycarts return to rule the roads

The fourth annual Marble Bar Billy Cart Grand Prix will be returning to the hottest part of Australia next month, and residents are gearing up in preparation.

Last week, The Newman Youth Centre began its construction workshops, which will be held on Monday and Friday between 2:30 and 5pm for 10-17-year-olds.

A Shire of East Pilbara spokesperson said the construction workshops had already received a large interest, with the waitlist already completely full for the next upcoming weeks.

Marble Bar Community Resource Centre co-ordinator Kim Mackay said the community was expecting an even larger crowd this year as the word continued to spread to the larger population.

He said there were many billycarts already built and ready to go in nearby towns, as Dampier had their inaugural Billy Cart Grand Prix last year.

Despite the main focus of the event being on the grand prix, the Marble Bar Jerk-Off, which is a jerky eating contest, had proven to be a hit in previous years and will be continued this year.

“We will have an MC for the day to announce the races and anything else going on during the day with loud speakers in the main street,” Mr Mackay said.

“We also hope to have Hedland Community Radio 101.3FM broadcasting from Marble Bar on the days as per the last three events.

“We definitely expect people from all the Pilbara towns and Broome as we did last year. This event is second to the Marble Bar Races and is bigger in that we have to close the main street on the day.

“Events like these are important for the town both economically (for the businesses) and socially ( a fun family day for the townspeople and visitors alike).

“It also showcases our beautiful little town with the hope that visitors who cannot attend our events will choose to visit at a time more convenient for them.”

The event attracted more than 350 locals and visitors last year on April 16 for the third annual Billy Cart Grand Prix, along with a record of 36 billycarts of all shapes and sizes. Locals and visitors are encouraged to become a part of the unique event which will be held on Saturday, April 15 at the Marble Bar Community Resource Centre.

The Newman Youth Centre has has asked that anyone who has unused bike parts including forks, frames, and wheels, donate them to the centre ahead of the event.