This Day in History: 1981-07-18

The inaugural Toodyay Wheelbarrow Race was held in Toodyay, as a fund-raiser for Jocelyn Lee (Toodyay’s Miss Australia entrant) and the Police and Citizens’ Boys Club of Northam. In a field of eight teams, the winners were a team of three, consisting of Harry Hatfull, Ron Woodward and Brian Jokich, who achieved a time of 22 min. over a 4.4 km course of bitumen and dirt. This event was a re-enactment of a similar event held in Toodyay on 18 August 1935, as a bet between Wesley E. (Wowser) James and Frank Costello.

Sources:
Northam advertiser, 23 July 1981, p.4; 30 July 1981, p.5 (photos).
West Australian, 26 Aug. 1935, p.9.