The Brisbane Turf Club has been a premier Queensland racing club since it was incorporated in 1923. Based at Doomben Racecourse, the Brisbane Turf Club has come a long way since those early days at "the creek" when it was a swampy marsh, and now it’s the trotting venue, Albion Park racecourse. As of 2009, the name Brisbane Turf Club ceases to exist, so read on for the history of this well-known Queensland club.

The beginnings of the Brisbane Turf Club were when G.M. Dash, Barney Joyce and Allan Oxlade bought Albion Park in 1922, from its former owner John Wren. The following year, this consortium formed the Brisbane Amateur Turf Club as the club was originally called.

Only a decade later, the young club expanded by buying the land, which would become the Doomben Racecourse – which was opened in 1933. Located 7.5km north of Brisbane’s CBD in the suburb of Ascot, Doomben is known as the Garden Racecourse – because of its natural beauty.

The Doomben Course was closed during World War II, and US troops were billeted there during the Pacific War. Afterwards, for the last sixty years, the Brisbane Turf Club has built the track up to be one of Queensland’s best-known horse racing venues. In 1946, on the reopening of the track, the TM Ahern (now the Carlton Draught Doomben 10,000) and the Doomben Cups (now the XXXX Doomben Cup) were first run. The Doomben Cup is now considered one of the best middle distance races in Australian racing.

In 1982 the Club sold its original course, Ascot Park, in order to fund significant expansion of what is now the world-class Doomben Racecourse. The turf track is a clockwise course with a circumference of 1715 metres with a 350 metre straight.

Other notable dates in the Club’s history were the introduction of the Queensland Horse of the Year Award in 1971, and the extension of membership to women in 1980. It was not until 2001 that the Club was incorporated.

In 2009 comes the biggest change of all for Brisbane Turf Club. On 1 July 2009 the Club merged with long time rival Queensland Turf Club to become the Brisbane Racing Club. The difficulty of running two major racing organisations in a city the size of Brisbane has seen the economic necessity of the two organizations combining resources. For punters, nothing will change, however, as they will still be able to watch their favourite horses and place their racing bets at either the Eagle Farm or Doomben courses.

Although some might say that Brisbane Turf Club is finished, it appears that the Brisbane Racing Club will be a more than worthy successor. The new Club has announced a $10.2 billion master redevelopment plan for both racecourses over the next ten years. Not only will new grandstands be built and new trackside facilities and stables developed, but also substantial new car parking and there is even talk of boutique hotels and apartments on the course.

The Brisbane Turf Club has passed; long live the Brisbane Racing Club!