Dargaville Racecourse sells for less than a third of government valuation

The Dargaville Racecourse has been sold. Photo / Kaipara District Council

A century of Northland horse racing history has ended with the sale of the Dargaville Racecourse for less than a third of its Government valuation.

The Dargaville Racing Club property had a current Government valuation of $5.45 million but was sold at auction in Whangārei on September 24 for just under $1.7m.

Dargaville Racing Club president Tim Antonio acknowledged there was a difference between the valuation and the price fetched at the auction – which was held in Whangārei on Wednesday.

But Antonio said the club was pleased with the sale and that the property had fetched a realistic price on the day.

The 46.7ha property, 4km east of Dargaville, was purchased by a northern Wairoa-based buyer, who does not want to be named.

Bayleys associate director Henry Napier said there had been good interest in the auction, with three competing bidders.

Antonio said the club had no idea of the purchaser’s future plans for the property.

Previous efforts to develop the site included a $400m mixed residential, neighbourhood centre, open space and light industrial development.

Almost a million dollars of Government cash was spent to get the site ready for sale.

Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Whātua was among those to have shown interest in the property, but nothing came to fruition.

Antonio said the club decided in July to put the racecourse up for sale by auction, advertised as must-be-sold.

He said the club was pleased the property had been sold, so the sale money locked up in the asset could be released to the people of northern Wairoa.

The Dargaville racecourse property purchased by a northern Wairoa buyer. Photo / Bayleys

The six-year effort to sell the property came after the club won its fight with New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR) to keep ownership.

A 2018 report commissioned by then Racing Minister Winston Peters identified it for sale among 20 tracks that should be sold, with proceeds going to NZTR.

“It has been a long and bureaucratic process getting this far, but we are pleased we have finally got the stage where the community will see some tangible benefit,” Antonio said.

Proceeds from the property sale would first be used for repaying debt to Te Runanga o Ngāti Whātua, Antonio and racing club member and development promoter Richard Alspach and paying property sale commission.

Antonio said the balance, which he hoped would be more than $1m, would be going to a new Dargaville Racing Club Legacy Fund. This will be administered by the Northland Community Foundation, a Whangārei-based philanthropic organisation.

Dargaville Racing Club president Tim Antonio (left) and wife Rosemary Antonio at Kaipara’s recent Te Waihekeora reservoir opening. Photo / Susan Botting

Northern Wairoa community groups including sporting and cultural clubs, social infrastructure and marae will be able to apply for funding.

Applicants must be in western Kaipara, across an area roughly bounded by from between Tangiteroria to Ruawai in the east, Kaihu in the north and Pouto in the south.

Thousands of people and hundreds of racehorses have been part of race days across more than 160 race meets held continually since then, except for the seven years of WWII.

In 1985, the racecourse became the venue for the beginnings of the Northland Agricultural Field Days, which continued there for 21 years, before heading down the road to the current Awakino Point East Rd site in 2006.

Rugby was played in the centre of the racecourse in winter and there has been a pony club on site for some years.

The racecourse is currently used for grazing sheep.

■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.