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Coastal Cranes assists classic Albany community event

Coastal Cranes assists classic Albany community event

Coastal Cranes Albany (Coastal) recently assisted in setting up barriers for the Albany Classic Motor Event run through the heart of the Albany (WA) CBD on the June long weekend each year; and removing the barriers afterwards. Greg Keane reports.

This is something that Coastal has done for many years, with this support being recognised not just in the list of sponsors but by having a corner and a race named after the business, as well as having the company name painted on some of the barriers.

Coastal provides 2 Frannas for handling the barriers around the circuit and a 55t Liebherr AT crane to load and unload trucks in the storage yard. Other local businesses provide trucks, forklifts and telehandlers to assist in these efforts.

Coastal isn’t the only local business to provide financial or in-kind support to the event: in relatively small communities such as Albany, events such as this can only survive (and thrive) with a high level of local business and community support. 

The Albany Classic is a unique event with a proud history. What was initially planned in 1936 as a cycle race around the streets of Albany for “Back to Albany” celebrations morphed, following representations from the WA Sporting Car Club, into the first “round the houses” motor race in Australia, following the model of the Monaco Grand Prix. It even had a similar water backdrop: Albany’s impressive Princess Royal Harbour. 

The inaugural event was a resounding success, with all rooms booked out in Albany and surrounding areas and people sleeping in cars, on floors – anywhere they could lay down. This success continued for nearly 30 years before the event was discontinued.

It was revived in 1991 and uses an abbreviated 1.5km section of the original 4km circuit for the Sunday race through the streets. This is preceded by a hill climb at Mt Clarence on the Saturday and followed on the Monday by time trials in an industrial estate.

It’s not just a race: it is a weekend of varied festivities with something for all the family – but for the revheads, there’s plenty to see with over 150 historic vehicles at the last event, from diminutive open wheelers from bygone eras to sports cars made by long-gone manufacturers, specials and modern sports car classics.

The next event will be June 1-2, 2019. More information at www.albanyclassic.com. 

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