The end of the Harley Scramble Rope Works era

history of HARLEY SCRAMBLE - chapter 7: end of the rope works circuit era

Photos: [Left] A map of the Rope Works circuit from the 1940s overlayed with Mosman Park , WA today, including Jack Lorimer’s colour panoramic picture from 1952; [Top right] From 1967 -73, the Harley Scramble moved from the Rope Works, near Perth to the Mount Brown circuit in York, WA (By Tony Forsythe); and local motocross champion Ritchie Kings dominated the new era, winning the Harley Scramble five times, equalling Peter Nicol’s feat at the Rope Works.

Land development death knell for iconic Harley Scramble at the Rope Works circuit

Final Harley Scramble held at the Rope Works circuit in 1964

The death knell sounded for the Harley Scramble in April 1964 when the Mosman Park Council decided that the Rope Works course at Monument Hill in Mosman Park should go.

Over the years the size of the circuit was continually reduced as housing development encroached on the land and the nearby racing circuit became unacceptable to the new residents. But the final nail in the coffin came when approval was given for a drive-in theatre to be constructed on the north side of the circuit (land owned by UWA) and future development with large mansions being built there to take advantage of the Indian Ocean views.

The land is now known as ‘Mosman Fields’ and Harley Terrace (named after the event) is now situated at the start and finish point of the infamous circuit.

Don Russell was the last rider to win the Harley Scramble at the Rope Works that year. It was an incredible performance, being his first ride for two years, last competing there at the 1962 Australian Motocross Championships.

It was the end of an era with Russell (Kevin’s older brother) aboard a 500cc BSA, taking the British motorcycling company’s wins to 14 between 1928 and 1964. This was the most by any manufacturer, four ahead of the American Harley Davidson’s on 10, with AJS in third on 6 wins.

A year earlier, Gordon Renfree from Bunbury in the South West became only the second country rider to win the Harley Scramble with Robert Cutts from Manjimup becoming the first in 1960 and only rider to win the event during the Rope Works and York eras.

The 1965 and 1966 events were staged at Rockingham and Narrogin, respectively, until the Harley Davidson Motorcycle Club secured a new permanent home at Mount Brown in York in 1966.

Photos: [Top] Bob Cutts, Manjimup MCC – The first country rider to win at the Harley Scramble and only one to also win in York (Cutts Family Collection)

View Harley Scramble documentry

3M Video Harley Scramble – Fetauring five-times winner Peter Nicol

Harley Video 40M – The Birth of Australian Motocross documentary

A new Harley Scramble era begins in York

Harley Scramble moves to the Mount Brown in York - east of Perth

Thirty-two Harley Scramble events were run between 1928 and 1964 at the Rope Works circuit with crowds averaging 15,000 people from 1939 onwards through to the final event in June 1964.

Finding a suitable venue close to Perth – one that could maintain its appeal – proved difficult with the Harley Davidson Motor Cycle Club finally deciding to host future events at Ladham’s Park Mount Brown in the country town of York, about 100 kilometers east of Perth.

In 1965, the Harley Davidson and Coastal Motorcycle Clubs ran the “Harley Coastal Motocross ” (possibly the first time the term ‘motocross’ was used in Australia, then in 1966 the newly formed Narrogin club built the Narrogin track for the Harley Scramble.

Although never reaching the heights of the Rope Works circuit, the move to York was still successful with the Harley Scramble continuing to be one of Western Australia’s premier annual motocross events through to 1978.

The York Harley Scramble era coincided with the new lightweight 2-stroke machines, which were able to outpace the more powerful and heavier 4-strokes, which dominated the Rope Works era. The event was only open to the top WA riders and was a grueling race over 26 laps lasting over 45 minutes – a true test of man and machines’ endurance.

Photo: Allan McCarthy crossing the finish line on his Suzuki two-stroke to win the 1976 Harley Scramble in York; and receiving his trophies and prizes.

Ritchie - King of the York Harley Scramble

In 1973, Ritchie Kings won his fifth Harley Scramble on a Honda, the most of any rider at the Mount Brown Circuit in York and equalling Peter Nicol’s record at the Rope Works in Mosman Park. Both were also the only riders to win the title three years in a row.

Originally from the Northam wheatbelt town, Kings and his family moved to Southern Cross. During the 1968 and 1969 seasons, when he was at his peak, Ritchie won almost every Open or Unlimited event held in WA aboard his 500cc Matisse-Matchless machine, including the Harley Scramble in 1969.

Kings became one of WA’s all-time great motocross riders, winning eight State Motocross Championships between 1964 to 1973.

Photo: Northam rider Ritchie Kings – Five-times Harley Scramble winner (1968-70 and 1972-73) in action at the Harley Scramble, Mount Brown circuit in York.

York Harley Scramble winners

Robert Woodward – the last rider to win the Harley Scramble in York.

1967 Bob Cutts

1968 Ritchie Kings

1969 Ritchie Kings

1970 Ritchie Kings

1971 Bob O’Leary

1972 Ritchie Kings

1973 Ritchie Kings

1974 Rick Gill

1975 Graeme Smythe

1976 Allan McCarthy

1977 TBC

1978 Robert Woodward

The Harley Scramble lives on today

Harley Davidson and BSA Motorcycle Clubs combine at Noble Falls

After a break of more than a decade, the Harley Davidson Motor Cycle Club resurrected the Harley Scramble in the mid-1980s when they built their new circuit at Newburn Park Belmont, near the Perth airport. But again, due to development, the club was forced to find a new home for its club and historic event.

In 1993 the Harley Davidson and BSA Motorcycle Clubs combined with the Harley Scramble again being run – now at the Nobile Falls circuit in Gidgegannup, 40 kilometers from Perth.

Fittingly, these clubs have had a strong affiliation for almost a century with BSA club members helping to run the famous Harley Scramble in its early years.

Excluding breaks during World War II, after the closure of the Mount Brown (York) and Newburn Park (Belmont) tracks, the Harley Scramble has been running for almost a century. In 2028, it will be 100 years since the famous event was established.

This is a significant milestone and deserves a worthy celebration, although there will be less fanfare compared to when the event exploded on the scene in 1928 with immediate success and thousands of fans for almost four decades.

Photos: [Left] Queensland motocross champion David Armstrong in the 1987 Harley Scramble at Newburn Park, Belmont; [Centre and Right] In the 1980s the Harley Davidson MCC revitalised the event and included a Harley Scramble for sidecar, quad bikes and juniors.