The late Peter Melton won the last two Australian 500cc Motocross Championships ever staged in Australia – in 1999 and 2000. 

Melton, from Acacia Ridge in Queensland, won these titles aboard Kawasaki machines with the final win escalating the Japanese team to equal top in the 500cc Manufacturer’s Championship, alongside Yamaha on 20 wins.

Ironically, Melton (who was nicknamed “Reggie”) rode for Yamaha in the earlier part of his motocross career, riding for the Yamaha Dealer Team in the early 1990s, alongside Craig Dack (NSW).

Melton won all of his Australian Motocross Championships aboard Kawasaki machines, winning his first Australian Championship in 1996 in the 250cc series.  He had an abundance of natural talent, dedication and a technique that was marveled at by an entire generation. 

His career spanned 20 years and spawned plenty of success with multiple Motocross and Supercross titles.  Three times he won the Australian Supercross Championship in 1992, ’94 and ’96 and the Supercross Masters Series in 1995 and ’96.

Later in his career, Melton took a keen interest in coaching youngsters in the sport.  He also competed in the national Thumper Series and at the 1997 Thumper Nationals at Dargle (NSW) was competitive against World numbers one and two, Joel Smets on a Husaberg and Daryl King on a Husqvarna – aboard his Kawasaki KLX650R ‘trail bike’.

Sadly, on 1 November 2017, Melton lost his life while riding a motocross on a track west of Brisbane, in Queensland. It is believed he suffered a heart attack.

Throughout his motocross career, Melton won three Australian Motocross Championships, five National Supercross titles and 17 Queensland State titles.