Australian Hillclimb Championship

The Australian Hillclimb Championship is an Australian motor sport competition which determines Australia's annual hillclimbing champion. The championship has traditionally been awarded to the driver setting fastest time at a single meeting^[1] however the 1958 title was awarded based on the combined results of two meetings^[2] and a multi round pointscore series was employed from 1972 to 1975.^[1]

The championship has been sanctioned by Motorsport Australia (formerly known as the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport) since 1954.^[3] Prior to this it was sanctioned by the Australian Automobile Association,^[4] with two events having national championship status in 1949.^[5]

The term Motorsport Australia Hill Climb Championship has been used by Motorsport Australia for the title since 2020.^[6]

In 2022, history was made when Dean Tighe won the championship, 58 years after his father Ivan, making them the first father and son duo to both win the championship.

Results

John Barraclough won the 1949 title at Rob Roy driving an MG K3 Magnette

Peter Gumley has won ten Australian Hillclimb Championship titles. He is pictured in his SCV Volkswagen at Collingrove Hillclimb in 2011

Brett Hayward won his third title in 2017, driving this Hayward. The car is pictured at the 2017 Championship at Collingrove Hillclimb

Year[5]	Venue[5]	State[5]	Date	Champion[5]	Car[5]
1938	Rob Roy	Vic.	13 June[7]	Peter Whitehead[8]	ERA R10B[9]
1947	Rob Roy	Vic.	2 November[7]	Arthur Wylie[1]	Ford A Special[1]
1948	Rob Roy	Vic.	2 November[10]	Frank Kleinig[1]	Hudson Special[1]
1949	Hawkesbury	NSW	20 March[11]	Frank Kleinig[12]	Hudson Special[13]
1949	Rob Roy	Vic.	1 November[7]	John Barraclough[1]	MG K3 Magnette[1]
1950	Rob Roy	Vic.	7 November[14]	Keith Martin[1]	Cooper JAP 1000[15]
1951	Rob Roy	Vic.	6 November[14]	Jack Brabham[1]	Twin Special Speedcar
1952	Rob Roy	Vic.	4 November[16]	John Crouch[1]	Cooper 1100[1]
1953	Rob Roy	Vic.	2 November[17]	Reg Hunt[1]	Hunt Vincent 1000 Special[1]
1954	Collingrove	SA	19 April[18]	Bill Patterson[16]	Cooper Mk. V JAP 1000[16]
1955	Toowoomba	Qld.	17 September[19]	Lex Davison[1]	Cooper Mk. IV[20] Vincent
1956	Bathurst	NSW	21 October[21]	Lex Davison[1]	Cooper Mk. IV[20] Vincent
1957	Albany	WA	20 April[22]	Lex Davison[1]	Cooper Mk. IV[20] Irving
1958	Templestowe & Rob Roy [23]	Vic.	2 November & 4 November [23]	Bruce Walton[1]	Walton Cooper
1959	Queens Domain, Hobart[24]	Tas.	14 November[25]	Bruce Walton[25]	Walton Cooper[25]
1960	Collingrove	SA	17 October[2]	Bruce Walton[1]	Walton Cooper
1961	Toowoomba	Qld.	24 September[26]	Bruce Walton[1]	Walton Cooper
1962	Silverdale	NSW	22 July[27]	Bruce Walton[1]	Walton Cooper
1963	Silverdale	NSW	21 July[2]	Bruce Walton[1]	Walton Cooper
1964	Silverdale	NSW	19 July[2]	Ivan Tighe[1]	Tighe Vincent
1965	Lakeland	Vic.	28 March[2]	Tim Schenken[1]	White 500
1966	Collingrove	SA	8 October[2]	Alan Hamilton[1]	Porsche 904 Bergspyder[28]
1967	Bathurst	NSW	26 November[2]	Greg Cusack[1]	Repco Brabham[5] BT23A[29]
1968	Templestowe	Vic.	17 November[2]	Dick White[1]	White 1500
1969	Silverdale	NSW	21 & 22 June[30]	Dick White[1]	White 2000 Volkswagen s/c[31]
1970	Mount Cotton	Qld.	14 June[2]	Paul England[1]	Ausca Volkswagen[1]
1971	Collingrove	SA	10 April[2]	Alan Hamilton[1]	Porsche 906[1]
1972	Three round series[1]	N/A	N/A	Murray Bingham[1]	Bingham Cobra
1973	Four round series[1]	N/A	N/A	Paul England[1]	Ausca Volkswagen
1974	Four round series[1]	N/A	N/A	Paul England[1]	Ausca Volkswagen
1975	Four round series[1]	N/A	N/A	Stan Keen[1]	Elfin MR5 Ford[32]
1976	Bathurst	NSW	7 November[2]	Peter Hollinger[1]	Holinger Repco[33]
1977	Morwell	Vic.	27 November[2]	Ian Judd[1]	Cheetah Oldsmobile
1978	Collingrove	SA	8 October[2]	Peter Holinger[1]	Holinger Repco[34]
1979	Mount Cotton	Qld.	10 June[2]	Peter Holinger[1]	Holinger Repco[35]
1980	Silverdale	NSW	8–9 November[36]	Kym Rohrlach[1]	Volkswagen Special
1981	Ararat	Vic.	15 November[37]	Alan Hamilton[1]	Porsche Special
1982	Collingrove	SA	9–10 October[38]	Kym Rohrlach[1]	Volkswagen Special
1983	Mount Cotton	Qld.	5 June[39]	Roger Harrison[1]	Elfin 600C Repco Brabham[40]
1984	Huntley Hill, Dapto	NSW	28 October[41]	Warren Brown[1]	Sceptre V8
1985	Mount Leura	Vic.	20 October[42]	Ivan Tighe[43]	Chevron B37 Chevrolet[44]
1986	Collingrove	SA	12 October[45]	Kym Rohrlach[46]	Volkswagen Special[46]
1987	Mount Cotton	Qld.	31 May[47]	Kym Rohrlach[46]	Volkswagen Special
1988	Fairbairn Park	ACT	8 May[48]	Peter Holinger[49]	Holinger Repco
1989	Gippsland Park	Vic.	15 October[50]	Alan Hamilton[50]	Lola T8750 Buick[50]
1990	Collingrove	SA	16 September[51]	Garry McFadyen[51]	Bowin
1991	Mount Cotton	Qld.	2 June[43]	Ivan Tighe[43]	Kaditcha
1992	Mountain View, Grafton[52]	NSW	13 September[53]	John Davies[52]	DBF Suzuki[52]
1993	One Tree Hill, Ararat[54]	Vic.	19–21 November[54]	Stan Keen[55]	Shrike
1994	Collingrove	SA	15 & 16 October[56]	Roger Harrison[57]	Tiga FA83 Repco Brabham[40]
1995	Mount Cotton	Qld.	3–4 June[58]	John Davies[59]	DBF Suzuki[59]
1996	Bathurst	NSW	4–7 April[60]	Peter Gumley[61]	SCV
1997	Mount Leura, Camperdown[62]	Vic.	16–19 October[62]	Roger Harrison[63]	Tiga FA83 Repco Brabham
1998	Collingrove	SA	20 September[64]	Peter Gumley[61]	SCV
1999	Gippsland Park, Morwell[65]	Vic.	29–31 October[65]	Peter Gumley[65]	SCV[65]
2000	Mount Panorama, Bathurst[66]	NSW	29 September – 1 October[66]	Peter Gumley[66]	SCV[66]
2001	Mount Cotton[67]	Qld.	28–30 September[67]	Peter Gumley[67]	SCV[67]
2002	Grafton	NSW	14–15 September[68]	Peter Gumley[61]	SCV
2003	Collingrove	SA	18,19&21 April[18]	Peter Gumley[61]	SCV
2004	Gippsland Park, Morwell,[69]	Vic.	29–31 October[69]	Gary West[69]	Lola F3000[69]
2005	Collingrove	SA	2 October[61]	Peter Gumley[61]	SCV Volkswagen[61]
2006	Bathurst	NSW	3–5 November[70]	Gary West[71]	Lola F3000
2007	Mount Cotton[72]	Qld.	3–4 November[73]	Peter Gumley[72]	Wortmeyer SCV[73]
2008	Mount Panorama, Bathurst[74]	NSW	7–9 October[74]	Gary West[75][76]	Lola T8750[75]
2009	Bryant Park	Vic.	29 October – 1 November[77]	Brett Hayward[75]	Hayward 09[78]
2010	Collingrove	SA	15–17 October[79]	Peter Gumley[80]	Wortmeyer SCV Volkswagen[81]
2011	Bryant Park, Yallourn[82]	Vic.	30 October[83]	Brett Hayward[83]	Hayward 09[83]
2012	Mount Panorama Circuit, Bathurst[84]	NSW	3 & 4 November[84]	Tim Edmondson[84]	Gould GR55B Nicholson McLaren[84]
2013	Mount Cotton[85]	Qld	1–3 November[85]	Greg Ackland[85]	Ackland GA8[86]
2014	Ringwood Park Motorsport Complex[87]	NSW	1–2 November[87]	Malcolm Oastler[87]	OMS 28[87]
2015	Jacks Hill[88]	WA	6–8 November[88]	Malcolm Oastler[89]	OMS 28[90]
2016	Bryant Park, Yallourn[91]	Vic.	27–30 October[91]	Malcolm Oastler[92]	OMS 28[92]
2017	Collingrove[93]	SA	28–29 October[93]	Brett Hayward[93]	Hayward[93]
2018	Bryant Park, Yallourn[94]	Vic.	26–28 October[94]	Malcolm Oastler[95]	OMS 28[95]
2019	Mount Panorama Circuit, Bathurst[96]	NSW	1–3 November[96]	Malcolm Oastler[96][97]	OMS 28
2020	Mount Cotton[6]	Qld.	5–8 November[6]	Cancelled due to Covid-19 restrictions[98]
2021	Mount Cotton[6]	Qld.	25–28 November	Cancelled due to Covid-19 restrictions
2022	Mount Cotton[99]	Qld.	22–23 October [99]	Dean Tighe[99]	Empire Wraith[99]
2023	Ringwood Park Motorsport Complex [100]	NSW	27-29 October [100]	Dean Amos [101]	Gould GR55B Nicholson McLaren V8 [101]
2024	Bryant Park, Yallourn [102]	Vic.	24-27 October [102]	Dean Amos [103]	Gould GR55B Nicholson McLaren V8 [103]

References

1. Pedr Davis, The Macquarie Dictionary of Motoring, 1986, page 215
2. Jim Shepherd, A History of Australian Motor Sport, 1980, pages 235-253
3. Past Title Winners, 1980 CAMS Manual of Motor Sport, page 57
4. Jim Shepherd, A History of Australian Motor Sport, 1980, page 235
5. Australian Titles, docs.cams.com.au, as archived at www.webcitation.org on 16 July 2014
6. Hillclimb Championship to next run in 2021, motorsport.org.au, as archived at web.archive.org
7. HILL CLIMB WINNERS 1897-1936 Archived 25 March 2015 at the Wayback Machine retrieved 21 October 2011
8. Rob Roy HillClimb Retrieved 21 October 2011
9. Peter Whitehead in Australia: ERA R10B: 1938…, primotipo.com Retrieved 2 March 2016
10. The Australian Motor Manual Annual 1949-50, page 92
11. The Australian Motor Manual Annual 1949-50, page 93
12. John B Blanden, Historic Racing Cars in Australia, 1979, pages 162-163
13. Bill Tuckey, The Book of Australian Motor Racing, page 158
14. John B Blanden, Historic Racing Cars in Australia, 1979, page 236
15. Drivers and Cars Entered in the 1951 Narrogin Race Archived 1 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 21 October 2011
16. John B Blanden, Historic Racing Cars in Australia, 1979, page 91
17. 11/53 AMS
18. Program, Australian Hillclimb Championships, Collingrove, 18, 19 & 21 April 2003, page 1
19. Competition in the Triumph "TR2" 1956, www.mgccq.org.au Archived 12 April 2013 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 31 August 2013
20. John B Blanden, Historic Racing Cars in Australia, 1979, pages 88-89
21. 2006 AUSTRALIAN HILLCLIMB CHAMPIONSHIP, www.piarc.com.au Retrieved 31 August 2013
22. Graham Howard, Lex Davison - Larger Than Life, 2004, page 93
23. Australian Hill Climb Championships, Australian Motor Sports, November 1958, pages 509, 510, 511 & 513
24. Official Combined Programme, 1959 Australian Hill-Climb Championship, Queens Domain, Hobart, Saturday, 14th November 1959 and Baskerville Circuit Races, Sunday, 15th November 1959, front cover
25. 1959 Australian Hill Climb Championships, Australian Motor Sports (magazine), December 1959, pages 488-489
26. Coming Events, Australian Motor Sports, September 1961, Page 338
27. Bruce Walton wins 1962 Australian Hill Climb Championship, Racing Car News, August 1962, page 10
28. Bob Jennings, Porsche's passing parade, www.drive.com.au, as archived at web.archive.org
29. Brabham BT23A history, www.oldracingcars.com Retrieved 19 January 2021
30. Official 1969 Calendar, Racing Car News, January 1969, pages 22 & 23
31. Peter Finlay, Hill Title to White Again, Racing Car News, August 1969, pages 62 & 63
32. Australian Competition Yearbook, 1976 Edition, pages 178-179
33. Australian Competition Yearbook, 1977 Edition, page 176
34. Australian Competition Yearbook, Number 8, page 187
35. Loose Fillings #33 Summer 2010, page 6 Retrieved 17 October 2011
36. Australian Motor Racing Yearbook, 1980/81, pages 106-107
37. Championships Date Changes, Racing Car News, Jul/Aug 1981, page 14
38. Program, 1982 Australian Hillclimb Championships, Collingrove, S.A.
39. 1983 CAMS Manual of Motor Sport, page 41
40. Australian Motor Racing Year, 1994, page 268
41. Race Guide '84 (from unknown publication)
42. 1985 CAMS Manual of Motor Sport, page 42
43. Australian Motor Racing Year, 1991/92, page 284
44. Australian Motor Racing Year 1991/92 page 284 states that Tighe won the second of his three Australian Hillclimb Championships in 1985 driving a "six-litre Chev-powered Chevron B38". Given that the B38 was a Formula 3 car, and that Tighe owned the sole Chevron B37 "Formula 5000" car from the late 1970s to 2001 (as retrieved from www.oldracingcars.com on 19 February 2016), it has been assumed that the car was the B37.
45. 1986 CAMS Manual of Motor Sport, page 42
46. Program, Australian Hillclimb Championships, Collingrove, 18, 19 & 21 April 2003, page 18
47. 1987 CAMS Manual of Motor Sport, page 42
48. 1988 CAMS Manual of Motor Sport, page 38
49. Peter Holinger 1932-2009 Retrieved 17 October 2011
50. Australian Motor Racing Year, 1989/90, pages 282-283
51. Australian Motor Racing Year, 1990/91, pages 258-259
52. Australian Motor Racing Year, 1992/93, page 284
53. Dunlop Motorsport 1992 (calendar), Australian Auto Action, date unknown
54. Stephen Roser, Australian Hillclimb Championship - Keen Come Back, Australian Auto Action, 26 November 1993, page 36
55. National Champions - 1993, CAMS Report, March 1994, page 7
56. Harrison climbs to the top.....again, South Australian Motor Sport Yearbook 94, pages 6 & 7
57. South Australian Motor Sport Yearbook 94, page 64
58. 1995 CAMS Manual of Motor Sport
59. Australian Motor Racing Year, 1995, page 265
60. Results, 1996 Australian Hillclimb Championship, Bathurst Retrieved 21 October 2011
61. Grant Rowley, The Annual, Australian Motorsport, Number 1, 2005, page 163
62. Official Program, Mt Leura Hillclimb 97, Camperdown, Victoria, Australian Hillclimb Championship, 16-19 Oct., Page 1 Archived 25 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 21 October 2011
63. 2006 Australian Hillclimb Championship, www.piarc.com.au Retrieved 12 December 2012
64. CAMS Report, Issue No 122, Summer 1997, page 17
65. Gary Hill, Record and title for Gumley, Australian Auto Action, 9 December 1999, page 3
66. Official Results, The Reliance Australian Hillclimb Championship, Mount Panorama Bathurst, 29 September – 1 October 2000 Archived 29 April 2013 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 21 October 2011
67. Mark Walker, Seven records broken as Gumley wins, Auto Action, 2–8 November 2001, page 38
68. 2002 Australian Hillclimb Championships - Official Results, gscc.org.au via web.archive.org
69. Australian Hillclimb Championship Goes West Archived 1 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 17 October 2011
70. AHC OFFICIAL RESULTS 3-5TH NOVEMBER 2006 Archived 29 April 2013 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 21 October 2011
71. Grant Rowley, The Annual, Australian Motorsport, Number 2, 2006, page 190
72. Gumley takes out ninth Australian Hillclimb Championship, www2.cams.com.au, as archived at web.archive.org
73. Official Provisional Results, Australian Hillclimb Championships, 3-4 November 2007, www.mgccq.org.au, as archived at web.archive.org
74. Australian Hillclimb Champs. 2008 Retrieved 17 October 2011
75. Brett Hayward crowned 2009 Australian Hillclimb Champion Archived 25 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 17 October 2011
76. Official Results, 2008 Australian Hillclimb Championship Archived 29 April 2013 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 21 October 2011
77. 2009 Australian Hillclimb Championship poster Archived 1 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 17 October 2011
78. 2009 Australian Hillclimb Championship results Archived 17 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 17 October 2011
79. Supplementary Regulations, 2010 Australian Hillclimb Championship Archived 29 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 17 October 2011
80. Australian Hillclimb Championship - Collingrove, South Australia Archived 26 December 2011 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 17 October 2011
81. Official program, Collingrove Hillclimb, 15 and 16 October 2011, page 5
82. Program, The Blast 2011 Australian Hillclimb Championship, 27–30 October 2011, Bryant Park, Bill Schulz Drive, Yallourn
83. 2011 Australian Hillclimb Championship results Archived 17 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on 2 November 2011
84. Edmondson wins exciting Bathurst real estate Australian Hillclimb Championship Retrieved from www.ozracingwrap.com on 14 November 2012
85. Australian Hillclimb Championships, 1 -3 November, 2013, www.mgccq.org.au Archived 29 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on 7 November 2013
86. 2013 Australian Hillclimb Championship - Official Provisional Results, www.mgccq.org.au^{[permanent dead link]} Retrieved on 7 November 2013
87. Daydawn Electrical – Australian Hillclimb Championship - Ringwood – 1 & 2 Nov 2014, www.mgcarclub.com.au, as archived at www.webcitation.org on 4 November 2014
88. Daniel Littlewood, Australian Hillclimb Championship - Event Update - 14th May 2015, hillclimbnsw.org.au^{[permanent dead link]}
89. Oastler Wins Australian Hillclimb Championship,hillclimbnsw.org.au Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 9 November 2015
90. 2016 CAMS Manual of Motor Sport – Australian Titles, docs.cams.com.au, as archived at web.archive.org
91. 2016 Australian Hillclimb Championship - Supplementary Regulations, www.gippslandcarclub.com.au, as archived at web.archive.org
92. 2016 Australian Hillclimb Championship - Event Ranking, www.gippslandcarclub.com.au, as archived at web.archive.org
93. 2017 Australian Hillclimb Championship, Event Ranking - Final Results, www.collingrovehillclimb.com.au, as archived at web.archive.org
94. CAMS Australian Hill Climb Championship, October 26 to 28 2018, Supplementary Regulations, gippslandcarclub.com.au, as archived at web.archive.org
95. Australian Hill Climb Championship, Event Ranking, Bryant Park, 28/10/2018, gippslandcarclub.files.wordpress.com, as archived at web.archive.org
96. "CAMS Australian Hill Climb Championship". Bathurst Light Car Club. Retrieved 8 November 2019.
97. "Provisional Australian Hillclimb Championship Result" (PDF). Bathurst Light Car Club. Retrieved 8 November 2019.
98. Australian Hillclimb Championship ** Cancelled **, www.mgcarclub.com.au, as archived at web.archive.org
99. Iwan Jones, Tighe seals maiden Australian Hillclimb Championship, Monday 24th October, 2022 Retrieved 23 November 2022
100. National hill climb gearing up for highly anticipated title fight, Thursday 26 October, 2023, motorsport.org.au, as archived at web.archive.org
101. Garry O'Brien, Tuesday 31st October 2023, Dean Amos wins Australian Hillclimb Championship, www.speedcafe.com, as archived at web.archive.org
102. MOTORSPORT AUSTRALIA HILL CLIMB CHAMPIONSHIP 2024, SUPPLEMENTARY REGULATIONS, gippslandcarclub.com.au, as archived at web.archive.org
103. Garry O'Brien, 31 October 2024, Amos goes back-to-back with second hillclimb championship, speedcafe.com, as archived at web.archive.org