Links to additional resources
The Dusty Box website. Article titled 'Wheelbarrow Racing Craze of 1935' by Jessica Barratt, 2024.
Shire of Toodyay > Records
TOODYAY WHEELBARROW RACE & TOODYAY RAILWAY STATION 1935
1935Overview
B & W photo.
A crowd of spectators in foreground gathered around a competitor who is visible in lower centre of photo - bare arms, wearing hat.
Top half of photo features a number of buildings (railway station), white fences, open fields and wooded hill in far background.
Historical information
The Toodyay wheelbarrow race was held on 18th August 1935. (date confirmed from newspaper article)
In 1935 Toodyay blacksmith Ernest Wesley 'Wowser' James rose to the challenge that he couldn't push local barber Frank Costello in a wheelbarrow around an unsealed 6.4km course. The course started and ended at the Victoria Hotel in Stirling Terrace, Toodyay. The contest drew in other competitors. It became a feature event at the Toodyay Agricultural Show later that year.
Details
Details
Registration number
cwa-org-37-2007.16
Item type
Material
Width
86 mm
Height or length
142 mm
Inscriptions and markings
Writing on reverse of photo reads: "Spectators start of wheelbarrow race Toodyay 1933-35".
Contextual information
Wheelbarrow racing appears to have started in Beechworth, Victoria in June 1935. The craze spread to Western Australia in that year with races also occurring in Goomalling, Harvey, Geraldton, Mullewa, Northam, Waroona, Dangin, Meckering, Gingin, and Kendenup. Races continued throughout 1936 but the novelty had worn off and it generally petered out after this time. In the early 1980s wheelbarrow racing returned to Toodyay for a short while with teams of three racing around a shorter (4.4km) route to raise funds for local organisations.
Year
Primary significance criteria
Historic significance
Geotag
-31.5520095029, 116.4711564549
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Nearest geotagged records:
Nearby places: View all geotagged records »
Open in Google Maps
Nearest geotagged records:
- NEWCASTLE RAILWAY STATION 1897 (0.04km away)
- POSTCARD PHOTO OF TOODYAY RAILWAY STATION c1912 (0.07km away)
- BIKE RACE FINISH AT TOODYAY RAILWAY STATION (0.07km away)
- NEWCASTLE HOTEL (0.09km away)
- VIEW OF TOODYAY SHOWING AVON RIVER IN FLOOD, MID 1950s (0.09km away)
- PERTH WHIPPET CLUB IN TOODYAY (0.09km away)
- NEWCASTLE HOTEL (0.11km away)
- NEWCASTLE HOTEL (0.12km away)
- NEWCASTLE HOTEL (0.12km away)
- CHARLOTTE DAVIS MEMORIAL (0.15km away)
Nearby places: View all geotagged records »
Last modified
Sunday, 1 February, 2026
Completeness
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Toodyay Wheelbarrow Race in correct orientation
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