2015 Remote Controlled 1/8th Scale Off-Road Queensland Titles (ABT Hobbies QLD State Titles 2015)

Thank you, welcome all, ladies and gentlemen, girls and boys.

This is the first motor racing event of any kind I have attended as Governor!

In fact this is, I believe, the first time a Queensland Governor has ever attended a remote-controlled car race!

Queensland’s seventeenth Governor, Sir Henry Abel Smith, did, however, open the Lakeside Park motor sport circuit for life-sized vehicles about half an hour up the road in Petrie in 1961.

But don’t let the lack of past vice-regal attendance sway you from my car racing credentials!

The first car I owned was a Mini Cooper S!

And my 9-year old grandson, Alexander, loves to race his go-cart up and down the driveway at Fernberg, the official residence of Queensland Governors; he even more so loves it when his grandfather chases after him!  

Against temptation, I am sure, he confines his activities to the grounds of Fernberg – anyone familiar with the hills around Paddington in Brisbane would understand my appreciation of this…

I very much look forward to shortly being invited to test drive one of these buggies. I will also, in this respect, be assisted by expert tutelage regularly provided to me by rising star, Master Jackson Beale!

And I know that he, alongside all competitors (and you can include me in this), are very excited to have here today former and current Australian champions.

Today, of course, isn’t all about listening to speeches.

But before I declare open this wonderful event and the real excitement begins, I would like to make two final observations.

Firstly, it is a great pleasure to see so many families coming together, competing in a safe and friendly environment.

Secondly, as Governor, representative of all the people of our State, I extend a warm Queensland welcome to you all, particularly to those who are visiting South East Queensland for the first time.

I thank the Pine Hills Dirt Racing Association and indeed everyone for organizing today’s event. I particularly acknowledge the dedication and resources required of participants – and their families – to participate in racing of this kind.

Without further ado, it give me great pleasure to now declare the twenty-fifteen ABT Hobbies Queensland State Titles officially open!