Glory days - Albert Park 1953-58

By Barry Green

ISBN 0 9580635 0 8

Published by author, $36Aus

Imagine proposing a race round Battersea Park nowadays —that’s the type of challenge which faced Australian fans wanting to stage races in Melbourne’s Albert Park. Today it’s the F1 opener, but it had an earlier life in the ’50s, illustrated by this paperback.

It’s a home-built special of a book, but written with cheery enthusiasm which brings the local characters to life. Green seems to know all the gen on all the drivers and cars, so that while you’ve never heard of most of them, it’s still interesting to read about their Holden and MG specials. And there was local talent, too, such as Reg Hunt, who was loaned a works Maserati 250F after besting Musso and Castellotti.

Albert Park’s greatest coup was 1956, when the Australian GP and Tourist Trophy brought Moss, Behra, and other big names, but every meeting is equally lovingly detailed, with plenty of unseen photos. GC