Motorcycling bodies across Victoria have thrown their support behind the Sanders Apple Farm as it takes the fight to continue holding motorcycle events to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT).
State controlling body Motorcycling Victoria, along with major clubs Motorcycle Racing Club Victoria (MCRCV) and Diamond Valley Motorcycle Club (DVMCC) expressed their support for the Three Bridges farm after the Yarra Ranges Council banned it from hosting races.
The escalation came after the farm of world champion racer Daniel “Chucky” Sanders had its evidence for existing use rights rejected by the council in August, as it wasn’t diversified enough.
MCRCV president Gary Puddy said the club supplied the Sanders farm with “all the evidence that it [has]” from the beginning and it would continue to support the farm in every way it could.
Meanwhile, Motorcycling Victoria have only provided evidence after the council rejected the Sanders farm’s application, despite repeated requests for evidence prior to the application’s rejection.
Motorcycling Victoria chief executive officer Edward Wilson said now that the council had rejected the initial evidence, it would step in to provide further support.
“Noting the recent outcome, we’re now jumping in to offer support, and we’re hopeful that information that we’re providing can certainly support a positive outcome.”
DVMCC president Dave Robinson said the club would do everything they could to support the Sanders family in acquiring existing use rights.
“It’s in everyone’s best interest to have… the property open for junior development. We’ll do anything we can to help, even financially, if that’s what it takes,” Mr Robinson said.
Home to the Dakar Rally winning, 16-time Enduro World Champion Mr Sanders, the Sanders Apple Farm was established in 1976 and has hosted motorbike races since 1982.
A cornerstone of the motorbiking community, Mr Sanders said the farm has shaped his career and provided a safe place for thousands of locals to ride.
“For 40 plus years our family property in Three Bridges has been home to motorbike races, junior coaching, ride days, fundraisers and trail rides.
“A safe, legal place for locals to ride and one of the last private spots left in Australia for events like this,” Mr Sanders said.
In October 2023 the Sanders family decided to apply for existing use rights as the property itself isn’t zoned to legally hold commercial motorcycle races.
Existing use rights would allow the farm to overrule its agricultural zoning requirements if it can prove it had hosted motorcycle races for the past 15 years. The Sanders Apple Farm have hosted motorcycle events since 1982.
But, the council mayor Cr Jim Child said in a statement: “While it does appear that commercial motorcycle events have occurred on the land in some form and over some years, the documentation provided to date was not of a sufficient standard to satisfy the assessment requirements.”
Cr Child noted the reliance on photographic evidence and testimonials as the reason for rejecting the application.
But Bob Sanders, one of the three brothers who ran the motorcycle events at the Sanders Apple Farm, said the council hadn’t given them any guidance on what sort of evidence they were lacking.
“We’ve spent all this time and effort and they have still not stipulated what we’re missing in paperwork.
“They say we haven’t got enough evidence, but they haven’t actually outlined what it is specifically,” Bob Sanders said.
But Cr Child said “council had several discussions with the owner on the type and variety of evidence required” for the application.
Bob Sanders said there’d been very few phone calls with the council as majority of the communications had been done via email.
He also criticised the council not being able to recognise statutory declarations as evidence despite statutory declarations being recognised in VCAT.
If the case does get taken to VCAT, Bob Sanders said he had faith that “hundreds“ of people would be happy to swear under oath about their experiences using the track at the Sanders Apple Farm.
Federal member for Casey Aaron Violi MP expressed his support for the Sanders Apple Farm in a comment on Facebook.
“Hi Daniel, I’m so sorry to hear about this decision. This will undoubtedly have a huge impact on not only your family but our wider Yarra Ranges community.
“As our federal MP, local council and state planning decisions are not something I have jurisdiction over, however, you have my support and I will be raising this with the council today,” Mr Violi said.
The case has garnered widespread media attention after Mr Sanders came out about the ordeal, with appearances on major news platforms such as Channel Nine and the Herald Sun.
The Sanders family is set to take the case to VCAT next week.
