Black Rock Motor Resort isn’t just Australia’s first motorsport resort—it’s a vision nearly two decades in the making. From an ambitious idea to a world-class facility, every milestone has brought us closer to creating an unparalleled experience.
In 2007, Black Rock founder Tony Palmer sold his business, embarking on a new chapter that would eventually lead to the creation of Black Rock.
His passion for motorsport ignited in 2009, when he had his first track experience in his daily drive, an Alfa GT and with the passion quickly escalating with the purchase of a Radical SR3. This led to a deeper pursuit of driving, culminating in racing the Radical and launching a Radical Drive Day business with seven cars in 2010.
But it wasn’t enough. By 2015, Tony started dreaming bigger—Australia’s first motorsport resort, blending elite circuit access with high-end leisure, luxury real estate and a likeminded community.
The search for the perfect location ended and in early 2016 when Tony secured the 650-acre disused coal mine at Lake Macquarie, 90 minutes from Sydney, that would become Black Rock Motor Resort.
The approval process was a battle of patience and persistence. The first Development Application (DA 1.0) was submitted in May 2018 but was denied just three months later. Undeterred, the team revised their approach, submitting DA 2.0 in December 2018—and securing full approval by May 2019.
With approvals in place, the site’s history as a coal mine meant another hurdle, relinquishing the mining lease, which was finally completed after a painstaking and pioneering four year journey in December 2023. By March 2024, clearing had begun and the project was officially underway.
In 2025, the team will finalise the circuit grading and shaping, install drainage, and begin laying road base.
From October 2025 onwards, key infrastructure will begin to take shape, including:
Then, from early 2026, Black Rock will really start to take shape including;
And the journey doesn’t stop there. Following the soft launch, the next phase will see the construction of luxury accommodation, including a boutique hotel, private cabins, and a state-of-the-art function centre—ensuring Black Rock Motor Resort is as much a premier leisure and corporate hospitality destination as it is a motorsport haven.
What began as a track day experience in 2007 has evolved into something dreams are made of. Black Rock Motor Resort is more than a world-class circuit—it’s a lifestyle, a community, and a destination and we can’t wait to share it with you.
Want to be part of it? Join the community via membership or villa ownership today.