Elmore, a town in northern Victoria, is transitioning from its agricultural roots to become the new hub for jet boat racing in the state. This shift marks a significant change for a location that has served farmers for 62 years. Jet boat racing, often described as rally driving on water, features roaring V8 Superboats that navigate sharp turns at high speeds during short, intense races.

The sport made its debut in Australia in 1985, but Victoria has not hosted any events since a track in Melbourne's outer west closed 15 years ago. Australian champion jet boat driver Justin Roylance expressed his enthusiasm for the new developments in Elmore. "We had a few false starts over the last decade trying to get racing back in Victoria," he said. He noted that the team at the Elmore Events Centre was excited about the potential for the sport.

A custom-built track is currently under construction at the Elmore Field Days site, located north of Bendigo. The track will be approximately the size of two football fields and is expected to be ready for an Australian series event in November next year. Roylance explained that jet boat tracks typically feature narrow channels filled with shallow water, bordered by grass. "There's probably six to nine different islands and the race would generally go for around 45 seconds, with one boat on the track," he said.

The boats, measuring about four meters long, will navigate around 35 intersections during the race. With a driver and a navigator on board, the experience is adrenaline-fueled, as the boats can reach speeds of up to 140 kilometers per hour. "They'll accelerate from zero to that top speed in under two seconds … we'll pull somewhere between 5 and 7 G's going around some of these corners," Roylance added.

The Elmore Field Days has transformed from a single three-day agricultural event into a year-round events facility. Executive manager Derek Shotton expressed his excitement about incorporating jet boat racing into their offerings. "It's tremendous. It helps us reinforce our drive into motor sports," he said. The facility already hosts events like tractor pulls and racing lawn mowers.

Shotton noted that the decision to expand the field days site into a broader events center was made in the early 2000s. He recognized the decline in attendance at agricultural events due to industry changes. "We wanted to make sure our community kept benefiting from what we've built here over the years," he said.

With a world series V8 superboat event planned for Elmore, Roylance is eager to race at the new venue. "We've got a Victorian built boat with the Victorian built engine in it," he said. "Our boat is called the Outlaw and we're current Australian champion in our class … and we can't wait to come down to Elmore and give it a go."