“A Historic Pub to a Historic Port”

The origins of the race lies with the Miss Australia Quest.  A Miss Irene Walsh, an entrant from the now dismantled town of Goldsworthy, used the race as a fund raising venture to aid spastic children, and to increase her chances of gaining the Miss Australia title.

The original idea was for teams to push a wheelbarrow containing iron ore from Goldsworthy to Finucane Island in Port Hedland via the Goldsworthy Mining Company railway access road using a standard heavy duty wheelbarrow.  Runners were to seek sponsorship for every mile run.

The first race in 1971 created great interest with competitors running the 108.3 km in good times.  In 1972 the format of the race was changed to include teams from Port Hedland and further afield.  In that year $5,500 was raised for the Royal Flying Doctor Service and since that year a variety of community groups have continued to benefit financially from the Black Rock Stakes.

The originator of the wheelbarrow race, Mr Bill Walsh, together with Mr C. Sampey of the Mount Newman Mining Company in Port Hedland, changed the format to make the run from the Goldsworthy Sporting Club to the Cooke Point Recreation Club in Port Hedland.  This became the normal route in following years, but from 1981 to 1984, the finishing line was the Civic Centre in Port Hedland.  Since then the race has finished at the Finucane Island Club, the South Hedland Fire Brigade Station and the Entertainment Centre, Wedgefield.

The 1996 race saw a new chapter of the stakes evolve.   In 1996 The Black Rock Stakes Society Inc decided to move the start line from the old Goldsworthy township, which was dismantled in 1992, to the Whim Creek Hotel, 120kms south of Port Hedland.  The move proved popular with all competitors, spectators and supporters.