Source: Supplied.

Plans to host a road race on the Sunshine Coast late in 2017 have officially been withdrawn, an announcement by Sunshine Coast International TT even organisers has confirmed.

The proposed 47-kilometre street circuit, situated around the Maleny township, was penciled in by organisers to debut in December next year, projected to inject $8.5-million into the local economy.

Plans have now been abandoned after the proposal withdrawal, due to organisers not being able to meet a critical information deadline set by the Sunshine Coast Events Board. The possibility of hosting a TT elsewhere in the future has not been ruled out.

“We have withdrawn the proposal to run a TT in the Sunshine Coast,” a statement from event CEO David Rollins confirmed. “We could not meet the deadline for critical information set down by the Sunshine Coast Events Board and rather than have the incomplete proposal voted down, and have that black mark carried forward to any future proposal somewhere else, we chose to take the TT off the Event Board’s schedule.

“The sticking point was the course inspection/safety audit. These two items took some time to organise and even more time to conduct and have the necessary reports authored. This was no one’s fault. It was just the process and our proposal didn’t fit. The Sunshine Coast Council has been supportive and would have been a great partner for the event. Maleny would have been a great event hub and the roads, of course, are a motorcyclist’s dream (which was why we chose them).

“The small, but concerted campaign against the event had nothing to do with our decision to drop SCITT given that all the surveys showed there was enormous overwhelming public support for it within Maleny and elsewhere. Contributions made to the GoFundMe campaign, $345 minus the GoFundMe commission and other minor costs, will be split between Black Dog Ride and Westpac Rescue Helicopters within the month.

“To everyone who supported the concept with their passion and enthusiasm, trust me when I say that we’re more disappointed than you’ll be. But there are other possible venue in other states and we will continue our quest to bring the breathtaking excitement of road racing back to Australia.”