Community
3 July, 2025
Side-venture
THE Terang Harness Racing Club has launched a new side-business as it enters an uncertain era where viability cannot occur without self-sustainability.
The club has begun adding new shipping containers at Dalvui Raceway which can be rented out as storage spaces.
Terang Harness Racing Club president Chris O’Connor said the club had worked diligently to identify needs in the community which the club could invest in providing while not impacting existing businesses in the township.
“The idea is for the club to raise some money from outside our normal activities and revenue streams,” he said.
“We think this is something which serves people because Terang doesn’t have any storage services at the moment.
“We’re really looking forward to kicking the business off.”
The club has recently installed eight new shipping containers but believe there is potential for up to 30 containers to be required to meet the needs of the community.
In addition, the club will also explore the potential of providing outdoor storage spaces for caravans.
Mr O’Connor said there was plenty of potential for growth which the club would look to roll out gradually.
“We think the potential for Terang is around 30 containers but this will be over a year or two, and from our research we think that would be around right for Terang,” he said.
“People can store anything from household items when people are moving or shifting, or just general storage for people who haven’t got the facility to store goods.
“To be able to come out here and store goods in an area which is safe and secure is a positive.
“The containers will be locked and so too will the front gates, and we’ll have video security – but people will be able to have 24/7 access to their containers.
“It’s in a nice, open car park area to make it easy for people to bring trailer loads or truckloads in, so we’re quite excited about the venture.”
The initiative is about bolstering the long-term viability of the club, according to Mr O’Connor.
He acknowledged it was getting harder and harder for any club to secure external funding, such as grants through governing bodies or the Victorian Government, and needed to look at ways to support independent sustainability.
“Lots of clubs have pokies but this is our way to look at both something the club needed, but also what the town needed in the way of a service,” he said.
“This is about the future because the sustainability of our club is the number one priority for us, and we see this as a way to raise some money while not drawing on the same people all the time to keep the club running.
“The club has been going for a long time, 75 years, and we have every intention of keeping it going to reach our 100-year milestone.
“Anyone who is interested in taking out some storage can contact myself or the club, and there will also be bookings available on the Terang Harness Racing Club website.”
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