Hill climb is one of the easiest and most affordable ways to get into motorsport.
A simple, yet exciting, discipline of motorsport, hill climb asks competitors to drive as quickly as possible over a short course from a start point to an end point that, as the name suggests, is usually at a higher elevation.
Hill climb venues are also etched into Australia’s motorsport folklore across various states and territories around the country.
Fabled facilities include the likes of Bryant Park in Yallourn, Victoria, or South Australia’s Collingrove Hillclimb location to name just a couple. Hill climb events may also use sections of permanent circuits like at Bathurst’s Mount Panorama Circuit or Baskerville Raceway in the Tasmanian town of Old Beach. Hill climb can equally use closed sections of public roads to host events.
Hill climb events attract an incredibly diverse range of cars. At the elite level, competitors use Formula 1-style open wheelers, while at the beginner level, hill climb caters to every day road-friendly vehicles.
Vehicle wear and tear at a hill climb is less than that of a typical track day, thanks to the short duration and lower speeds, and this also allows easier participation with the vast majority of road cars fit for hill climb duties.
Safety requirements are easily met and can be found across Schedules B and D in the Motorsport Australia Manual’s Technical Appendix. A Speed licence is the minimum required to compete in hill climb.
Junior speed licences are also valid, meaning anyone from the age of 14 years and over is eligible to compete.
2022 Motorsport Australia Hill Climb Champion, Dean Tighe, has been part of the hill climb community since a young age, largely due to the fact his father Ivan has deep connections to the sport, including winning the Hill Climb Championship in 1964, 1985 and 1991.
Tighe said the hill climb community is extremely welcoming and close-knit, outlining how hill climb forms a valuable part of the Australian motorsport landscape.
“I started running hill climbs as soon as I could drive, I started running cars at my local level events early on, that’s the best way to get introduced to hill climb,” Tighe said.
“In terms of leaning into, I guess the entry-level competitions, encouraging people to try hill climb at that basic level, we try to emphasise that community togetherness and when clubs host their own events and host inter club events as well, it’s always a fantastic occasion.
“You are also able to go back and have a look at who has won the national Hill Climb Championship, it really is a who’s who of people that used to run, which is also a great part of our sport.”
The pinnacle of Australia’s hill climb season is right around the corner with the 2025 Motorsport Australia Hill Climb Championship to be held at Shell V-Power Motorsport Park in Tailem Bend, South Australia.
The championship will be held over 10-12 October and will host several top contenders for this year’s event, including Tighe, who won his 2022 championship at his home club in Mount Cotton, Queensland.
“There’s a large list of competitors who will put some very fast cars on the course,” Tighe added.
“Dean Amos I would suggest again to be the favourite to win it this year considering he’s won the previous two events – he’s got the English Gould which will be very fast.
“Others would be the likes of Warwick Hutchinson in his OMS with a turbo rotor in it, and Dwayne Wilson as well will be quite competitive. It should be terrific entertainment, spectators can look forward to a proper shootout on that weekend.”
Tighe and his Dallara Judd 4.0 head into the national championships having already won the New South Wales Hill Climb Championship for this year, as well as the Victorian Hill Climb Championship.
To get started in hill climb, sign up to be a member of a club and apply for a Motorsport Australia Speed licence.
Safety is Motorsport Australia’s number one priority and event-specific safety requirements will be available through your club upon registration.
