For the first time in the fifteen year history of the event the small Northern Tasmanian town, sporting a population of just over 1000 people, will host the newest stage to be added to the 2007 Targa Tasmania course which officially starts from Launceston's Country Club on Tuesday April 17.
Event Director Mark Perry says Octagon's decision to take the event to Beaconsfield was based primarily on the fact that, since April this year, Beaconsfield as been firm on the lips and close to the hearts of many Australians.
“The reality is, the national and international media attention this town has received is a draw card for many of our competitors,” explains Perry. “The bitter-sweet events of Beaconsfield peaked during this year's Targa Tasmania and for like most Tasmanians, it was difficult for a lot of our visiting mainland competitors not to feel closer to it all.”
Perry also anticipates that with the introduction of the 2.2 kilometre stage, featuring on Leg One of the international tarmac classic, a high-yield day for local businesses will be generated through a concentration of visitors to the town, including competitors, service crews, officials and spectators.
“The Beaconsfield Town Stage will be one of the main highlights of next year's course and I am pleased that another one of Tasmania's smaller communities will be a part of the one event that, for that five day period in April, unifies many of our State's towns as hosts to Targa Tasmania.”
Targa Tasmania participants will tour past the iconic gold mine on the way to start the stage which will then take in the town's streetscape, which is located 46 kilometres north-west of Launceston.
Mayor of the West Tamar Council Barry Easther says the new Beaconsfield Targa Stage is a plus for Tasmania's northern municipality and agrees that it will bring a high concentration of visitors to the small town.
“It's just great that Octagon have decided to bring Targa Tasmania to Beaconsfield,” says Easther. “I am confident that the people of the town will welcome Targa Tasmania and its competitors with open arms.”
“This is a chance for friends, family and followers of the event to re-discover what a unique and beautiful town Beaconsfield truly is.”
The 16th annual Targa Tasmania will be held from April 17 - 22. The Beaconsfield Targa Stage will be held on Wednesday April 18.
To date 200 applications have been received for the 2007 event.
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