Fergus Cameron (78) has died: he brought Grand Prix racing to Phillip Island

On the morning of 9 September 2026, Fergus Cameron passed away in his native Australia; he had been suffering from health problems for several years and had withdrawn from public life. The 78-year-old had been Managing Director of the picturesque race circuit on Phillip Island in the state of Victoria until 2022; that was also the last time he attended a Grand Prix.

Throughout all those years, his wife Chris was always by his side, playing a key role in administration and logistics and forming a vital part of the Grand Prix. The couple lived just 10 minutes away from the circuit. “Up until now, we’ve always hosted an evening at our house for every Grand Prix and Superbike World Championship race,” Cameron explained in his final interview with SPEEDWEEK.com in 2022. “We’d invite our team manager friends and Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta, Mike Webb, Franco Uncini and so on over for dinner. There’d usually be a singing competition between the Australians, Spaniards and Italians. Those were entertaining evenings.”

Fergus Cameron knew everything about Phillip Island

There was nothing Cameron didn’t know about the Grand Prix circuit at Phillip Island. There is plenty to say about one of the world’s most beautiful race tracks, as the first races were held there as early as 31 March 1928 on an unpaved road circuit that was 10.4 km long. In 1935, it was extended to 19.3 km. However, after 1941, the circuit was closed due to the excessive dust it generated.

In 1952, a few enthusiasts began designing the permanent Phillip Island Circuit; but it wasn’t until March 1956 that it was officially opened. Later that year, the first motorbike club meeting took place. The track was, however, used primarily for car racing, with the biggest draw being a touring car event called the ‘Armstrong 500’. But every New Year’s Day, the Victoria Motorcycle Grand Prix was held there; the future world champion Tom Phillis won twelve races there between 1959 and 1961 on Honda and Norton bikes, and was crowned the ‘King of Phillip Island’.

In 1962, there was a change of ownership when the circuit was purchased by Len Lukey, who, together with PIARC, launched a redevelopment programme. Racing resumed in 1967. A new golden era was dawning, but Lukey died in 1978; the circuit fell into disrepair once more, with only sporadic race meetings taking place. To this day, the picturesque Lukey Heights bend serves as a reminder of him.

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The first Grand Prix was held in 1989

The first Phillip Island GP in 1989 remains unforgettable. 90,000 spectators travelled to the island via the narrow access roads, meaning that the journey back to Melbourne took until 5 am on Monday morning due to the traffic jam, rather than the usual two hours.

In 1990, the Superbike World Championship, founded in 1988, made its debut at Phillip Island. Since then, the SBK has been held there every year – with the exception of 1993 and 2021.

In 2004, the popular billionaire and former footballer Lindsay Fox came on board as an investor through his company, Linfox Property Group Pty Ltd. He acquired the circuit for a reported purchase price of 13 million Australian dollars. Today, his son Andrew Fox manages the circuit.

Cameron had just 60 days

At the outset, politicians weren’t particularly interested in the Phillip Island Circuit, and the owners were left to their own devices. They were local farmers who, in the 1980s, had painstakingly raised the necessary 700,000 dollars. At the time, Fergus Cameron had just 60 days to raise the purchase price with this consortium. “The circuit was a ruin. The buildings were dilapidated, the windows were smashed, and sheep were grazing everywhere,” he recalled four years ago.

At the time, most of the site was agricultural land, and the circuit was in a state of complete disrepair. Fergus Cameron, who himself came from a farming background, managed to round up enough investors within the required 60 days and took over the Phillip Island GP Circuit in 1985 with the newly formed consortium called Placetac Pty Ltd. The shrewd businessman had learnt in good time that the International Motorcycling Federation (FIM) was set to award a Grand Prix to the Australian Federation in 1989. Engineer and race promoter Bob Barnard and his Barfield Company chose Phillip Island as the venue. The circuit was shortened by 0.5 km to 4.445 km and upgraded at a cost of A$5 million.

Die Rennstrecke von Phillip Island

Foto: Phillip Island Circuit