Moonee Valley Grandstand Demolished: Racecourse Redevelopment

Grandstands demolished: Burston Grandstand and The Event Centre ·
New homes planned: 1,000 ·
Planning permits approved: 2023 by Moonee Valley City Council ·
Demolition progress: Significant by March 2026 ·
Cox Plate relocation: Moved from Moonee Valley after 2025

Six key data points, one pattern: the redevelopment is not a renovation — it is a ground-up rebuild that touches every part of the racecourse.

Is Moonee Valley being demolished?

Yes — but not the entire racecourse. The grandstand structures that have defined the skyline for decades are coming down, while the track itself is being reconfigured.

Current demolition progress

• Demolition began in November 2025, immediately after the Ladbrokes Cox Plate (Austadiums – stadium redevelopment database)
• By March 2026, both the Burston Grandstand and The Event Centre have been largely removed (Moonee Valley Racing Club – official update)
• Mann Group is handling deconstruction; Symal is managing civil and infrastructure works (Moonee Valley Racing Club – official redevelopment page)

Which structures are being removed?

• Burston Grandstand — the main public grandstand, over 50 years old (The Straight – Australian racing analysis)
• The Event Centre — the clubhouse and hospitality venue
• The 1200m chute tunnel on the northern side of the track (Moonee Valley Redevelopment Update – official YouTube channel)
• All infield structures and associated facilities

Reason for demolition

• The grandstand was over 50 years old and the track needed renewal after 30 years of use (The Straight – Australian racing analysis)
• The club wants to release 23 acres for residential development to fund the project (Moonee Valley Racing Club – official redevelopment page)
• A reconfigured track will be embedded for over 12 months before the 2027 reopening (The Straight – Australian racing analysis)

The pattern: demolition is a necessary first step in a decade‑long redevelopment that aims to modernise the venue while funding it through land release.

What happened to the Moonee Valley race?

Racing at Moonee Valley did not stop overnight — it was paused as part of a planned transition. The 2025 Cox Plate was the last race meeting before the gates closed for demolition.

Racing schedule changes

• The racecourse closed immediately after the 2025 Ladbrokes Cox Plate (Moonee Valley Racing Club – official redevelopment page)
• All regular programmed meetings have been moved to other Victorian tracks
• The Moonee Valley Racing Club is operating nomadically at Flemington, Caulfield, and other venues (The Straight – Australian racing analysis)

Cox Plate relocation

• The 2025 Cox Plate was the last edition run at Moonee Valley (Moonee Valley Racing Club – official redevelopment page)
• The 2026 Cox Plate will be held at a different venue (yet to be officially confirmed)
• The relocation is temporary and tied to the redevelopment timeline

Future of racing at the Valley

• The goal is to reopen for the 2027 spring carnival (The Straight – Australian racing analysis)
• The reconfigured track needs to be embedded for over 12 months before racing can resume (The Straight – Australian racing analysis)
• Early works on the northern side track and tunnel removal were underway by December 2025 (Moonee Valley Redevelopment Update – official YouTube channel)

The implication: racing at Moonee Valley will resume, but the track that returns will be fundamentally different from the one that hosted its last race in 2025.

Where will the 2026 Cox Plate be run?

As of March 2026, the 2026 Cox Plate venue has not been officially announced. What is certain is that it will not be run at Moonee Valley.

Confirmed alternative venue

• No venue has been formally named by the Moonee Valley Racing Club or Racing Victoria
• Flemington and Caulfield are widely considered the most likely alternatives (The Straight – Australian racing analysis)
• The club is already running its regular meetings at these tracks during the nomadic period

Why the move?

• The grandstand and track reconfiguration mean the venue is not operational for racing in 2026 (Moonee Valley Racing Club – official redevelopment page)
• Site stripping and reshaping are planned through early 2026, with a clear site targeted by April 2026 (Moonee Valley Redevelopment Update – official YouTube channel)
• Roof removal from the main grandstand will run until April 2026 (Moonee Valley Redevelopment Update – official YouTube channel)

Will it return?

• The club has stated the relocation is temporary
• The 2027 spring carnival is the target for Moonee Valley’s return as a racing venue (The Straight – Australian racing analysis)
• No guarantee has been made that the Cox Plate specifically will return — that decision will depend on the reconfigured track and facilities

The catch: even a temporary relocation can reshape the race’s identity if the hiatus extends beyond a single edition.

Is Moonee Valley coming back?

Yes — but not quickly, and not in the same form. The redevelopment is designed to return racing to the site, but the club and the community are navigating a long transition.

Redevelopment plans

• Moonee Valley Park (MVP) Stage 2 was completed in 2025, adding 330 residences in Trackside House and Stonepine House (Moonee Valley Racing Club – official redevelopment page)
• The broader project includes a new event centre, hotel, and reconfigured track (Moonee Valley Racing Club – official redevelopment page)
• The total redevelopment cost is estimated at $220 million for the track and facilities flip, part of a $3 billion precinct project (The Straight – Australian racing analysis)

Proposed return of racing

• Target reopening: 2027 spring carnival (The Straight – Australian racing analysis)
• The reconfigured track will be embedded for over 12 months before racing resumes
• Mann Group is scheduled to complete demolition works in April 2026 (MVRC News – redevelopment update)
• Symal is progressing racecourse civil works (MVRC News – redevelopment update)

Community impact

• 1,000 new homes will be built on the land formerly occupied by car parks and the grandstand footprint
• The residential precinct (MVP) is a joint venture with Hamton and Hostplus, selected in 2017 (Moonee Valley Racing Club – official redevelopment page)
• Local residents face construction disruption through at least 2027

The catch: the club is betting that a modern track and a mixed-use precinct will attract a new generation of attendees, but the two-year gap risks losing the casual racegoer who may not return.

Is Cox Plate moving from Moonee Valley?

Yes — the Cox Plate has moved from Moonee Valley for the foreseeable future. The 2025 edition was the last at the venue that has hosted the race since its inception in 1922.

Official confirmation

• The Moonee Valley Racing Club confirmed the racecourse would close after the 2025 Ladbrokes Cox Plate (Moonee Valley Racing Club – official redevelopment page)
• The 2026 Cox Plate will be run at an alternative venue (TBD)
• No official timeline has been given for the Cox Plate’s potential return to Moonee Valley

History of Cox Plate at the Valley

• The Cox Plate has been run at Moonee Valley since 1922 — over 100 years
• It is the signature race of the Moonee Valley Racing Club and one of Australia’s premier weight-for-age races
• Past winners include legends like Phar Lap, Kingston Town, Winx, and Makybe Diva

Future of the race

• The relocation is described by the club as temporary, during the redevelopment period
• If the 2027 spring carnival reopening goes ahead, the Cox Plate could potentially return to Moonee Valley in 2027
• No official commitment has been made regarding the race’s permanent home

The implication: the Cox Plate’s long‑term home will be decided by the quality of the rebuilt track and the commercial outcomes of its nomadic years.

Timeline

• 2009: MVRC announces intention to realign the racecourse and release 23 acres for residential development (Moonee Valley Racing Club – official redevelopment page)
• March 2015: Planning framework agreed for new grandstand, racetrack, and mixed-use precinct on nine hectares (Moonee Valley Racing Club – official redevelopment page)
• Late 2017: MVRC selects Hamton and Hostplus as residential development partners for Moonee Valley Park (Moonee Valley Racing Club – official redevelopment page)
• 2023: Moonee Valley City Council unanimously approves planning permits for the Event Centre and Hotel (Moonee Valley Racing Club – official redevelopment page)
• 2025: MVP Stage 2 completed (330 residences); final Cox Plate held at Moonee Valley (Moonee Valley Racing Club – official redevelopment page)
• November 2025: Demolition begins; Symal starts infield clearance; Mann Group begins grandstand deconstruction (Austadiums – stadium redevelopment database)
• March 2026: Demolition significantly advanced; Burston Grandstand and The Event Centre largely removed (MVRC News – redevelopment update)
• April 2026: Roof removal and demolition works expected to be complete (MVRC News – redevelopment update)
• Future (TBD): Completion of redevelopment; potential return of racing and Cox Plate

What this timeline makes clear: the project has been in motion for over a decade, and the most disruptive phase — the nomadic period without a home track — is happening right now.

Clarity check

Confirmed facts

• Moonee Valley grandstands are being demolished (Moonee Valley Racing Club – official redevelopment page)
• 1,000 new homes will be built on the site (Moonee Valley Racing Club – official redevelopment page)
• The Cox Plate will not be run at Moonee Valley in 2026 (Moonee Valley Racing Club – official redevelopment page)
• Planning permits were approved in 2023 by Moonee Valley City Council (Moonee Valley Racing Club – official redevelopment page)
• Demolition began in November 2025 after the final Cox Plate (Austadiums – stadium redevelopment database)
• The racecourse is targeted to reopen for the 2027 spring carnival (The Straight – Australian racing analysis)

What’s unclear

• Exact completion date of all demolition works
• Whether racing will return to Moonee Valley after redevelopment
• Venue for the 2026 Cox Plate (not yet officially announced)
• Whether the Cox Plate will ever return to Moonee Valley
• Total cost of the redevelopment (estimates range from $220M for track works to $3B for the full precinct)

The pattern: the redevelopment’s success hinges on clear answers to these open questions, especially the Cox Plate’s future home.

Voices from the ground

“‘Complete madness’ as iconic racecourse is closed with immediate effect.”

— The Sun (news report on the demolition announcement)

“Demolition of the grandstand has advanced significantly, with both the Burston Grandstand and The Event Centre being removed.”

— Moonee Valley Racing Club (official update, March 2026)

For the Moonee Valley Racing Club, the choice is clear: sell land to fund a future-proof track, or watch the venue decay. The result is a two-year nomadic period that tests the loyalty of racegoers and the patience of the local community. Either the reconfigured Valley becomes a showcase venue that draws the Cox Plate back, or the race finds a permanent home elsewhere and the Valley becomes a residential precinct with a racetrack attached.

The grandstand demolition comes as the racecourse prepares for redevelopment, while the Cox Plate 2024 results showcased the venue’s enduring significance in Australian racing.

Frequently asked questions