The second running of the street race in 1954 saw some minor alterations to the 1953 circuit layout.
The start/finish line was still on Fryatt Street near the current-day cement silos. As in 1953 it ran anti-clockwise and turn one was left into Halsey Street, then first right into Jutland Street and left onto Wickliffe Street. It was up and down the overbridge ramps, along Ward Street, right onto Mason Street and quickly left onto Thomas Burns Street (you will recall from the first cache in the series that the road layout has changed here). This was all the same as the previous year but a change came as the cars headed along Thomas Burns Street. In 1954 they turned left into Willis Street, right into Fish Street then left onto what was then Lower Rattray Street but today is Fryatt Street and back round to the start/finish line.
This layout was also used in 1955 and 1956.
For 1957 there was a small change. The overbridge at the end of Wickliffe Street was cut out with the cars now running straight onto Ward Street alongside the bridge ramps.
1958 saw further change. The overbridge was back in but at the end of Ward Street the circuit no longer turned right onto Mason Street then left onto Thomas Burns Street. Instead, at the end of Ward Street the circuit turned LEFT onto Mason Street followed by a quick flick right into Tewsley Street. It then went left onto Willis Street and back onto Fryatt Street and the start/finish line.
As with the 1953 iteration, it is still possible to walk or drive the 1954-58 layouts, taking into account the road layout change at Ward Street/Mason Street.
Some famous names raced in Dunedin during this period including Australia’s Jack Brabham (later Sir Jack) who would be World Formula One Champion in 1959, 1960 and 1966. There was also a young New Zealander named Bruce McLaren who would win several F1 races and form the F1 team that still carries his name today. He would also win the most famous motor race in the world, the 24 Hours of Le Mans (in 1966). Famous English racing driver Reg Parnell also appeared.
Unfortunately the city council would not give approval for the circuit to be used after the 1958 race because of the disruption to ship loading/unloading it was now causing. There was no race in 1959 and when Dunedin next hosted a street race in 1960 it was on an entirely different circuit between the Oval and The Glen. Racing would return, briefly, to the Fryatt Street/Ward Street area in 1984 however. The new 1960 circuit is covered in the third cache of the series (Dunedin Street Circuit 1960-62).
The cache is located on Ward Street, a street that was used in all versions of the Wharf Circuit. BYOP. Please take care not to drop the cache into its hiding place. If it is dropped it will be irretrievable and it has probably happened once already! Stealth will be required if visiting during working hours. It should be obvious which end of the cache to remove to access the log- one end is clearly a looser fit and this is the one to remove. Pull firmly with a twisting motion and it should pop out easily. Similarly, please refit only so tight as to ensure it won't fall out but not so tight as to make it difficult for the next person. Please replace the log into the cap to make it easy for the next person.