The opening meeting for the new venue was held on 19 August 1961 with Bib Stillwell winning the main event in a Cooper Climax. The 1961 Australian Grand Prix headlined the circuits second meeting with Lex Davison winning his fourth and last AGP driving a Cooper T51 Coventry Climax FPF. The original lap distance of 3.38 km (2.1 mi) was reduced to 2.601 km (1.616 mi) in late 1964 when Bosch Curve was moved closer to the Dunlop Curve Grandstand, thus removing the north eastern leg of the circuit.