They love their sporting heroes in Australia, and one brought the country to a complete halt. In 1987 Wayne Gardner became the first Australian to win the premier class World title. Australia went Grand Prix mad. Every race was shown live on terrestrial television the Phillip Island circuit, more famous for its penguins, was totally renovated to stage the very first Australian Grand Prix in 1989. Gardner, who been voted Australian Sportsman of the Year in 1987 ahead of Wimbledon tennis champion Pat Cash, had lost his title to Eddie Lawson in 1988. He arrived at the second round of the 1989 Championship in poor shape after almost losing a vital part of his anatomy in a fearsome slide and collision with the fuel tank while finishing fourth at Suzuka in Japan. Australia held its breath and Gardner did not let them down. Just 0.47s separated winner Gardner, Wayne Rainey and Christian Sarron after 30 laps of pure theatre that had the whole nation on hold. First over the barriers opposite pit lane onto the track to celebrate was my sister-in-law, a senior nursing sister at a Perth hospital. She was followed by thousands of others as Australia went crazy. Getting off the Island by the bridge or ferry was impossible that night. The 100 kms trip to Melbourne the next morning took hours with the roads adorned with flags and banners. Front page headlines in every newspaper and television and radio news programmes.

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