Harness racing has a long and rich history in the Sunraysia district. In 1919 the Mildura Merbein Trotting Club was established and the committee set about planning their first trotting meeting – scheduled for August 1919 to be held at the Mildura Racecourse. Unfortunately, an influenza outbreak meant that restrictions were enforced and the meeting was postponed. The first meeting was held almost a month later, in September at the racecourse in fine weather with good attendance. The first official race winner was Irymple Queen.
Following on from the success of the early meetings, discussions were had about moving the trotting meetings to their own track, rather than using the existing racecourse. In November of 1924 this became a reality, with the first trotting meeting being held on the newly built trotting track at the Mildura Recreation Reserve.
The Sunraysia Trotting Club (as it became known) continued to be open to innovation and change, and in 1949 became the first harness racing track in Victoria, outside of Melbourne, to hold a night meeting under lights. Over 7000 people were in attendance and night meetings continue to be a feature of the Mildura harness racing calendar today.