By Michael Doran
Steve Richards spent 15 years as a V8 Supercar driver and has won five Bathurst 1000s, so he knows a thing or two about high pressure environments.
He grew up in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs and from early years he had an eye on living in the Yarra Valley. “Everyone aspires to have their own little piece of paradise and for me that’s the Yarra Valley,” he said.
“Having grown up around the area for so many years I wanted to live in a peaceful, beautiful place, that’s what I consider is important to me and my family.”
“I work in a high performance, maximum pressure world but when I drive through Lilydale and get on the Warburton Highway it’s like a load lifts off my shoulders.”
“I drive away from the real world into a world of peace and that’s how I feel about the Yarra Valley.”
Steve, with wife Angela and children Clay and Priya, found their three and a half acre haven 10 years ago. He says it’s a great place for families and kids to grow up in.
“Kids have got access to so many different things to do out here, things that you don’t have if you live in suburbia,” he said.
“Priya’s passion is horse riding so we built an arena here at home. She can come back from school, finish her homework and go outside and ride.”
With a father and a grandfather so immersed in motorsport it’s no surprise that Clay is following in their tyre-tracks. He is racing go-karts at the moment and wants to develop his motorsport career further.
“Most weekends when we are home we are either at horse riding or go-karting so it keeps us pretty busy.”
Apart from his cameo appearances in Supercar races, Steve is focussed on his own business, Steve Richards Motorsport, which he and Ange run together.
“I love what I do now more than anything I have done before.
We are a family team, not a corporation team, so we are both fully involved.”
The team competes in the Australian GT Championship with Steve driving a BMW M6 GT3.
Another feature of Yarra Valley living that appeals to the whole family is the great diversity the region offers.
“We can do so many different things around here and we’re in one of the most beautiful areas of Australia. I love mountain bikes so I’m hanging out for all these new bike trails to open.”
“There are all the wineries for lunch and Killara Estate is one of our favourites. I like to try anything new but I’m also a steak and three veg sort of guy.”
“For a picnic or a drive my favourite place is up along the Black Spur where there are some great little spots.”
“It’s great that the Healesvile to Yarra Glen train line is coming back and that the whole Yarra Valley keeps moving forward with new things.”
When asked about the way children learn to drive he said he would like to see more driver education in schools. With his own children now on the road he is a big fan of defensive driving courses.
“We put ours through defensive driving courses and all our nieces and nephews get a defensive driving course for their 18th birthday.”
“It’s not about them learning to send the car sideways, it is just giving them an experience of how to use the brakes and steering to get them out of a tight situation.”
A not so well known fact is that Steve has a restricted pilots licence which he wants to progress into a private pilots qualification. “With the two airports in the Yarra Valley it would be great to be able to take off and head in whatever direction we feel like on the spur of the moment.”
As both a high-achiever and a father he has his own message on what it takes to be successful at life.
“Life is tough and anything you desire out of it is going to come with personal challenges but if you’re organised and prepared to make some sacrifices then there is no reason you can’t achieve what you want.”
