Royal Automobile Club of Australia

{{Short description|National motoring club in Australia}}

{{Redirect|RACA|other uses|Raca (disambiguation)}}

{{Use Australian English|date=May 2024}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}}

{{Infobox organization

|name = Royal Automobile Club of Australia

|formation = 1903

|type = Business, Social and Special Interest

|headquarters = 89 Macquarie St, Sydney, Australia

|location = {{flagicon|AUS}} New South Wales, Australia

|leader_title = President

|leader_name = David Moloney, President

|key_people = Douglas Grand, CEO

|website = [http://www.raca.com.au www.raca.com.au]

}}

The Royal Automobile Club of Australia (RACA) is an Australian motoring organisation, which has also incorporated the Australian Imperial Services Club since 1987.

The RACA was established in March 1903 in Sydney,{{Citation | title=Royal Automobile Club of Australia, 89 Macquarie Street Sydney, 1963 | publication-date=1963 | publisher=City of Sydney Archives | url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/244669666 | access-date=22 July 2024}}{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article16414048 |title=SMALL BEGINNINGS. |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |issue=28,020 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=25 October 1927 |accessdate=22 July 2024 |page=7 |via=National Library of Australia}} and is the oldest motoring club in Australia, founded by Henry Alfred ‘Harrie’ Skinner, WE Fisher and HE Jones.{{Citation | author1=Royal Automobile Club of Australia | title=Royal Automobile Club of Australia, 100 years : celebrating the centenary of Australia's oldest motoring organisation | publication-date=2004 | publisher=Stroudgate Australasia | url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/157567942 | access-date=22 July 2024}}

The organisation also advocated for specific localised issues for motorists in Sydney.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article15947462 |title=ROYAL AUTOMOBILE CLUB OF AUSTRALIA. |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |issue=26,021 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=30 May 1921 |accessdate=22 July 2024 |page=11 |via=National Library of Australia}}{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article115638879 |title=ROYAL AUTOMOBILE CLUB OF AUSTRALIA. |newspaper=The Grenfell Record and Lachlan District Advertiser |volume=LXVI |issue=7306 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=28 September 1936 |accessdate=22 July 2024 |page=4 |via=National Library of Australia}}

The Royal Automobile Club of Australia had an important role in shaping early motoring legislation, in safeguarding the rights of motorists, and in establishing motorsport in Australia.{{cite web|url=http://www.raca.com.au/club-history/ |title=RACA History |accessdate=2013-05-20 }}

In the 1920s and 1930s it was involved in organising hill climbing races, and similar events in New South Wales.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article15989006 |title=MOTORING. |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |issue=26,158 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=5 November 1921 |accessdate=22 July 2024 |page=14 |via=National Library of Australia}}{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article15937161 |title=MOTORING. |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |issue=26,008 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=14 May 1921 |accessdate=22 July 2024 |page=14 |via=National Library of Australia}}

Most states of Australia have organisations named Royal Automobile Club with the state names added:Royal Automobile Club of Queensland, Royal Automobile Club of Tasmania, Royal Automobile Club of Victoria, Royal Automobile Club of Western Australia.

The organisation used to provide roadside service and insurance but in 1945 in an agreement with the

NRMA ceased offering these services with members gaining reciprocal access to NRMA provided services.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article266206208 |title=N.R.M.A.—R.A.C.A. |newspaper=Queanbeyan Age |volume= |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=24 July 1945 |accessdate=23 July 2024 |page=3 |via=National Library of Australia}}{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article111898286 |title=N.R.M.A.—R.A.C.A. |newspaper=The Farmer and Settler |volume=XL |issue=26 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=27 July 1945 |accessdate=23 July 2024 |page=19 |via=National Library of Australia}}

The RACA is a member of the Australian Automobile Association.