Australian motor racing legend Peter Brock has been killed in an accident while taking part in the Targa West rally in Western Australia, motor sport officials have confirmed. … West Australian police say a car competing in the Targa West rally crashed into a tree at Gidgegannup about 30 kilometres north-east of Perth about 12pm.

drive.com.au: Peter Brock killed in crash

Gidgegannup, a town I imagine very few people had ever head of, has suddenly been thrust into the news, and thanks to Google Maps, we can all see where it is too.

What a week. First Steve Irwin, then Peter Brock.  My deepest condolences to his family, this is going to hit everyone hard.  And can someone please put a gag in Germaine Greer’s mouth before she says something else stupid, like how car racing is a horrible polluting sport and the trees have taken their revenge.

The Brock05 website has already got a memorial up & you can leave your tributes, messages & memories over on the drive blog

Update: I know this is morbid, but I’ve been having a look & the drive article says the accident happened near the property of Bob Watson, who according to the white pages lives on Mayo Rd in Gidgegannup.  Neither Google Maps or whereis.com.au could give me a precise fix on the actual street address, but I found this bend where Berry Rd comes up to Tooday Rd, which according to the Targa West official race map (PDF), the course goes along there.  It’s not exactly a ‘hairpin’ turn, but it looks like it could be it.  I can’t find any reports that say exactly what road he was on, but that location is fairly close to Mayo Rd where the witness says he was coming from.

tags: Peter Brock, Google Maps, Steve Irwin