Thousands honour Brock, man of the people

Peter Brock's helmet was on display. Robert Cianflone / Getty Images

Motor racing legend Peter Brock was remembered as a man of the people at his state funeral in Melbourne yesterday.

Hundreds of mourners packed St Paul's Anglican Cathedral to farewell the man who became known as "king of the mountain" for his nine Bathurst 1000 victories.

His coffin was draped in the Australian flag and decorated with Australian native flowers.

Across Flinders St, thousands of mourners crammed into Federation Square, many wearing the familiar red colours of the Holden Racing Team.

One of Brock's open-faced racing helmets, which he had autographed, and a painted portrait of the motor racing legend, stood on display in the stately sandstone church.

At the end of the service, Brock's daughter Alexandra carried the helmet as she led family members out of the church.

Church bells chimed as the coffin left the cathedral, passing an Aborigine in traditional dress playing the didgeridoo.

Brock's partner Julie Bamford and former de facto wife Bev Brock were escorted from the church by the Rev Canon Anne Wentzel.

Alexandra placed her father's helmet on the coffin inside the hearse.

Earlier, she choked back tears as she told the congregation how she was sorry her father would not see his grandchildren grow up.

"It's impossible to know how to sum up a man like him, so I don't think I can really even try," she said.

"I thank you so much for being here and proving how amazing my father was and I thank you all for letting me see and appreciate how much he meant to you all and how much he meant to us.

"I don't have my dad's eloquence, so I can't really do the justice that he deserves through words, but I'll just let him know that I love him. We all did, and I'll miss [him] and the fact that he won't get to see his grandchildren grow up.

"Hopefully we can all learn to live life with passion and with joy and that we're here to make the world a better place, because he sure did."

Friend, race commentator and former touring car driver Neil Crompton told the service fans had left hundreds of tributes for Brock at Bathurst's Mount Panorama track where he made his name, and where an ecumenical service was also being held yesterday.

"Tributes adorned the finish line and at Skyline, on the top of the mountain," he said.

"At the circuit and in the town, a constant stream of people came up to me to express their thoughts and their feelings.

"Good friend and former team-mate John Harvey observed Peter's relationship with his fans at close quarters. After many years at the very top level of motor racing John said he had never seen anything like what Peter could do with his fans."

Federal Tourism Minister Fran Bailey, Brock's local MP, led the eulogies.

"What a remarkable man Peter Brock was, and what an incredible journey his life was, from growing up in the hills of the Plenty Valley in Hurstbridge, to conquering and commanding racing at Bathurst and beyond, and on the way influencing and changing the lives of so many people."

Wurundjeri elder Joy Murphy paid tribute to Brock's support of Aboriginal causes.

"We sincerely thank you, our brother, for what you gave to us," she said.

"You acknowledged our identity. You made us feel very proud."

- NZPA