Community Displays | Flinders View Park SA

Wednesday: 14 May

Heritage Vehicle & Museum Displays @ Flinders View Park SA

Morning Setup and Location Challenge
Our display today was scheduled for Flinders View Park, a short distance from our accommodation. Four team members walked to the location while Warren and Kevin transported the Bubsie trailer by vehicle.
Upon arrival, we positioned Bubsie in a shaded area and quickly established our exhibit with the gazebo and resource materials displayed on the running board. Visitors immediately began engaging with our display.
Shortly after setting up, a council representative approached our team and the local coordinator to inform us we needed to relocate to the car park area due to permit issues. Despite one of the local organizers having paid for an application earlier, the council had no immediate record of it. Eventually, they discovered the application had been lodged weeks prior but was pending receipt of public liability documentation. Though efforts were made to locate the required files, we complied with the request and relocated approximately 45 minutes after opening the display.

Adapting to New Circumstances
The new position offered significantly less foot traffic, prompting our team to implement creative outreach methods. Several members distributed informational brochures throughout the town to invite community members to view the historic vehicle.
A fortuitous encounter with a classic car club member resulted in additional visitors as he contacted fellow enthusiasts, bringing a steady flow of vintage automobile aficionados to our display. Throughout the day, team members rotated through short breaks to refresh and explore the local area.

A Memorable Moment
In a touching highlight of the day, a gentleman who had visited earlier returned with his girlfriend around 1:30 PM. In a prearranged plan, he guided her to Bubsie with her eyes closed and asked us to document the moment. After helping her into the vehicle, he proposed marriage and presented an engagement ring. The newly engaged couple—Scott and Anne—received warm congratulations from our team.

Notable Visitors
We were privileged to meet Peter Ritchie, a nonagenarian who had worked in literature distribution across the Northern Territory. He was accompanied by his friend Liz Martin OAM, who identified Peter as one of the original road train pioneers in the Territory. Liz, founder of the Hall of Fame in Alice Springs and current owner of the “Stories from the Road Museum” in Port Pirie, extended an invitation to visit her museum that afternoon.
Another visitor invited our team to the Port Augusta Vehicle Restorers Club the following morning during our transit to Whyalla.

Museum Visit and Evening Planning
After concluding our display just before 3:00 PM, four team members visited the museum while the Raams handled grocery shopping. We were permitted to park the Bubsie trailer alongside a line of heritage buses for photography before touring the extensive collections, including historical vehicles and rigs housed in dedicated sheds. We exchanged publications with the museum staff before departing.
Upon returning to our base, we established satellite internet connectivity to participate in a coordination meeting with crew members and management regarding upcoming Western Australia activities. Following dinner preparation and daily wrap-up tasks, some team members planned to attend an additional evening meeting with Western Australia coordinators and event facilitators.