Community Displays | Grafton & Coffs Harbour NSW
Sunday: 21 September
Grafton to Coffs Harbour: Vintage Cars and Coastal Adventures
Perfect Weather for Jabour Park Vintage Car Display
Bright sunshine greeted us this morning – ideal conditions for the vintage car display at Jabour Park. After packing our vans at the church property, we headed to the shared venue of Grafton Car Club and Sports Club, positioning Bubsie under the shaded verandah for comfortable conversations out of the sun.
Classic Car Community and Judging Duties
The gathering already featured numerous classic cars and their passionate owners, creating wonderful opportunities to share experiences and admire each other’s automotive treasures. While morning tea preparations continued, our team received the honour of judging colouring competition entries across various age categories.
Story Sharing and Abundant Hospitality
Kevin delivered an engaging overview of Bubsie’s story to the assembled crowd, while community members enjoyed the spectacular morning tea provided by church ladies. The spread was so bountiful and delicious that lunch became unnecessary – sometimes abundance arrives in the most delightful forms!
Competition Winners and Cardboard Car Parade
After announcing the colouring contest winners and distributing prizes, the children’s cardboard car costume parade began. Each young designer did a lap around the tables, showcasing their creative automotive engineering. Our team faced another judging challenge, ultimately awarding “Bubsie” the red car as best-looking vehicle – imitation truly is the sincerest form of flattery!
Puddle Testing and Reality Checks
The afternoon’s entertainment peaked when several cardboard cars attempted navigation through rainwater puddles around the oval. Not all vehicles survived this impromptu water resistance test – a humorous reminder that vintage engineering sometimes beats modern cardboard construction!
Grateful Acknowledgments and Strategic Departure
Heartfelt thanks to Grafton Church and Pastor Greg Fernance for organising this community celebration, plus the Grafton Car and Sports Clubs for graciously opening their facilities. After loading Bubsie, the Pitts began the journey to Coffs Harbour while the other couples collected caravans from church before following along the coastal route.
Sunday: 21 September
Harbour Jetty Setup and Strategic Positioning
Arriving in Coffs Harbour ahead of schedule, we waited in the car park along Jordan Esplanade until Ben Rea and family arrived to finalise setup locations. We positioned ourselves in the park area that doubles as a temporary car park, allowing our trailer to serve as excellent event advertising while banners on the towing car provided additional visibility.
Community Connection and Sausage Sizzle Success
Ben enjoyed a celebratory ride as Bubsie completed a quick lap around the roundabout into position. Perfect timing coincided with the 2:00 market closure across the road, bringing steady foot traffic of curious passersby eager to hear the story and collect books. Church supporters joined community members while Simon’s sausage sizzle – a regular weekend community connection tool – provided refreshments for interested visitors.
Reunion with Journey Alumni and Classic Car Gathering
A special highlight was reconnecting with Warren and Desiree May, who’d joined us from Adelaide to Alice Springs. Warren conducted his characteristic thorough inspection of Bubsie, ensuring everything operated smoothly before continuing south to perform repairs on Bubsie B en route to South Australia. Two classic cars – a Citroën 2CV and VW Beetle – joined our display, plus another vintage vehicle parked briefly across the road, creating wonderful owner conversations.
Onward to Nambucca
After two productive hours, we farewelled the efficient Coffs Harbour support team who’d rapidly organised this successful event. The evening journey to Nambucca Church Property provided perfect accommodation after another full day of community engagement and classic car camaraderie.
