Multiple Community Events | Greigs Flat NSW & Cann River VIC
Monday: 31 March 9:30am – 11am
Sapphire Coast Historic Vehicle Club – Greigs Flat NSW
On Sunday, the 30th, we experienced a very wet day in Bega. Due to the inclement weather, we were unable to proceed with the display plans that had been suggested earlier. As it was raining heavily for most of the day, it was impractical to set up a display in town, as there were not many people out and about.
However, we did need to obtain a few supplies for some maintenance on the van to ensure everything was functioning properly. While making these purchases at Mitre 10, Kevin and Glen took the opportunity to share some books with the staff who assisted them.
The remainder of the day was spent on forward planning, updating route addresses and times, and preparing for events scheduled for May. We also shared books with some ladies who were making quilts in the church hall, as well as a couple who were vintage car enthusiasts and came to see the vehicle. They expressed interest in sharing the books with their car club friends.
Recognizing a potential break in the weather early the next morning, we decided to pack up and depart Bega during that window, to avoid being caught in the rain. This strategy worked well, as the rain started again as we were leaving.
Our drive down to the Sapphire Coast Historic Vehicle Club Museum was wet, but we arrived about an hour earlier than the scheduled event. One of the club members, who is the custodian of the property, showed us through one of the showrooms, where we were able to see a 1923 Citroën in a family touring model, among many other vehicles.
We were then taken to the workshop where club members work on their cars, and into the club rooms. Shortly after, the Club President, Craig Ruting, arrived, and together with some other members, escorted us to another showroom where the club’s restored and in-progress vehicles are kept. It was fascinating to see the diverse collection and hear the stories associated with them.
As the rain continued, we brought the trailer with “Bubsie” down to the showroom and unloaded the vehicle, positioning it alongside a 1923 Citroën CV5 that had also been restored under the club’s mentor program with local high school students. It was interesting to compare the restoration efforts and share ideas.
We took photographs of the two Citroën vehicles with club members and inside the cars. The club also had a display board on the story of Nevill’s journey, and they were grateful to receive copies of “The Overlander” and Incredible Journey information leaflets for their members.
We departed the museum at 11:00 am and made our way down the Princes Highway to our next event in Cann River, continuing to encounter heavy showers along the journey.
Good Bye NSW & Hello Victoria!
Monday: 31 March 1pm – 3:30pm
Community Displays – Cann River VIC
We arrived in Cann River at 12:40 pm and took a few minutes to locate our local contact, Robyn Cooke, to determine the best setup location. The high school had requested that we set up in the community hall next to the school, so we went to the school to obtain the key.
However, due to the ongoing rain, we suggested that it might be better to display the car under the covered walkway on the school grounds. The school was amenable to this arrangement, so Glen brought the trailer around and unloaded “Bubsie” in the designated area.
During the students’ lunch break, they came out to view the car and hear the story. After the break, students from the VCE class, accompanied by their teacher, also came to see the vehicle and receive the informational booklets.
We then reloaded “Bubsie” onto the trailer and moved it to the main highway, where we unloaded it again. Kevin drove the car down the street and onto the footpath in front of one of the cafés, as the owner had given us permission to display it there. We parked the car under the awning of the adjacent closed shop, allowing people to view it out of the rain.
We purchased lunch from the café and took the opportunity to refuel while also engaging with the customers who came by. We were pleased to have a few visitors from other areas who were excited to see the car, including a tourist couple from Germany who took photographs.
At 3:30 pm, we reloaded the car, refueled one of the vehicles, and headed to Bairnsdale, where we will be staying at the local church for the next two nights. It was a very wet journey.
Robyn’s presence was valuable, as she knew many of the people in the area. We were able to leave some books, brochures, and QR code cards with one of the café employees, who expressed interest in sharing them with customers.
