One Hundred Cars over One Hundred Years Old
By Helen Carpenter, Images supplied and used with the permission of the VCCA.
Have you every wondered what 100 cars over the age of 100 would look like. Well Australia and NSW you have a chance to see just that.
From September 23rd to the 28th the regional town of Forbes in the Central West of NSW has been chosen to host the National Veteran Car Rally for 2018. A rally which has been 4 years in the planning.
What’s a Veteran Car you ask and why is it so special? A Veteran Car is a vehicle which has been manufactured before the end of 1918. In Australia the definition of a Veteran Car is a Motorised vehicle, car or motorcycle manufactured before the 31/12/1918.
This rally is held annually across Australia, with a different state and location chosen each year. Forbes was chosen this year to play host because of the diversity of day trips which can be undertaken from the central hub of Forbes, the scenery and the quiet country roads was also a major consideration for organisers. Each day during the rally cars will undertake day trips to various areas of interest.
These day drives will be between 90 to 140km over generally flat to undulating terrain all of which needed to be suitable to all Veteran vehicles. The Vehicles travel at an average speed between 30 to 70km an hour this was also a consideration when planning day trips for the participants to undertake. The rally this year also has an international component with participants from Norway and New Zealand registered to attend.
Organisers of this years rally are expecting approximately 140 vehicles, 5 of which will be motorbikes.
Vehicles will begin to arrive in Forbes on Sunday 23rd before a civic reception that night.
Monday will see the Mayor of Forbes welcome rally participants and a letter from the Club Patron the Governor of NSW His Excellency General the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Ret’d) will be read before setting out on a day trip to Parkes via Eugowra returning to Forbes for a movie night.
Tuesday will see the cars leaving from McFeeters Car Museum and heading to Grenfell, along Lachlan Valley Way, New Forbes Road to Gooloogong road before arriving in Grenfell from 10am. It is excepted that it will take some of these vehicles nearly 2 hours to make the trek across from Forbes. Upon arrival in Grenfell the vehicles will park in the lower Main Street where members of the community will be able to inspect the vehicles and meet the participants of the rally. After lunch the vehicles will return to Forbes via Henry Lawson Way.
Wednesday is a Public Day where cars will remain in Forbes and park in Harold Street from 1-4pm rally participants will be dressed in period costume and the public will be able to inspect the vehicles, during this time a High Tea event will be held to raise funds for Can-assist. Wednesday evening there will be a Gaslight tour through the town from the show ground to Rankin street for a festival atmosphere event with late night shopping. The Gaslight tour is a drive where all vehicles participating light there headlights, which are old fashioned acetylene lights and quiet a sight to be seen. The gas is made in a canister located on the running boards of the vehicles and then piped to the front of the vehicle where the motorist lights the gas.
Thursday morning will see the group travel to Eugowra for a Working Dog display by Kevin Howe renowned Australian Working dog breeder and trainer before continuing on to Canowindra for the afternoon. Upon returning to Forbes Thursday evening the rally participants will attend a film night and book launch.
Friday the final day of the rally will see the cars heading out to Jemalong Weir where they will be meet by members of the community and receive a talk on the history of the weir and the area before proceeding to Bedgerabong school and racetrack for lunch where community members will again have the chance to inspect these amazing vehicles.
The organisers have also planned for the Saturday morning a farewell breakfast for rally participants where funds raised will be donated to Can-assist. During the course of the rally participants will have 2 fundraising events where funds raised will be donated to Can-assist.
So why not come to the Central West of NSW and visit the Towns of Forbes, Grenfell, Parkes, Eugowra and Canowindra and see these amazing vehicles as they travel the quiet country roads and take in the beautiful scenery that spring has to offer. The rally organisers have certainly gone to a lot of trouble in organising a fantastic week of activities for rally participants that showcase this region whilst offering opportunities for local communities to view and learn about Veteran cars.
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