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As an incentive to encourage members to write articles on the National Meet, a Rally Diary Book was passed around to a different participant each day and the following was transcribed therein
Pre Tour - Monday (morning) - 8th May - Tour to Wyndham Estate Winery, Dalwood
Upon opening our motel door at 8 am, we went back inside and changed from Queensland clothes to our winter woolies. After our morning instructions from Peter, we set out for a pleasant drive to the Wyndham Estate Winery, travelling through small towns and country roads. We are used to seeing pelicans at home, but not on the same lake where cattle are drinking.
After a delicious morning tea, Scott gave an excellent talk on the vineyard and after some wine tasting, we set out for the Woodlands Horse Stud. The wind dropped and jumpers came off.
John & Ruth Knight (’37 Woody)
Pre Tour - Monday (afternoon) - 8th May - Tour to Woodlands Horse Stud, Denman
We arrived at the palatial property and drove up the bitumen drive around 4kms to the main homestead, originally built in 1835. Many improvements have been made to the property since the Ingham Brothers purchased the property in 1995.
Boarding the tour bus, we could hear all the questions being asked about the property from interested parties, i.e. ‘fencing’ - which there was miles of it, all electric, to keep their prized stock in. There are approx. 1,200 horses and only 7 stallions to service the mares. Some 90 staff are employed, all professionals, to take care of the property and care for the horses. Troy did a great job answering all questions asked and his job was to handle all of the marketing and the 7 stallions. He has been employed by the Ingham Bros. for 9 years. Our bus climbed up the steep hill reaching the top and the view over the property was truly amazing, 6,000 acres. I take my hat off to the Ingham Bros. having the foresight and money in making ‘Woodlands’ something out of the ordinary.
We were handed out boxed lunches and relaxed on the patio of the homestead, some couples reclining on the lawn. After lunch, we ambled back to our cars, passing the stables and on each stable, a small plaque with their occupant’s names, such as Octagonal, Canny Lad, Commando, Domesday, Lonhro, Strategic. To see such famous horses galloping in their enclosures. ‘Seeing is believing’. No wonder Mr. Ingham wanted to be buried next to the statue of his beloved Octagonal.
On our return trip, we passed several more horse studs. The road was lined with she oaks. We made a quick stop at Arrowfield Winery. They are presently creating a huge extension, restaurant, dining, wine tasting areas out of old timbers from an old wooden bridge, ‘1850’ years young. When finished in six months, it will be beautiful together with the new gardens, definitely worth a visit. The coalfields, dairy cattle, heaps of kangaroos (38 road kill) and many more grazing in the wooded area beside the road. Heaps to see, great day. Unfortunately, a little long for a veteran car!
Graham & Susan Porter (1912 Buick)
Pre Tour - Tuesday - 9th May - Run to Nelson Bay, Port Stephens
What a beautiful morning, hardly any wind or a cloud in the sky. Today, we met at the headquarters for an 8.30 am departure to Nelson Bay and then for a dolphin cruise.
As normal, all the veteran and vintage cars headed off first. Today, Graham & Susan Porter’s 1912 Buick (from Qld) enjoyed it’s run and went like a gem. It took about an hour to get to the bay and the road and views there were just beautiful. Even a few side curtains and hoods came off for the trip.
Once at the bay, we all enjoyed a good morning chat before heading on the dolphin cruise. The cruise was just wonderful. We all enjoyed a warm cuppa and saw quite a few dolphins. We all got a few good photos.
After the cruise, we all went our own direction for lunch. Some enjoyed fish and chips on the water or going for a pre packed picnic or to Port Stephens Winery. A day enjoyed by all.
Olivia Sharpe (1922 Tourer)
Pre Tour - Wed 10th May - Free day to tour area
A free day, time to do our own thing, so we decided to use one of our complimentary meal tickets and visited a coffee lounge in town for morning tea. It seems it was a good idea as many more had the same idea. Later that day, six of us got into Claus & Wendy Gronau’s ‘73 Riv and set out for Anna Bay to join a four-wheel drive tour of the sand dunes.
Our Guide picked us up at the car park and we set off along the beachfront, passing other cars and fishermen. Quite a busy spot for a beach. Some miles down the beach, we turned inland to see ‘Tin City’. A group of tin sheds left over from the depression and still used today, mainly as weekenders. But, some permanent residents still live there to keep the houses dug out, so that they don’t get swallowed up by shifting sands. Very fascinating. We then went climbing and descending the sand dunes in our vehicle. At one stage, we stopped to go tobogganning down one of the dunes. What a blast! But one heck of a climb to get back up for another go.
Later we passed a group of SES volunteers & their vehicles training for pulling things out of loose sand and we even had a low level fly past by two F18 hornets. Then back to the carpark. I believe a few other car loads of Buick nuts went on similar trips on the day.
Colin Castle (1929 Master Roadster)
Pre Tour - Thursday - 11th May - Visit Coal Industry Centre & Coal Mine at Singleton
Left motel in drizzly rain which had stopped by the time we got to Lochinvar. Travelled on to Singleton where our cars were parked in the locked up showground. Bus ride to Coal Industry Centre. Informative talk by the Mayor of Singleton and then a powerpoint presentation on coal mining in the Hunter Valley.
Not a lot of underground mining now, most coal extracted by open cut. Australia is the largest coal exporter. Hunter Valley coal is shipped overseas via Newcastle - a ship loaded in approx. 26 hours. Coal trains to Newcastle Port carry up to 8,000 tons of coal. These trains can be up to 2kms in length. The trucks are made of aluminium and can dump their load in a minute.
Back onto bus and out to the Integra open cut mine, where we donned safety glasses, safety vests and hard hats. Introduced to the guide supplied by the mine, who pointed out some more safety procedures. There are very few tours of mines by the general public owing to health and safety concerns.
The bus stopped near some of the dump trucks where numerous photos were taken and trucks clambered over. The driver’s cabin is an insignificant percentage of the whole. Next stop at the open cut and a marked off area for us to view the workings. Overburden is sorted by the truck load and used to rehabilitate the area after the coal is extracted. Export coal is washed and sorted to customers’ requirements before leaving the site.
After leaving the mine, bus ride to Singleton RSL for lunch. We then found our own way back to the motel. An enjoyable day.
Brian & Margaret Dean (1974 Riviera)
National Meet - Friday, 12th May - Registration, then run to Morpeth and Maitland Gaol
Left motel at 9 am, being driven by George Hutchings in his ’49 Super, on a misty cold morning. Travelled through flat dairy country and small towns, many new homes on 5 acre blocks. Parts of road quite rough, country looking greener with wattle starting to flower and dams full.
Past large timber mill after tiny railway station before Lavender Farm. The Lavender Farm was very well set up, many products, magnificent machine embroidered quilt, morning tea was being served.
We had morning tea in park by river at Paterson, which would have been a lovely spot on a warmer day. We then travelled onto Morpeth where ‘the ladies’ did enjoy themselves.
Later in the day, others went to the Maitland Gaol for a visit.
Shirley and Vince Parr (1973 Luxus Sedan)
National Meet - Saturday, 13th May - Run to Newcastle Harbour Foreshore Area & Newcastle Beaches
We left our motel shortly after 9 am and headed west out through some very pretty country, shirting along the riverbank for quite a way. We drove on through some very good dairy country with many contented cows. Susan and I had an arm chair ride enjoying the scenery while the boys did the driving and navigating. Dairy country soon gave way to scrub land as we continued on towards Williamtown.
A short way up the highway saw us heading through some more bushland past the Macadamia Farm and a new estate and on into the "severe noise hazard" zone of Williamtown Air Force Base and into Fighter World. Fighter World was a very interesting place with lots of vintage planes and other interesting memorabilia.
After enjoying a very pleasant morning tea and watching some planes land, we headed off for the Newcastle Foreshore. Coming along the waterfront, we passed a large ship/coal loading terminal and a very large wind generator. Continuing our drive, we passed lots of new units and the boat harbour which we drove on to Nobby’s Beach Lighthouse and back to our assigned park for lunch stop. The line up of Buicks was certainly very impressive and attracted a lot of spectators.
Our trip back to Raymond Terrace took us past the beaches and gave us good views of the beaches and distant ships waiting to come into port. A short run back up the highway to our motel completed another enjoyable day’s "Buicking" with some good company.
Linda Hall (1967 Eletra)
National Meet - Sunday, 14th May - Hunter Valley Gardens and Show & Shine
The day started with a final spit and polish of cars for the Show & Shine at the Hunter Valley Gardens. All the Mums were wished a Happy Mother’s Day at the 8.30 am briefing and we all sang Happy Birthday to Francine Vivot. Graham and Susan Porter showed off their period costumes befitting their 1912 28 Buick and looked stunning. We made our way to the Hunter Valley Gardens at 8.45 am and it was a fresh, lightly clouded morning through the winding country roads, rolling hills and grazing cattle. The locals in the towns we passed, waved and cheered us by. Being Mother’s Day, there were many roadside flower sellers and customers stopping to buy.
Arriving at the Gardens, we took a slight detour through the accommodation centre by taking a wrong turn with Ben and Michelle Spannenberg and Jim and Yvonne Casey, but soon got back out and into the correct entrance.
I have to say this was a superb choice of location for the Show and Shine, with a huge dedicated parking area at the top of the 25 hectare property and it was great to be ushered into ‘decade sections’ to keep the cars correctly grouped after being individually photographed at the entrance by our resident Buick photographer, Alistair Turnbull. Check out the unique 1925 Buick Hearse! What a cool way for those 5’6" and under to check out.
We enjoyed the conveniently located shops and cafes and, by late morning, the public picnic grounds were filling up with families celebrating Mother’s Day. Like Barbara, Ben and Michelle, many did the delightful walking tour of the themed gardens and some took the motorised buggy option to save their legs. All Mums were given a complimentary potted chrysanthemum. Barbara’s favourite parts were the Story Book Garden, the 35,000 strong Rose Garden and the Waterfull Garden.
Back at the Show and Shine display, it was great to see so many members exchanging yarns and seeing the public getting involved and learning more about the Buick marque by asking questions and taking pictures. By 1 pm, the ‘computerised voting’ was completed thanks to Jim Russell’s ingenious invention (patent pending). Most headed back to Motto Farm by 2.30 pm and we put the roof of the Wildcat down, started to drive back, stopping for coffee at Pokolbin. We refuelled at a shell garage with the high octane at $1.41/litre. Wonder what fuel will cost in two years time at the next National Meeting? Best not think about it. What a great day this was and on to the Awards Night.
At 5.30 pm sharp, two chartered coaches arrived to take everyone to the Maitland Bowling Club but about six car loads made their own way, rather than waiting for the third bus. The club was another nice choice of venue with courteous staff and fine roast dinners, vegies and salads.
Originally from South Australia ourselves, we had been looking to meet Sandy and Judy McFarlane all weekend, but hadn’t managed to find them until we sat down at a table and there they were, right next to us. It was great to chat about the old country and Buicks.
Barbara Gerdtz did some research and found that a heck of a lot of members have birthdays in the month of May. Well, September is spring you know Barbara! All the birthdays were acknowledged, but there’s too many to mention.
The special Buick song which Graham Weekes found was played and we all sang a couple of renditions. It sounded like something from the fifties that may have been a promotional piece for a car show perhaps.
After dessert, the official part of the evening commenced, with the presentation of the awards by Eric North and finally, a whole bunch of lucky number prizes from the sponsors.
People were pretty keen to jump on the buses back soon after the Awards were over, after a long day, so, it’s a shame that beautiful big dance floor kind of went to waste.
The Post Tour sounds like it’s going to be a lot of fun, but we’re heading home Monday morning unfortunately.
Tony & Barbara Gentilcore (1966 Wildcat Convertible)
Posted 07/2006 |
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