About our Club
The club
1973
Our
Club began as the Mid Murray Vintage Car Club.
The “Mid Murray” reflected the widely dispersed membership
stretching from Gunbower to Robinvale along the river and Balranald
to Quambatook and Hopetoun on either side.
At that time only a few members had a vintage car in restored
or at least useable condition and our very first event, a “Round the
Garages” run saw a turn out of five vintage cars:-
A
Rolls Royce sedan
A
Chrysler tourer
A
B model Ford roadster
A
Dodge 4 tourer
A
Buick tourer
The
rest of the participants “went modern”.
As time went by more vintage cars were completed and stimulated
the efforts of others.
Our
original meeting place was the Swan Hill Club but over the years has
moved to Drummond House, Swan Hill Showgrounds, a church hall, Dumosa
Hall (at the PioneerSettlement) and finally to our present venue, Swan
Hill Bowling Club.
From
its early days the Club established some “regular events” on its
calendar
Monthly
run 4th Sunday each month
A
rally every 5 years
Inter-club
meeting with Kerang Echuca and Deniliquin
Bendigo
Swap
Marong
Picnic
Bay
to Birdwood Rally
Weekend
away
Numerous
other local events continue to be supported.
Weekend away is usually a highlight event and over the years has taken
members to Bendigo, Ballarat, Warracknabeal, Oxley, Shepparton, Rusty
Springs, the Grampians, Mildura, Echuca and Deniliquin.
Members attending have had memorable times—roofs that leak, beds with
exposed mattress springs, silent movies inducing side splitting laughter
and tears rolling down cheeks, stunning collections of beer cans,
radios, dolls, Morris Minors, models and a garden railway.
These “weekends away” usually involve contact with other clubs
which have chosen Swan Hill as a rally destination.
Whilst founded as the Mid Murray Vintage Car Club, the club in 1993
changed its name to the Swan Hill Vintage and Classic Vehicle Club to
more accurately reflect its geographical location.
Around the same time it recognized considerable increased
interest in motorcycles and established a new nominated day for
motorcycle events. The Club
nominated Committee members to represent the motorcycle members.
Vehicles must be maintained and this club has long provided opportunity
for members to have their vehicles checked by qualified scrutineers.
A
club does not function without members to “run the club” and over
the
years many people have served in various offices and capacities.
To all of those who have served in any capacity for however long
a period we owe a collective “thank you” for your services.
Some
years ago members recognized that there were some members whose service
was exemplary and instituted Life Memberships.
They are not awarded lightly.
Life Members
listed below.
The
present Life Members are: Allan Bail, Alan Ehms
(Dec), Alan Scott
(Dec), Brian Hogan
(Dec), Ray Maher
(Dec), Daryl
Pendlebury, Lynton Smith, Ron Murray, Gary Monk