South West Rocks 2016 (Sixth Nationals) - The Event

[Don Ricardo]

SOUTH WEST ROCKS 2016 (SIXTH NATIONALS) - THE EVENT

Hi everyone,

As has been our practice for the last couple of Vintage Caravan Nationals, this thread has been created in the 'Vintage Vanners Hall of Fame' section for those attending the V V Nationals at South West Rocks to post their photos and comments. That way we will have an online record of the event that we can all go back to and enjoy over time.

Feel free to post your photos and comments about the Nationals here, including your trips to and from South West Rocks.

There are threads for each of the preceding Nationals in the same section for those interested in looking back at past events.

Safe travel to everyone traveling to the Nationals.

Don Ricardo

[Don Ricardo]

Afternoon all,

Yesterday Dona Ricardo and I caught up with Firefighter at a servo on the Hume Highway to give him some items to take to the V V Nationals. It also gave us the opportunity to wish the Firefighters and the Moparman family bon voyage as they headed off north in convoy on their way to South West Rocks.

The Firefighters (left) with the Moparman clan (right):



Heading off:





Don Ricardo

[tooleyau]

South West Rocks, Nationals
Day 1 – Canberra to Cowra.
The day started bright and Early as our travelling companions wanted an 8:00 start. We left home at 8:30 and as we turned onto the highway we saw them in the rear view mirror. Well timed.

We stopped at Boorowa for a cuppa and a Tasty treat at the bakery

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Then an uneventful journey to Cowra saw us get there about 12:30. We settled in, had lunch and watched a number of other vintage vans dribble in over the afternoon.
 

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We dined in our vans.

[smokeycapeoyster]

Smokey Cape Oyster welcome vintage caravaners to South West Rock, excellent to see all the amazing caravns and cars driving through town. Outfits at the club.

It's a great help to local community and businesses, provides an interesting atmosphere. Also Thanks for the people that have dropped in for our famous oysters, we are sure you enjoyed eating them.  Sincerely Smokey Cape Oyster. 

[fo00se]

If this is not permitted please delete. This is a link to photos of the Vintage van nationals that i took...
I believe you will need to be a member of facebook and log in...Barry

www.facebook.com/114175305446650/photos/?tab=album&album_id=476063295924514

[brenten]

we are home at last ..friday afternoon in peak hour trafic in sydney on the m4 freeway we broke a rear axle and the wheel almost came off 4 hours waiting for a tow truck when we pushed it off the tow truck the wheel did fall off .............but what a great nats thanks to all that went .....and a big thanks to mark ,woo woo and firefighter for all the planing...brenten ,robyn and dale

[Koala]

Back home now and time to reflect.
It was pleasing to see such a diverse group of people come together from so many different states to participate in the tour, even from WA and Tasmania. We also has some new members participating in their first Vintage Caravans outing.......one van finished at 4:30 on the day we started at Cowra, thanks for the effort Jock.
I was pleased to see travellers branching out and exploring the various places which we visited as this was my intention rather than having structured days. Some concerns as to the steepness of the route after Walcha happily were unfounded, even for the 34 Pontiac with mechanical brakes on the car and over ride brakes on the van.
Judy and I enjoyed the country so much that we came back home through a portion of the same country and camped at Bylong and Tuena.
Thank you to all 16 participants and I hope that you now think it worthwhile. And a bigger thankyou to Sandra and Mel for having a go and participating as single female drivers who pretty much looked after themselves hitching and unhitching just like the rest of us.
Now, where are those 2018 Nationals going to be held??

Koala

[Jennison]

Congratulations to firefighter on all his work.
It was great to catch up with all the regulars (and newbies)as well.
Some wonderfull vans and cars to be seen and what what wonderfull weather! Great event.
Jenno

[Koala]

A lineup of some of the vans on the start grid at Bathurst

Tooleyau heading down the esses, I could have taken him on the inside but locked a brake on the Franklin

The Pontiac did exceptionally well keeping up with the group.

Graham from WA

Pick the difference?? The EJ on the right has been lengthened and widened to accommodate Commodore running gear and floorpan.

We did a lot of this at SWR. Note the Kero light.


Bacon and Egg breakfast cooked on my Companion kero cooker.......just because I can. 


Maybe someone else can add some more photos to complete the 16 vans which attended.

[cobber]

The 2016 sixth Vintage Caravan. Com Nationals was up there with the best of them, thanks to the dedication and organisational skills of Mr and Mrs Firefighter and all those people who attended.
One of the spontaneous events that popped up was the lineup of Holden Chrome bumper bars.



One fella with a death wish thought it would be fun to run along the line of Holdens with a F*#d flag 


As they say in the classics, be careful what you wish for, because he was tackled by mad Maurie, seen here standing beside his blue FJ, unfortunately I wasn't quick enough to get that photo.


So many great photos yet to come, bring 'em on folks 

Cobber.

[neilncheryl]

Dropped in for a quick visit during the week and here are some pics I took

[neilncheryl]

and more

[neilncheryl]

Still going

[neilncheryl]

Last lot











Good to see my 1962 Roadmaster at the other park. Young family from Inverell now own it and were on holidays. They had no idea the nationals were on

[neilncheryl]

There was reportedly over 100 vans there but I didn't get photos of all of them.
good selection here though

[stephen&Julie]

A great afternoon at the auction, the peace and quite was broken by a noisy auctioneer and his helpers, great fund raiser for kids with cancer. Fun and heaps of laughs as the the donated bits and pieces were actioned to the highest bidder, even had pre auction entertainment which stirred the crowd into a bidding frenzy. Thank you to all for the support which will be going to a very worthy cause.








Cheers Stephen&Julie

[boblor]

Thanks to Neil and Cheryl for the photos, a great selection.
Some of my observations. I counted 110 vans at SWR Tourist Park and 14 at Horseshoe Beach, which gives us 124 in town for the event.
Yesterday I was filing away my photos of the 'glassy' vans and established the following. 23 glass and one ally Olympic and about 17- 18 Sunliners, with 6 of these being 16' models a record. I counted 4 x Sunliners in Horseshoe Beach, so did anyone count those at Tourist Park ??. I also noted 2 x Skyline / Kennedy in very nice condition.
I had a great time meeting new people, and assisting those who requested held or opinion with their restorations.
It was a great venue for our event, with full co-operation from the Park staff, and organising our Friday sausage sizzle with the Lions Club. It will take some time to better this event.
On my way home I had a little mishap at Woodburn, -- spilt a rim on my van (the second time this has happen to me) and ripped my tire to threads. I was immediately assisted by Stephen and Sharon (cluelesssharon), Stephen and Julie and Highway Patrol Officer Nathan. We quickly replace the wheel and were on our way again, --thanks to my helpers.
Here is hoping to see you all again at our next Nats where ever they are held,
Cheers boblor

[stephen&Julie]

60+ Vintage caravaners take over the SWR picture theatre, just about wiped out the choc block ice cream supplies and than broke out in loud screams of laughter while watching Our Greek Wedding 2, great times with great people
Cheer S&J

[firefighter]

G/day

I would like to thank all the members that attended the nationals and turned up for the auction and donated items to sell and a big thank you to all who bid on items

Big thanks to our Auctioneer Stephen & Julie and his mob from SEQ they made the night thanks

Geoff from Geoff n Jude was going to be our auctioneer, but for health reasons he had to pull out thanks for your part in entertaining on the night ...... Geoff think you missed your calling in life  

Also thanks to 2 off our members from Parks N S W  Lindy and Jock that played and sang country music for us

they also played  and sang at our dinner dance

Couple days before the Auction one of the locals Les Patterson offered to play the bag pipes for us on auction night ....Les rang the morning of the auction saying he was sick and could not attend ....But Les got out of bed and attended the auction and played for us ...Les then went home and returned with a new large tarp for the auction I think it went for about $80 thanks Les

Also thanks to Di & Gay for making the quilt for the raffle ....the raffle money was put in with the auction money

   

With the quilt and the auction we raised $3571.35 big thank you to all our members

The money was donated to Challenge supporting kids with cancer

2 Days before we left home I rang the royal flying doctors head office asking how we could transfer money in to there account from South West Rocks and was told I could not collect money for them as I was not registered

with them to collect money

2114 Nationals at Broken Hill we went to the royal flying doctors base and handed the cash to them and got a receipt ? 

Geoff

[brenten]

thanks f/f for posting the receipt ..good job everyone..brenten

[firefighter]

G'day Brenten

Thanks for your offer to make a spare wheel cover for a vintage caravan this was also included in the auction and I think it went for $150
Plus Brenten is posting it at his own cost

f/f

[bowen7374]

Hi all we have been without the internet for so long, we are now on the new system and must say belatedly that the South West Rocks gathering was great we will now do our upmost to continue.

Steve our auctioneer turned up at the shop great to see him again

Thanks to all the people who did all the work to in the organisation.

Bob and Wendy

[tooleyau]

South West Rocks, Nationals

Day 2 Cowra to Rylestone – Morning saw a 9:00 start and we headed straight to Mount Panorama, Bathurst, where we drove up to McPhillamy Park and parked the vans.
There were a number of locals on hand to inspect the van as our local radio DJ (Ken) had been interviewed by the local Bathurst radio station and the radio station promoted that we were in town.


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We then headed back down to the starting grid where we took the mandatory photo of the vans lined up in race formation.
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At this stage it decided to rain so we headed out of Bathurst towards Rylestone.
Ken and Judy, and us, stopped at a turnoff that had plenty of space for lunch, whereas others had lunch at various different locations.

We duly arrived and settled in for the night. The roads were well laid but they went up and down and wound around many steep hills.

Rylestone caravan park is very small, but the facilities are excellent.

It was a tight squeeze.

Most of us dined at the pub for tea.

[tooleyau]

South West Rocks, Nationals

Day 3. Rylestone to Nundle. Our longest day so far.
The morning started with a bit of a start as one of the town bogans had let their staffy loose and it decided to take on a smaller do that belonged to one of the caravan parks long stayer. Police were called but we left before they turned up.
Gave the car a wash this morning as it was dirty from yesterday’s travels. It had rained overnight. Another day of roads that went up and down and around. We stopped in at Murrurundi for a quick lunch and then off to Nundle. We arrived about 4:00 and after setting up the vans we settled in for happy hour. Some are off to the pub for tea, others are revisiting their fridges.

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