50 Years of the Austin A30 - Echuca 2001

The Australian Austin A30 Car Club - 50^th Anniversary Celebrations

Newsletter No. 1 - September 2000

The Australian Austin A30 Car Club extends a warm welcome to you to participate in the celebration of the 50^th Anniversary of the release of the Austin A30 "Seven". Entries are open to all Austin vehicle enthusiasts.

The A30 was shown to the public for the first time on 16th October 1951 at the Earls Court Motor Show in England. Now some fifty years later the venerable A30 is still going strong. Our car club did not want to miss this important historical milestone. What better way to celebrate it than getting together over a long weekend?

We have chosen the historic inland river port town of Echuca, on the mighty Murray River on the Victorian /NSW border. As this provincial town is centrally located, it will minimize the distance our interstate members and friends will need to travel for the event.

Approximate distances to Echuca are – Adelaide 670 km; Ballarat 210 km; Brisbane 1430 km; Canberra 580 km; Geelong 270 km; Melbourne 205 km; Sydney 795 km. For those that are coming by plane from interstate – we have also catered for your needs! We have arranged a shuttle bus service for pick up and drop off from Tullamarine Airport, Melbourne. This service is free and is being offered by Reillys’U’Drive Coaches. Contact our club member Joe Reilly (03) 5272 3222 for further information.

The festivities commence on Saturday 3^rd November through to Tuesday 6^th November 2001 (the 6^th being the public holiday in Victoria for the Melbourne Cup).

The committee consists of the following A30 Club members:

Event Director 

Mario Napoleone

3 Harold Street Bulleen Vic 3105

(03) 9858 2842 (H) (03) 9858 2846 (Fax) 0402 052 488 (Mobile)

Event Secretary 

Tom Bacon

21 Radio Street Maidstone Vic 3012

(03) 9318 1846 (H)

Event Treasurer 

Mrs. Dot Bacon

Publicity/Promotions 

Bob Talbot

Echuca Co-ordinator (and local resident) 

Bill Simons

Able Assistants 

Russell Clough

Bob Dickson

Nicholas Dowell

Don Jones

Joe Reilly

Activities planned are mindful of the fact that a lot of you have travelled great distances to get to Echuca. Hence we have minimized travel during the event itself. Our aim was to make it an enjoyable and relaxing four days.

Saturday 3^rd Nov 8am to 1pm - Registration of entrants including light refreshments (will remain open in the afternoon for late arrivals by prior arrangement)

2pm to 4pm - Self drive discovery tour of Echuca and its many attractions

Evening - free to settle in and relax with fellow participants.

Sunday 4^th Nov 10am - Visit the historic river port and its environs

11.30am to 2.30pm – Fully catered three course luncheon and cruise on the paddle steamer M. V. Mary Ann. (Courtesy bus pick up from the three designated motels provided by the paddle steamer company)

[For those not wishing to go on the cruise, an alternative is to participate in a run to the historic town of Tongala 20kms south east of Echuca]

Evening – free to organize your own activities; we may get together and select a venue for some merriment.

Monday 5^th Nov 10am to 4pm - "Cavalcade of Austin A30/35" through the central business district culminating in a Show’n’Shine at the Shire gardens on the foreshore of the Murray River. Please note the Cavalcade and Show’n’Shine is restricted to Austin A30 and 35 vehicle’s only. All other entrants may want to cheer us/stir us along the route!

6.30pm till late – Three course Gala dinner and presentation of awards in the Jubilee Room at the Moama Bowling Club. (A courtesy bus is being provided by the Moama Club to ferry the dinner guests from the three designated motels).

Tuesday 6^th Nov 9.30am - Visit Raverty’s Historic Motor Museum in Echuca

12 noon – Farewell to all our friends

We have short listed three motels that span the lower, middle and upper price ranges in Echuca. We have approached each of these motels and have been able to secure the following "group" tariffs for our participants. The quoted prices are on a twin share basis and include GST and are firm till November 2001. I have told them they are to be listed as the preferred venues and so we request that you consider booking your accommodation with them.

Settlement Motor Inn 405 High Street Echuca (03) 5482 4777

Prop – Terry and Kim Werner; 34 suites price range $80-85 per night ($10 extra per person)

Paddlewheel Motel 385 High Street Echuca (03) 5482 3822

Prop – John and Toni Beck; 32 Suites some with spa’s $85-$117 ($10 extra per person)

Pevensey Motor Lodge 365 High Street Echuca (03) 5482 5166

Prop - Bill Roberts; 21 suites price range $98 - $125 per night (less 10% if you mention "A30 Club") ($10 extra per person)

We had also chosen these three motels as they were within 400 metres of each other – ideal for that evening stroll to meet your fellow members. The Echuca 2001 committee will be accommodated at each of these motels.

The proprietors have requested that you book your accommodation as soon as possible as the Melbourne Cup weekend in Echuca gets fully booked out months ahead. At this stage they advise that most rooms are available.

I would also welcome two sponsors that have come on board from day one –

Morris Minor Australia 56 Alex Avenue Moorabbin Victoria (03) 9555 1793

Thorpe has decided to expand his spare parts business from Minors to also encompass Austin A30/35 parts – good move!

Norill Equipment 4/4 Downard Street Braeside Victoria (03) 9587 9933

Norm Williams caters for engineering supplies, bearings, seals and gaskets.

We anticipate to have a full range of merchandise to celebrate this occasion. Further details to follow.

Located at 2 Heygarth Street Echuca Freecall - 1800 804 446 (ask for Sue Jordan)

This newsletter has been sent to all members of the Austin A30 Car Club and various Austin car clubs around Australia and New Zealand. The preliminary enquiries indicate that we will achieve our aim of having fifty A30/35’s participating in the event.

Please feel free to pass on a copy of this newsletter to any anyone interested in the event.

Attached is a Registration and Entry Form. Please return it together with your cheque as soon as possible. If you do not wish to remain on our mailing list, please advise us as soon as possible.

Please come along and join us in making this a memorable event. It will be the biggest gathering of A30/35’s in the southern hemisphere – so be part of this historic occasion. You only have fourteen months to get those vehicles on the road!

We anticipate the next newsletter to issue over the New Year.

See you in Echuca 2001

Mario Napoleone - Director

on behalf of the Echuca 2001 committee

E-mail: [email protected]

Saturday 3^rd November to Tuesday 6^th November 2001

Signed (Entrant/Owner) …………………………………….. Date ………………….

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