In 1948, the first Land Rovers appeared, initially considered a stop-gap vehicle to get the Rover company going again after the war. No-one really thought that seventy years later, some of those very early models would still be running, and looking like new on the other side of the world. In those intervening years, not only did the original Land Rover continue production, it developed a cult following and regular gatherings of enthusiasts are now to be found in all corners of the globe. I guess it’s appropriate that 70 years should be celebrated.
In Australia, over the Easter weekend, a large gathering of over 900 vehicles quite literally took over the town on Cooma in New South Wales. Unfortunately Kim and I were unable to attend that particular event but I did manage to make the smaller Queensland gathering in the town of Goomeri (population 664 on a good day) over the long holiday weekend in September. Over 100 vehicles turned up, from a very early Series 1 right through to the last of the Defenders and some shiny new Discoveries.
A fair sprinkling of military Parenties (the Australian built military variants) and some unusual rarities completed an eclectic collection. For aficionados that really is a Tickford station wagon, rebuilt from a wreck and the only one in Australia. And yes, we were one of only two Defender 90s!
The gathering was a grand opportunity to chat with other owners, catch up with friends old and new, and compare notes on modifications and adventures.
After a run of almost four hours and I arrived at the Goomeri Showground. It took longer for me to set up camp than it usually does with Kim and I working as a team, but by early Friday afternoon all was in place and the kettle was boiling ready for a cuppa. A procession of visitors asking about our set-up lasted until the evening when just for once I was obliged to drive the cooker and prepare my evening meal. The obligatory pre-dinner G&T was accompanied by yet more visitors. Everything worked well, even the old tank of gas that we’d used on our Simpson Desert trip lasted until the water was heated for washing up. Swopping tanks took a couple of minutes, then everything was packed away apart from a glass of Shiraz on hand while I watched the sun go down and the stars appear.
On Saturday I did something I’ve not done for ages, sat down and read the newspaper from cover to cover. A wonderfully relaxing start to the day. Then it was time to take a look at the other Land Rovers, join in some chat about things going wrong – and things going right, picking up a couple of ideas for future projects and generally finding out how others enjoy their Land Rover hobby.
As several hundred of finished our dinner on Saturday evening, storm clouds gathered and it was not too long before flashes of lightning and the ominous sound of thunder heralded the imminent arrival of a tropical storm. There was just enough time to roll up and stow the awning, and pack away the chair before it was upon us. Lacking the incentive to return to the remnants of the post-dinner gathering I rapidly climbed the ladder and took shelter in the rooftop tent, but not before a fine collection of mud had attached itself to my boots. But at least I was dry and it gave me time to catch up on a few chapters of my book.
The Sunday morning sky was threatening with voluminous black clouds filling the sky. I had to pack up the tent to join the parade of vehicles filling the showground so that they could be filmed by a drone – and a great many other cameras too. Large drops of rain began to fall and so I decided it was time to head back south rather than spend the rest of the day in a muddy field, a sentiment shared with quite a few others.
Four hours later, after a mainly wet drive and a stop in Blackbutt for a rather splendid steak pie, Vin Rouge was parked outside the house and I was getting on the outside of a large beer. Sadly a shortened ‘long weekend’, but an enjoyable one shared with a lot of fine Land Rover people.
Happy time
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