Australian National Rally - Heyfield 2003

Basically, great rally - very good size for an Australian effort - outstanding turn out of very rare and unusual engines (and incredibly well restored!). And the steam... more traction engines, trucks, rollers, portables, and stationaries than you could poke a stick at. Also present were vintage cars and trucks. There was a substantial black smith group in action, and turnouts from two seperate railway groups operating 2 foot equipment.

Australia has set a new Guiness Book Record for the most commercial vintage vehicles in a single road run.

People really pulled out all the stops for this one. Congratulations must be made to the Heyfield club - what a performance. There were a few hitches on the first day, and the security guards were officious arseholes (but then again, most cop wannabees seem to be that way!) but once everything got going the rally just ticked along.

There were some dramas with the rain, Victoria turning on its best drought-breaker just to remind the guys from New South Wales what water looks and feels like when it falls out of the sky.

I think everyone had a really good time, and the local pub (bar) The Railway Hotel probably did not know what hit them. The town greeted us with open arms (especially a few of the girlies who were hunting for city boys)... The rally has had a similar effect as the Portland show has there. The town swelled from a population of 800 to about 10,000 over night. The organisers were claiming attendance of 35,000 over the three days.

I did not really count, but I'd have to say there were close to 750 engines present. Many of them driving equipment. There were probably 30 self driven steam engines of various types. Around 350 tractors, about 200 trucks, and 100 vintage cars and motor cycles.

Best of all, I got my Stover KA (finally!!) from Ron Sullivan. Edd Payne (the engine whisperer) gave it a 30 second check up (is there an engine that man does not know backwards?), fiddled a bit (saved me about four hours!) and now she is just about spot on except for a couple of things which could not be done at the rally. As usual with the list members, whenever someones engine needed a bit of TLC there was a good crowd of both doers and ground kickers.

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