CHACA - The Beginning

The Classic and Historic Automobile Club of Australia owes it’s inception to a group of people who were interested in the cars of the 1930’s and 40's without requiring them to be expensive, of high performance or built in a particular country. This broad outlook has stood the test of time and continues to this day, enabling the member owning a small inexpensive car to enjoy membersip as much as the owner of the most exotic vehicle built.

In 1965 the Vintage Driver's Club of Victoria appointed Mr Jim Kerr to investigate the formation of a club to cover the era following the vintage dating limitation of December 30th, 1930. Jim was able to contact enough interested people to arrange a series of meetings at his home where the decision was taken to advertise, in The Age newspaper, an exploratory meeting to be held in the Deepdene Park Hall. Of those involved in the prior meetings Jim Kerr, Dennis Walsh, Max Austin and Gordon Wightman agreed to act as a steering committee to form the club.

The public meeting in the Deepdene Park Hall on May 6th, 1966, was attended by some 40 interested persons and confirmed support for the concept of a club catering for vehicles of the 1930’s and up to 1942 when it was generally conceded that the era under consideration had closed due to the Second World War. A number of people even expressed interest in cars of the late 40’s and the 1950’s. Excellent discussion took place regarding the proposed aims of the club and, of course, a name for the club.

Some 20 persons agreed to become members as soon as the fees were established and paper work in place. A clear mandate was given to the Steering committee to draft a constitution, by-laws, find a suitable name for the club and attend to the hundreds of little things that go to make a smooth running organisation. The meeting closed on a pleasant and enthusiastic note with the hat being passed around to raise some funds for the committee to meet expenses. This collection grossed the sum of $15.53 which strangely enough was never used as membership fees soon rolled in at a satisfactory rate.

Following this successful first public meeting, further meetings were held to formulate club policy and operations. The steering committee positions were decided with Dennis Walsh taking up the position of Librarian/Historian; Jim Kerr, that of President; Max Austin as Secretary; and Gordon Wightman, acting as Treasurer/Editor.

At the next meeting on June 6th, there were 15 paid up members who agreed that the organising committee, with the addition of Arthur Blair as Technical Officer, carry on until 3rd November, 1966, the date set for the first Annual Meeting and election of officers. Consideration was given to a list of suggested names for the club, one prerequisite was that the name must contain the words “Of Australia”. After a deal of debate the “Classic and Historic Automobile Club of Australia’ was selected as being the most appropriate and now the club had a name to build on.

(reprint from “Celebrating Thirty Years, 1966-1996, Special Edition Journal”)

by Gordon Wightman

Display and Presentation Day

Our first "Display and Presentation" day was held at Kalorama in 1971 and continued at this popular park in the Dandenongs until 1993, when a better venue at Cheltenham Park, Cheltenham was found.

"Kalorama" as the day was always known, was always held on the last Sunday in October (the first day of daylight saving). The Concours Winners were on show, glistening in the sunshine (mostly). The days were filled with activities for the young and the young at heart. There were keen car events for the more adventurous drivers. And finally the speeches, thankyou's and presentations of the prizes to the concours winners and other annual awards and appreciation.

Many members invited their families to join them for the day, which helped make the day more festive. Members have travelled long distances to take part in this day. Members from as far as Canberra, Wodonga and Riviera Lakes have participated in the day.

Other Clubs and Societies have also taken part putting on interesting displays for the members to enjoy.

With the move to Cheltenham Park, and a change of date to the end of November, the Club now includes "Father Christmas" in the day's activities.

For a while the car competitions were discontinued, but in 1995 the "Cheltenham Cup" was introduced and some very keen competition was observed on the oval. The trophy was eventually won by Barry Smith driving his 1934 Chevrolet Sedan.

By including "Family Day" in the name of the day, the club hopes it will encourage the younger members to attend and get to know their fellow members better.

This day takes a great deal of work and the Activities Of. ficers and the sub-committees involved over the years must be congratulated on a job well done.

The Annual Melbourne Concours

The Concours was introduced to encourage and assist members restoring their vehicles. It encourages members to work to a high standard and fulfils the aims of the Club, “to encourage the use, maintenance and preservation”. The First Concours was held at Doon Reserve, Yarra Junction in 1967, and set a good standard for members to aspire to. --- The locations for judging changed over the next few years, until 1974 when Max Austin kindly opened his home and garage in Mt. Waverley for the members use on judging day. In 1994, following renovations to the Austin property, a new venue was found at the Caltex Service Station in Blackburn.

The judging over the years has been honest and to a high standard. The Club is lucky to have such a team of hard working and dedicated members. Much time and effort goes into the restoration and presentation of a vehicle for Concours and members can be confident when they enter concours, their entry will be treated fairly. The judging system, of three teams of judges, one team for interior, one exterior and one mechanical, and taking average scores for each section for total points lost, was introduced by the 1967 Technical officer, Ray Nichol and has worked satisfactorily since. As the Club has grown and the variety of vehicles eligible for concours has increased, so have the awards.

Melbourne Annual Tour 

A very important event on the Melbourne Calendar is the Annual Tour. Each tour has enjoyed tremendous support from the members. So important is this event, that a special position on committee, "The Special Activities Officer" needed to be created. Melbourne has been lucky to have had very dedicated and hardworking members take on this position. Each tour is full of great memories for those who attended.
It is interesting to note how much thought and organisation went into the 1967 tour to Swan Hill. A long list of "General instructions" was published in the Journal prior to the event:
Slow group must stick together as there are only three in this group. If one car stops, the other cars must stop to see if any help is needed.
If one of the fast group of cars stops, the next car must stop unless waved on. If you are looking for a you-know what, pull up a side road or stop at a town convenience. If you see two cars stopped keep going, unless waved down.
Fast group cars are not to pass slow group unless absolutely necessary, e.g. holding up traffic on a hill, etc. The last car in the fast group will not pass any car in the slow group. The last car will be taken in turn and will alternate.
Don't forget to take sufficient cash to cover Motel, petrol, food and drink. The $10 covers only your deposit on Motel accommodation.
Cost of accommodation at Swan Hill was $6 for one adult. Fifty-seven people, in thirteen club cars and six moderns made the trip.
Swan Hill has proved very popular and has been revisited three times.
All but three tours have been held over the three day, Queen's Birthday weekend in June. The other three have been held at Easter. Two tours were to Wagga Wagga to meet the Sydney Branch and the other was to Ballarat. No tour was held in 1978 due to the first National tour to Lockhart.

1967 Swan Hill
1968 Shepparton/Echuca
1969 Swan Hill
1970 Beechworth
1971 Easter: Wagga Wagga-Meet With The Sydney Branch
1972 Swan Hill
1973 Easter: Wagga Wagga-Meet With The Sydney Branch
1974 Lakes Entrance
1975 Portland
1976 Albury-Wodonga
1977 Hamilton
1978 National Tour Lockhart
1979 Rosebud
1980 Easter: Ballarat
1981 Marysville
1982 Phillip Island
1983 Shepparton
1984 Lorne
1985 Wodonga -
Celebrate The 10th Birthday Of Wodonga Branch
1986 Ballarat National Tour
1987 Lakes Entrance
1988 Echuca
1989 Marysville
1990 Rawson
1991 Hepburn Springs
1992 Bendigo
1993 Beechworth
1994 Yarram
1995 Grampians - Halls Gap
1996 Swan Hill

THE BIRTHDAY RUN

Another tradition on the Melbourne Calendar is the "Birthday Run". This is probably the best supported event in recent times, with more Club vehicles on show than at the Presentation Day. Many members make a special effort to attend on this day and it has become a great day to catch up with old friends and make new ones. In recent years the Club has provided members with a free lunch, a catered "sausage sizzle". There is a special cake cutting ceremony. The "Club man" and "Club lady" of the year both cut the cake, before it is dissected into hundreds of pieces to be shared by all. This Birthday Run has for many years been held at the popular "Jells Park" in Mt. Waverley, but as from 1997 a new venue in Templestowe will be used, which will give the Club more "room to move".

THE MELBOURNE SWAP-MEET

The Melbourne Swap meet has now become an Institution. An important part of the Melbourne Branch activities. Tom Lambert has been in charge of the operation of every swap-meet to date and he kindly wrote the following.

The first Annual swap meet was held in February 1979, to try to build up our Club funds. This was held at the Rowville Drive In (now a housing estate) and raised a terrific profit of $750.00.
Our first CHACA stall was a mixture of cakes and odds and ends, as the Drive-Inn food venue was open to the public.
We stayed at Rowville for about four years, then had to move.
Don Main had told me about Chirnside Park Shopping Centre which had been holding a Sunday Market, but this had closed, so we talked to Graham Ashmore who knew the manager, and he arranged a meeting for me. The result was, we had a new undercover venue.
This was the start of our catering for the swap meet. My son, Les, sold soft drinks (he later handed this to CHACA). The Dobbs family stall sold cakes and confectionery. Leonie and Bill Roff had a pie stall.
Don, myself and volunteers went to the centre on Saturday afternoon and marked and numbered all the sites and cleaned things up for Sunday. Later the Club bought a 6 x 4' trailer to take the equipment we needed; trestles, pie warmer and our old faithful cafe bar. Purchased for the club for $125, second-hand. This has been to every swap meet since and never let us down.
Chirnside Park, I think, was our best venue, in the heart of the old car movement, and so we started our two swap meets a year; until we had nearly as many sites and Sellers outside as well as under cover.
In 1989, Centre Management decided no more swap meetings, so that ended that era.
The Chevrolet Car Club had been having their events at the Victorian Wholesale fruit and vegetable market, so, off I went to see the Management, and finally we were allowed there. They did say ‘no food stalls’, but after a bit of arm twisting, we had their permission to go ahead.
We had 600 sites to sell, so it was decided we would have a car display and Club stall as well. This has proved very popular, and has gained for us, new members.
The fees for the venue have risen by 150 per cent, causing a rise in our charges. Our food stall has been very successful, and is set up around the Club trailer, which has been vastly improved with shelving, tables, waterproof cover, etc. Thanks to the late Keith Burchall, assisted by his good mate Arthur Horner (the local villains).
As I said at the beginning, every club needs volunteers. We have a great band of members who assist at all events, I won’t name the swap meet crew as I’d hate to leave someone out. Most of the originals are still with us, some have gone and new ones have taken their place, but without them, there wouldn’t have been a swap meet.
This year, it seems, will be the last time we use this venue, so who knows where we’ll set up next. Seventeen years of Swap-meets: Hard work, but it has meant a lot of fun and friendship.

Tom Lambert

The CHACA Club Badge

During 1966 many designs for the club badge were considered by committee. Finally a design drawn by Marie Alger was chosen. The particular design of the wheel was chosen, because most cars of the era used this type of wheel at some Stage. 
The first casting was presented at the April meeting and aroused much comment among members. Among the many comments heard were, “Hell it’s heavy, wonder what it’s scrap value is?”, or “I don’t think my car will drag that around”, or maybe, “Wonder where I’ll put it, the badge bar's full now”. This prototype badge was presented to Marie in recognition of her design efforts. The badge pattern is made of aluminium and the badges are made of gunmetal. The badges are cast in sand. The production method and materials used make the badge quite unique among other car club badges.
There has been only one change during the thirty years and that was to change “1931 – 1942” to “Founded 1966”.

CHACA HONOUR ROLL

And finally, some more history on our club, to close off the three journals commemorating the club’s fiftieth anniversary. Our presents, club man and women award winners (taken from the 30th anniversary special journal).... And the highly coveted Late Comers Award! These are obviously not all our awards, but they’ll give you some background on those who’ve help the club grow, those who were awarded special recognition for their ongoing support to the club, and those who WERE ALWAYS LATE !

Enjoy.

PRESIDENTS:

1966–1971 Jim Kerr

1971-1974 Dale Allen *

1974-1979 John Hunt *

1979-1981 Col. Patience *

1981-1985 Tom Lambert *

1985-1988 Bob Mantle *

1988-1992 Ray Griffin *

1992-1993 Adrian DeVOS

1994-1996 Eddie Reynolds *

1996-2001 Eric Chaplin

2001-2003 Margaret Griffin *

There was a gap between November 2003 and June 2004 when we did not have a President.

2004-2007 Kevin Churchill *

2007-2010 David Landells

2010-2015 Kevin Churchill

2015-Present Brian Garrett

* Also Life Members