VACC centenary

This was organised on a grand scale, and featured a cavalcade of 100 cars to Bendigo (one for each year 1918 to 2018, which is 101, and I saw two for 1928).
As with HCVC's 'Crawlin' the Hume', there were roadside audiences, and a crowd observing the well-arranged display in Bendigo, where about 60 more cars added to the display.
I had a clashing event, and drove to Calder Park to watch the departure from the grass in front of the roadhouse. Several other classic cars were heading to Bendigo, and many called in at the roadhouse for fuel and/or snack. All but one of the cars was burbling along nicely, and picking up the pace to merge with the busy holiday freeway traffic. Only one pulled over spluttering; the driver adjusted something under the bonnet, and got going again.
Attached: VACC's history, published as a spread in Fri.21.9.18 Melbourne 'Herald Sun'; VACC's public flyers.

Roderick.

The advance ad to the public (which ran on several Fridays).
180601 Melbourne Herald Sun coming auto events, 180922Sa Bendigo VACC centenary rally.
Then the information for drivers.
At Bendigo the cars were marshalled away from the display site. One by one they were called to a raised dais while some commentary was delivered, and all onlookers got a good view.
The cars then headed to the parking areas for public inspection.
My notes from HCVC Facebook.
To mark its centenary, VACC sponsored a major rally to Bendigo on Sat.22.9.18, with vehicles on display in Bendigo that afternoon, and with a special dinner that night.
The grand plan was achieved: one vehicle per year for 1918 to 2018 in the main rally, plus perhaps 60 others arriving for the display. Advance publicity was lavish.
Rally vehicles assembled a Calder Park Thunderdome from 7.30, ready for an 8.30 ceremonial sendoff. Police had established a 40 km/h limit in the freeway at the exit, with the left lane sealed off by plastic pylons, to enable safe merging with the busy school-holiday traffic. I had a clashing event, and got my coverage from the grass in front of the service centre (along with many other eager spectators). Many classic vehicles which weren't part of the rally assembled there too, and added to the interest.
The rally started lat (~8.55), but all vehicles were on the road by 9.25 (planned 9.30), for a ~11.00-30 arrival in Bendigo. There they would muster outside the display grounds, to be called through one by one from 12.00.
The weather was magnificent, and a diverse range of vehicles had been assembled. I didn't quite get the whole 101, but have too many to post, so I'll cover only the commercial ones in this group.

My first five. I'm processing only the trucks for HCVC.

180922Sa Calder Park, VACC centenary rally: the general view, and then closeups, captioned on the image.
1928 (Chevrolet), 1928 Ford and a 1942 Jeep.

Roderick.

180922Sa Calder Park (Vic.) - VACC centenary rally, Mack carrying an (apc?). (Roderick Smith).
1946 Chevrolet.
1949 Ford Prefect ute. (Roderick Smith)
1951 Bedford OB bus. (Roderick Smith). This one is based with a Bendigo bus operator (either still Dawsons, or the successor). He has had it at an HCVC Yarra Glen rally, but brought it in on a semitrailer.

Roderick.

180922Sa Calder Park (Vic.) - VACC centenary rally:
- 1952 Austin Loadstar (with the name altered slightly to match the decoration). (Roderick Smith). Googling brings up some information at Wikipedia, and lots of photos (including several of this mobile home). en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austin_Loadstar .
- 1961 Holden FB. (Roderick Smith). I couldn't see its rally number. It is an FB (the EK had a whisker set into the upper bar of the grille). The FB was 1960-61. I had already photographed the 1960 entry.

Roderick.

My first car was an FB van.
Major difference is the front park lights, the EK had them moulded to the guard instead of round like the FB.
Cheers Steve