A 26-day journey from Perth to Sydney in your classic car

8 December, 2014

There’s those road trips that regularly feature on ‘things to do before you die’ lists, around Europe and across America for example. Closer to home, the obligatory trip around both the North and South Island is always worthwhile, but New Zealand’s always had a deficit of size. For that, our neighbours across the ditch have the answer — the Perth to Sydney Classic Car Tour.

The tour covers 26 days and participants stay in motels and hotels covering 3½ to 5-star ratings throughout the trip. Classic car owners are already preparing for the next tour, departing Perth in August 2015, with cars set to be shipped from Christchurch and Auckland.

From Perth, the convoy will visit most of the best sites Western Australia has to offer. These include Cape Leeuwin, Australia’s most south-westerly point, the famed wine and surf town of Margaret River, and Albany, the original home of ANZAC, with great celebrations in 2015 to commemorate 100 years since the Gallipoli landings.

Memorable road signs in traditional Aussie fashion

South Australia is the next destination, covering the Nullarbor Plain over the course of three days, and driving alongside southern right whales and their calves in the Great Australian Bight. Port Lincoln is the destination after the Nullarbor, and Wes Davies, the event organizer, hopes that the Lincoln Classic Car Club will turn out in force once more to greet the travellers, as they did on the last trip in 2013.

A great sign on the Nullarbor

In stark contrast to the barren beauty of the Nullarbor is the city of Adelaide, reached via fertile winery regions. From Adelaide, the convoy travel through Northern Victoria to the town of Wentworth where the Darling and Murray River systems meet at the NSW and Victoria border. Providing a variety of countryside, cities, and everything in-between is the next destination of Melbourne, before heading through the Snowy Mountains, and on to the capital city of Canberra.

Early morning line up at Renmark, near the SA/NSW/Victoria border

The epic cross-country wander covers over 7500km, and 2015’s iteration already has eight couples and cars booked. Wes says that although the route has not changed, he’s learned a lot from the first trip in 2013 — hence there’s been a few changes to the support processes. All cars are now provided with handheld radios and matching GPS units, and Wes will carry a satellite phone and towing dolly as further support. You can’t be too safe when it comes to old cars and big country! Of course, these kinds of trips are as much about the experience as the people you meet, and the Perth to Sydney Classic Car Tour offers the best of both. To book your Australian adventure, contact Wes Davies on 0800 533 868.

All done — the line up at North Sydney, under the Harbour Bridge

Lunch with … Rodger Anderson

At first, I wondered if I’d driven up the wrong driveway. The car in the garage was an early Mustang resplendent in royal blue with two broad gold stripes, which was not what I was expecting. I knew that Rodger Anderson, who made his name in Minis and a BMW 2002, was a Porsche man these days — the other end of the spectrum from American muscle. I had no idea of his affection for Detroit iron. It didn’t take long to discover just how passionate this former Saloon Car Champion is about cars, as long as they’re interesting.

Back from the brink – 1968 MGB GT

Auckland classic car enthusiast Kerry Bowman soon realised he had a massive job on his hands in restoring his classic 1968 MGB GT. When Kerry and his MGB first appeared in New Zealand Classic Car in March 2021, in “Behind The Garage Door”, the stripped-out shell had revealed some nasty surprises. Once the true extent of the hidden damage was discovered, the work would normally have been handed over to a professional fabricator. However, with the assistance of experts such as MG specialist restorer, Paul Walbran, Kerry has completed an impressive restoration and saved this car from the scrapheap.