For the past five years, Kelly's Transport Armidale has been hosting annual registration days for the Classic and Specialist Car Club of Northern NSW.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Over 200 vintage cars and motorbikes slowly queued down the driveway at Kelly's Transport on November 26 to be inspected for registration by mechanics inside the large shed.
It made for a spectacular sight.
In Other News:
As CSCCNNSW president Bob Willis explains, having the open registration days is about convenience and efficiency.
"All the cars have a common registration day; it all expires in the 31st of December," Mr Willis said.
"So, we have a common registration day for a common date, the reason being is that we rely on volunteers so we don't want to have them doing it all through the year.
"So, we register in November, the registration papers come through and if you have your '1259' form inspectors certify the car for registration, if it's signed off by the registrar and they show proof of registration they can present to the RMS and re-register their vehicle."
Along with the registration certificate drivers are given a vintage car owner log book which effectively entitles them to 60 days of driving on public roads and unlimited kilometres, however It's unusual for members to max out their allocated 60 days of driving.
Insurance wise, NRMA offers vintage and veteran's insurance which stretches to 9000 kilometres a year, Shannon's are another popular insurance company for vintage cars and although Bob is unsure of the kilometre allowance through Shannon's, he said it wouldn't make much difference as it's unlikely many classic car owners would travel such distances in the year.
According to Bob, there are approximately 150 active members of the Classic and Specialist Car Club of Northern NSW and there are new members joining all the time.
"We probably have three or four new members per month and we consistently have upwards of 70 people attend out monthly meeting.
"People who have a heritage vehicle, it might have been owned by their father or grandfather or other family members, so it has a special sentimental value for them.
"They want to keep the car and use the vehicle, it makes sense for them to join up with the club, the social factor is a huge part of it also."
There seems to be no lack of interest in the vintage car space for the New England area.
Classic car collector Lyndon Hardman owns some especially rare automobiles including a 1909 Talbot Model 4T and a 1963 Aston Martin as well as thousands of items of automobile memorabilia.
It has taken Lyndon many years to build his collection, which he hopes will soon feature in the Transport Museum, and said it brings him great joy to show people through and share his passion for classic auto history.
Fair to say that the picturesque hills and valleys of New England suit the classic car scene perfectly.
Keep an eye out for these rare gems.
Make sure you are signed up for our breaking news and regular newsletters