Far North Focus
December 2020
Model A’s at Winston’s
We wish all of you a safe and happy Christmas and New Year.
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The Vintage Car Club of New Zealand
Far North Focus Who’s Who for 2020/21 Chairman
Winston Matthews
win@matthewsvintage .com
09 4060203
Vice Chairman
Dave Duirs
dave.duirs@xtra.co.nz
09 4061288
Secretary
Gloria Cormack
m.g.cormack@xtra.co.nz
09 4077255
Treasurer
Robyn Mackay
wmackay116@gmail .com
09 406 1955
Club Captain
Warren Mackay
wmackay116@gmail.com
09 4061955
Editor
Peg Hills
comstockdowns@gmail.com
09 406 1077
Communications Officer
Ruth Reid
r.t.reid@xtra.co.nz
09 4060 392
Beaded Wheels Scribe
Dave Duirs
dave.duirs@xtra.co.nz
09 406 1288
Area Rep North
Ruth Reid
r.t.reid@xtra.co.nz
09 406 0392
Southern Area Club Captain
Murray Cormack
m.g.cormack@xtra.com
09 4077 255
Committee
Murray Cormack, Robyn Mackay, Winston Matthews, Graeme Moore, Vince Mason, Mike Pooley, Gloria Cormack, Warwick Woollams, Warren Mackay, Dave Duirs, Keith Lyndsell
Building Officer
Warren Mackay
09 406 1955
A full list of elected officers is circulated with the minutes of the 2020 Annual General Meeting
Club meetings on the second Tuesday of the month at the Aurere Clubrooms at 7.30pm.
CLUB CLEANING ROSTER 2019-2020 During the month, and preferably before the main calendar event, please give the clubrooms a thorough check over, as in: Clean the toilets and hand basins, check kitchen, window ledges etc, and sweep the floors. Window cleaning, washing walls etc will be done at working bees.
Note any required maintenance and pass on to the Building Officer– Warren Mackay, ph 09 4061955 If your date doesn’t suit you, please swap with someone else. For any other enquiries please contact the Club Captain.
January D & P Hills July
C Brownlie
January
D & P Hills
August
D & D Duirs
February
Graeme & Margaret
September
Graeme Moore
March
N & V Mason
October
Everyone– working bee
April
R & W Mackay
November
R & W Mackay
May
M & T Deverell
December
Graeme & Margaret
June
P O’Dell
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Calendar of Events 2020 / 2021 December 12th
Christmas Event
Robyn & Warren
January 16th
Summer Picnic
Everyone
February 20th
Run/Event North
Margaret & Tom
March
Mangonui Waterfront Festival
Club Captain/ Vice
April 17th
Brian Parker Rally
Murray & Gloria
May 9th
Mother’s Day Run/Lunch
Terry & Sue
May 11th
Club AGM
Everyone
June 26th
Molloy Trophy Run
Rex & Sandra & Team
Monthly 3rd Sunday
Taipa Bay Caffeine & Classics
Rosco
Ramada Resort, Taipa Monthly 2nd Tuesday
Club Meeting Aurere Clubrooms 7.30pm.
CHRISTMAS EVENT Saturday December 12th Meet at Mackay’s place, Taipa View Road at 10.30 Bring your morning tea Short scenic drive to the Clubrooms for lunch which will be provided by the Club Numbers are needed for catering so please ring Robyn, Ph.09 4061955 or 021 106 2275 by the 9th of December
We were all new members oncePlease extend the hand of friendship to all who come along after you.
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The Vintage Car Club of New Zealand
From the Chair…….
With a lot happening this month members were involved in different events. On the 14th of November I had a visit from a group of Model A enthusiasts from Tauranga. A total of 7 cars. I was surprised to learn that amongst them was Kaaren Smylie, the North Island Club Captain and her husband, on an unofficial visit to the North. I took them over and opened the Clubrooms for them to take a look and they were very appreciative of the opportunity. Then I attended the Wheels of Mayhem at the Kaitaia Showgrounds, and there was a great turn-out at this event, with a big contingent of motorbikes as well as cars. I also attended the Caffeine and Classics at Taipa on the Sunday and as I was leaving I was approached by an elderly couple who enquired about the 56 Chev. They wanted to know where it came from and who was its original owner. It turned out it was owned by the woman’s father Dr Brownlee of Thames who had owned it from 1956 to 1960.It is a small world at times!.
not seem to have my kind of meals though! However a great venue and experience, thanks to Dave and Dorothy. We are providing a ham for our Christmas Lunch, on the 12 Dec. Please come and join us for the morning tea at Robyn and Warren’s house in Taipa View Rd. with spectacular views over Doubtless Bay and the countryside. We will then be taking a short detour to a private area by the beach for a quick look and then over the hills above, to learn a bit of local history before continuing down through farm lanes to the Clubrooms. We are providing Christmas lunch, plus vegetables and dessert to follow. Please give a hand in the preparation and doing dishes after, to share the load and have a happy occasion. As this is the last newsletter till the end of January, please keep a watch-out for any emails reminding you of coming events. I wish all those who have health issues all the best for Christmas and the New Year and look forward to a better year ahead.
It sounds as if the Kaipara trip went well, thanks to Murray and Gloria, Kae and Paul Bond for organizing this event and making it so interesting.
I wish you all a Happy Christmas and enjoyable new Year and lots of happy, safe motoring ahead.
It was a good turn-out for the Dunny Run, organised by Dave and Dorothy Duirs. The new start venue was very good and it was great to be able to Keep the wheels turning, look around the new complex. Dave did take us on some very backcountry bush roads and some interesting scenic drives. I’ve got to admit Wineries do
SUMMER PICNIC OTENGI BAY (REID’S BEACH), 4106 STATE HIGHWAY 10 SATURDAY 16TH JANUARY FROM 11.30 BBQs, hot water, kayaks available SEE YOU THERE! 4
Win
Northern Club Captain’s Report….. Big event for the month was the Dunny Run with our friends from Northland Branch. A very fine day weather wise and also a well organised run by Dave and Dorothy Duirs. I was very pleased they were the organisers of this very fine event as they were the winners last year over and above Robyn and myself.
Robyn and I are looking forward to getting the Xmas function underway on Saturday 12 December hope you can make it. th
Robyn and I want to wish you all a Merry Xmas and all the best for the New Year. Enjoy this time with your families and be thankful we all live in the best place in the world.
A few members supported the Wheels of Mayhem at A & P Show Grounds Kaitaia run by the Far North Rod Happy motoring and Custom Club, what a great turn out of cars and people. Let’s all get involved in the Taipa Show & Shine on 2 January 2021.
Warren
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COMING EVENTS DECEMBER/JANUARY 4 December Friday Scheduled Noggin and Natter th
12 December Saturday Xmas Event. Meet at Mackay’s 29 Taipa View Road at 10.30 am bring your morning tea for a leisurely start of a scenic run with a talk at a lookout about history of the area from our local identities then on to club rooms for Xmas Lunch provided by the Club. th
20 December Sunday Caffeine & Classics Ramada Taipa (Repco Sponsored) 10am to noon Spot prize 10.30am th
2 January Saturday Taipa Show and Shine 9am till 2pm Please support this event nd
16 January Saturday Picnic at Otengi Bay (Reid’s Beach) 11.30 am onwards. BBQ’s, hot water and basic toilet facilities available. Kayaks also available. th
17 January Sunday Caffeine & Classics Ramada Taipa (Repco Sponsored) th
10am to noon. Spot prize 10.30am.
5 February Friday Scheduled Noggin and Natter th
20 or 27 February Run/ Event North details to follow th
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Southern Club Captain’s Report
really looking forward to this.
It has been a very busy November in our area. A number of Southern members took part on the Far North Tour on 7 Nov on some very interesting roads around mid-Northland. The Kaipara Tour was very well received with club members from all parts of our Far North area. A big thanks to Kae and Paul Bond who shared an enormous wealth of knowledge, family history and contacts in this area.
Please support the Club-provided Christmas lunch and event at our Taipa clubrooms on 12 Dec. th
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As this is the last edition of Focus this year myself and Gloria wish you all a wonderful Christmas and New Year with your family and friends. It has been a difficult year – let’s enjoy what we all have. Drive safely, enjoy.
At the time of writing this report the Dunny Run has yet to be completed, however an extensive amount of work and thought has gone into its preparation by Dave and Dorothy Duirs. A big thanks to you both, and we are
Murray
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“Crack of dawn” said Murray but Kae was more forgiving as she rounded us up and led us out over the flats to Ruawai and then, on gravel, high up into the hills before dropping down into waterside Tinopai for a provided cuppa at Kae’s family bach,
FAR NORTH KAIPARA TOUR 2020
After weeks of planning by Kae and Paul Bond and Gloria and Murray Cormack, ten cars and their enthusiastic crews met early at Bond’s Waimate North home and garden with spectacular vistas across bushland. We had a variety of vehicles but Kae’s Model A had to be a favourite and she drove it herself most of the way down and on the tour. With “rally sheets” in hand we headed to Dargaville through forests and green pastures via Kaikohe and Twin Bridges to book into the historic old Northern Wairoa Hotel, followed by a catch-up cuppa by the fast flowing Wairoa river. Poutu Point was the aim with a quick detour around Te Kopuru, in the late 1800s a very busy sawmilling and ship building town, to view the relics of the old
hospital where Terry Rogers was born and further on a visit to the quirky “smallest” church in NZ. Once past the flat kumera paddocks and rolling dairy pastures we headed into the pine forests with the rough gravel and dust down to Kelly’s Bay to lunch next to a big mob of noisy oyster catchers. Continuous gravel past two large dairy farms (tankers come all the way down here) had us parked up high at the Poutu camping spot based around the restored 1879 Custom building overlooking the mighty Kaipara Harbour Inlet. Being low tide we managed a vigorous walk a good way along the beach which has been the resting place for a many shipwrecks from earlier kauri trading. Tackling the 30kms of gravel back, we detoured west along the stony Notorious West Road with vistas over rolling dairying out to the Tasman. Eventually back in Dargaville we enjoyed a meal while seated at the massive kauri table served by delightful young hotel staff. A weary team climbed the huge bannistered stairway to our modest but comfortable 1890s rooms.
the first in Tinopai in 18?? a true icon bach. A good history lesson about the early settlers, the kauri timber era and early farming certainly impressed us with just hw tough it was for those pioneers who had come such a long way to try and improve their lot. A visit to Roy and Gay London’s home was………..well, memorabilia in the home and in the countless sheds MANY Fords of all eras and descriptions plus all the stuff that go with them. Model As, Ts, Bedford vans, Zephyrs etc mostly will come up for auction soon as they plan to move soon……….. how they will choose what to keep will surely be a problem. At our next stop some visited the Matakohe kauri museum and others were able to view the historic Totara House, one of eight built by early pioneers of Kae’s Sterling and Smith background. Again, the commentary here certainly explained the hardships and co-operation of early settlers. A winding down happy hour was followed by a welcome roast dinner at Matakohe House B&B hosted by Jackie and Daniel Pucci of South American origin who also looked after some of us for the next day’s breakfast with their charm. It was early to bed after another long and enjoyable day in paradise. Day three dawned sunny with one car having two punctures to fix…… “no prob”, just waddle down the road on a softy to where there should be a compressor. We all parked in front of another of the magnificent original houses now home to Kaipara mayor Jason Smith who plans to maintain this kauri treasure in its beautiful grounds. Kae once again spoiled us with a very detailed overview of her family’s history in developing this area.
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Down the road a bit further we were hosted, with morning tea, by Trish and Darcy Sterling (Kae’s brother) whose home overlooks one of the fingers of the harbour and the large new shed was home to some more Ford stuff– Model As, T, Mercury, 39er, and centrepiece the current refurbishment of the family’s original kauri clinker boat.
AUCTION 30 January 2021 th
At
From here farewells were made and some folk returned to feast further on the museum and others made their ways home after a most enjoyable weekend of motoring, camaraderie, and country viewing around the huge Kaipara harbour whose tentacles stretch way inland almost to the east coast.
Roy and Gay London’s property 1734 Tinopai Road Tinopai via Matakohe
Many many thanks to Cormacks and Bonds for planning the trip, our hosts on the way for sharing their homes and to the participants for being fun to be around as we drove our old cars on roads they were made to ride.
Cars, Tractors and Parts Check this website
Our Peugeot 203 covered 434 miles {688Km}, used 67.2 L of juice for 29.4 mpg {9.6 l/100} which wasn’t too bad considering we had to hurry up to rendezvous for the “early” start and likewise gallop home before the day ran out.
www.abauctions.co.nz for further details
Park up and be ready for the next adventure. Dave DUIRS 18/11/20
(from mid-January)
Rendezvous at Dargaville
CLUB SHIRTS AVAILABLE: Contact Ruth- see her at a meeting, call her on 09 406 0392, or email her at r.t.reid@xtra.co.nz There will be samples at the Clubrooms to try on for size. Cost is $30-$35 dollars, depending on size.
Remember the Taipa Bay Caffeine & Classics 3rd Sunday every month 10 to 12.30 Next date Sunday 20th December
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THE DUNNY RUN 2020 "21st" Dunny Run Event 28-11-2020 Wow!! What a Fantastic day, with beautiful sunny weather & a good turn out of cars. There were 21 cars altogether, meeting at the Hundertwasser Complex. This was a great place to meet & a lovely "Lookin" We enjoyed wandering through the Complex, which houses a Library, a meeting room & an Information room with lots of interesting info on Frederick Hundertwasser & his involvement with the Kawakawa Community. The design carried on Frederick's Adobe style from the famous toilets, and is indeed amazing. I was intrigued with the old used clothing being created to hide the wires etc from the Display boards. This was very colourful & artistic. Very well done. At 10:30 am Dave & Dorothy gathered us altogether in the car park, where we were given the instructions to start our rally. We headed south out of Kawakawa, then headed out left towards Paihia/Russel. We turned right onto the Karetu/Waikare road which ended up all being windy, metal roads and headed to Russell through back roads. We had to drive very carefully & slowly on these roads as they were very windy & narrow in places. Along this road we had at least 4 locals speeding fast past us, which gave concern for our following members in their vintage cars!! Vince & I hadn't been over some of these roads, despite the fact that I grew up in these parts, so it was new & interesting to us. These were definitely typical of the roads of the Vintage era. Great for Vintage motoring. We turned right onto the Twin Bole & Kauri Forest Road & wow!! what a road. Very "Vintage" indeed. Such beautiful scenery & surroundings as we travelled on very Narrow, sometimes "one way" roads, with the appearance of going through tunnels of bush, it was so close. I would love to have stopped to take some photos of our car surrounded by the bush, but Vince said no, it was too dangerous with other cars coming!! The roads were metal but in very good condition and we were so glad for the sunny weather to enjoy such beauty. We turned left onto sealed roads & then back onto more metal roads later. It certainly made us appreciate the sealed roads. We headed to Kaimarama Bay for a re-gathering of the troops, passing many beautiful views of bays & small communities. What a wonderful country NZ is with such beauty & the freedom to enjoy it all. A few locals came to view the beautiful Vintage cars as we parked & waited for the rest of the Members to arrive, then get our next instructions. A few of our members stopped here at Kaimarama Bay for a picnic, while the rest of us headed off to our Lunch stop at Paroa Bay Winery, which overlooked a beautiful bay. A lovely spot indeed. We went into the "Sage Restaurant" for our lunch. This was certainly different to what we were used to. There were 30 folk for lunch. Dave & Dorothy awarded the "Dunny" seat/ "Hot seat" Trophy to Winston Matthews & Glenys Muir. A big congratulations to them. Next year though- 2021- will be organised by the Northland Branch as we now do rotation of the organising. A VERY BIG THANK YOU to Dave & Dorothy for all the hard work. You have put a lot of time, thought, motoring & effort into organizing a very successful event. Your effort is very much appreciated. After our lunch we headed to the car ferry & headed home, after enjoying a wonderful day. THANK YOU. Results for the 21st Dunny Run: 1st Winston Matthews & Glenys Muir 2nd Lyn & Brian Wrack (Northland Branch) 3rd Robyn & Warren Mackay 4th Gloria & Murray Cormack 5th Graham/ Edwards crew 6th Lovatt /Currell crew (Northland Branch) 7th Mary & Ian McGregor Phyllis Crisp: Her car of the day choice= Ron Anderson- Daimler (Northland Branch) Regards Naomi Mason Thanks for photos Dave.
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WHEELS OF MAYHEM- 14th November
This Christmas story was written by Susan, who had just turned 7, at Taipa School a few years ago. The spelling is hers– editing would ruin it!
Once a long long tome agow ther was a lady called Mery and a man called Josith. One day Mery and Josith were in the gardien and a girl with wings flew down it was a ferey she softly landed in the gardien and said Mery will have a baby mery was fritind she had never had a baby before mery ran in side and told Josith all abote it Josith was sprisd. So much pride and passion– who knows what lurks under those bonnets
They nowe (knew) that they wodint have annath (enough) mony to feed and thack cker (take care) of the baby so they left they ride on a docke it was a long way they pland on going to a plase called Bethleyham it was 10 awers later they were there and they saw a bar they went in and aksed if there was eney more rooms they said no but a lady batidin (butted) in and said you can stay were the anaml’s sleep. So mery and Jothis went in were the anaml’s were. 2 awers later it was night time everyone was asleep exspd mery. 1 awer later it was morning. But very eley in the morning Jothis was waocin be (woken by) a fant criy wot was that said Jothis he ran to mery.
John Rademaker hitchhiking home that day Thanks for photos Rosco.
Mery, mery. Wot said mery Suddinly Jothis stop shoting. Wot is it said mery. the Baby Oh said mery I named him .Jesas
If these spin your wheels, and if you’re not already way ahead of me, check out the Scrapyard Rat on the Stefan Kotze website.
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