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- Created on Sunday, 24 September 2006 15:47
Australian MG Magnette Weekend Away
MG Magnettes, those elegant saloon cars from the 1950s, are coming into their own. Perhaps it's because more people are recognising what fine cars they are, still eminently suitable as every day commuting or driving cars.
Or perhaps as age creeps up on the MG fraternity, the comfort and general ease of getting in and out, and driving, these beautifully-crafted sports saloons is growing in appeal. Or maybe it's as the MG Car Company intended originally - Magnettes provide four doors and four seats for the discerning family keen to continue to travel in Safety Fast! Which ever way, more and more Magnettes are emerging from long hibernations down the back of the garage, or from lengthy restoration endeavours, and finding their way back onto the road.
As a result, a network of Magnette owners is beginning to form across Australia, enhanced by a number of web-based bulletin boards where tricky questions always get a useful answer. This network of Australian Magnetteers held its first social event in early September when Magnettes from five clubs north and south of the Murray River converged on Corowa, the birthplace of Australian Federation, for a relaxing weekend. The Magnettes came from as far afield as Gloucester, Cowra and Sydney in NSW, from Canberra in the ACT, and from Melbourne and Geelong in Victoria. There were nine cars, comprised of four ZBs, three ZAs and two Varitones, crewed by some 25 participants in all.
Peter Baldry, Peter Paske, Brian and Julia Woolmer and Matt Sainsbury made the trip from Sydney, meeting up with Malcolm Robertson, his partner Gaye and their daughter Leah at Yass and then with Graham Hamilton from Cowra at Culcairn. A late withdrawal was Barbara and David Overington from Wollongong whose locking petrol cap on their ZB became permanently locked just before they were scheduled to leave. As far as we know, it is still locked! And Tony Oliver completed the NSW participants by making the long trip down from Gloucester in his recently restored ZA.
At about the same time, four Magnettes were journeying north from Melbourne. Paul and Sue Vermont in their ZB, Loz Scott and Len Dawson in Loz's Varitone, Jo and Derek Reed with Jo's friend Heather along for the ride in Jo's ZB, and John Russell in his ZA. Rhys and Melinda Timms with their three children on board, travelled separately in their ZB to join the main group for lunch after staying overnight with family at nearby Yarrawonga. Don't you just love the names of these Australian country towns?
The cars and their crews spent part of the weekend touring wineries and junk shops in the Corowa-Rutherglen region in search perhaps for a perfect red wine, an antique jelly mould or that missing old English spanner from their tool kits. But most of the time they spent in traditional manner talking about their favourite subject - old English motor cars. And the weekend was organised to maximise the time for doing this, with two dinners, one lunch and a barbecue breakfast providing the ideal opportunities.
Organiser of the weekend and Captain of Y and Magnettes for the MG Car Club of Victoria, Paul Vermont, said that while the Victorian Magnettes have held several weekends away in the past, this is the first time Magnettes from other States have joined in.
"It has been a fantastic shot-in-the arm for Magnettes," said Paul. "There are so few of these classic British sports saloons on the road around Australia, so we were really pleased to have nine cars at Corowa, plus quite a few other Magnette owners whose cars are still under restoration."
In the light of the new friendships made and the war stories exchanged over the weekend, the Magnette owners have agreed to hold a similar event again next year in conjunction with the Wagga Wagga Gathering of the Faithful meeting. They are already looking forward to it and are actively rounding up more participants.
Malcolm Robertson
