For every organisation there must be a starting point. The Warrnambool and District Historical Vehicle Club was founded in a kitchen at Allansford in late October 1972.
At that particular gathering, instigated by Ray Farley, a small group of locals interested in the vintage & veteran vehicle movement were invited to Ray and Joan Farley’s for the purpose of deciding whether or not a local Club could be formed. Those present were Ray Farley, Noel Holbrook, Leo & Ann Cannon, Ken Sharpe, Jim Hyland, Roy Begelhole, Colin Drake, Graham Hall, and Des Cooper.
At the inaugural meeting, held on Tuesday March 6th, 1973 at 8pm in the Warrnambool CWA Hall, Kepler Street, the chairman was Jamie Tait. The proposal was for the formation of the “Warrnambool & South-Western District Historical Automobile and Engine Club”. The nature of the club was to cover “cars, trucks, bikes, traction engines, farm machinery, buggies and engines. Membership was to be personal owners, prospective owners, watchers or anybody who cared, plus their wives and families”.
Finance would be from small subscriptions and a newsletter was to be printed to provide regular contact.
The first committee meeting was held on March 13th, 1973 and the suggested title for the club was either “Warrnambool Historical Vehicle Club” or “ Hampden Historical Vehicle Club”. Finance was to be raised by $2 paid by each steering committee member as a joining or nomination fee to meet initial expenses, such as advertisements and the hire of hall for meetings. A membership fee of $5 annually was set, plus a $2 nomination fee. On the 27th March, 1973 the first general meeting was held, also in the CWA Hall, a total of 41 people attended. It was then that the Club’s title officially became “Warrnambool & District Historical Vehicle Club”.
The first official club run was to the Port Fairy Gardens Reserve on April 8th, 1973.
The first newsletter, “THE HOT PRESS” was printed in March 1973, but by July the title of our Club publication had altered to “NEWSLETTER”.
In 1981 fees were increased to $20 to help pay for the clubrooms and escalating newsletter costs.