Riverland Field Days 13-14/9/2024

Following an email that the Auto Collectors Club of Murray Bridge (ACCMB) received some months ago from the Administration Department of the Field Days through Vice President Claude Minge, inviting ACCMB members and their classic cars to attend and display the club and its vehicles, 7 ACCMB vehicles and 13 members attended the event.

The following report for the Friday is written by Yvonne Mach.

With the decision made many weeks ago, to participate in the Club static display at the Riverland Field Days, the Volkswagen still not running and the departure time fast approaching, it was time to formulate a plan B. A change in direction was made, preparations put in place and packing carried out. Now it is time to leave, and nowhere could the tow hitch be located, delaying our exit for a while, but eventually everything was set and out the gate we departed.

We agreed to travel to Barmera via Karoonda and Loxton. It was a picturesque drive in sunny weather, the natives in bloom gently waving to us, with the gentle breeze of course, and wattles in full flower giving plenty of colour along the roadside. Some land has been cropped but most were in poor condition, others distinctly struggling from the very dry season being experienced. For a large percentage of the drive, the power lines traversed alongside the road, and the native vegetation underneath appeared to have been recently trimmed ready for the summer season. Finally, the destination was achieved and we settled in for the night, making ready for an early start in the morning.

Unfortunately, the night was reasonably cold, and dew had settled onto our vintage vehicle by the morning, (our beloved Packard out in the weather!!), so this had to be attended to prior to departure to the Field Day site. Upon arrival we were directed to the club display area and joined up with our other three vehicles. All participants from our club, 7 of us in total in four vehicles had travelled and arrived separately and would depart at the end of the day in the same manner.

Now, I have not previously been familiar with the Riverland Field Days but discovered that this was their 65^th year. They have a purposely built site covering a huge area, attracting over 15000 people over the two-day annual event, with a display of over 350 exhibitors showcasing their agricultural products and services, cars, caravans, tools, clothing, demonstrations, abundance of the region’s food and beverages available for enjoyment, and the talented students and musicians performing. Of course, there were volunteers aplenty assisting to stage the event and keep things running smoothly throughout its duration.

So, with our cars parked on display, greetings and conversations carried out, it was time to launch out on foot and start to discover just what was going on around us.  I had been concerned about p.m. I need not have worried. There was so much to see and do, many thousands of steps counted on the step counter, yet plenty of resting back with our group, chatting and eating delicious food before we all relaunched on another journey of discovery. For lunch, to team up with our purchases of foods and snacks throughout the day, I had taken a tin of fish but neglected to pack the cutlery. What fun, because this bought a whole new meaning to the terms “Fish Fingers” and “Finger looking good.”

We enjoyed watching the demonstrations throughout the day in glorious spring weather, heard the helicopter overhead, as it constantly took spectators on joy flights around the perimeter, and quietly basked in the ambiance and fun of the event. Our vehicles were visited and admired by many, young and old and all those ages in between. I consider it was a privilege to participate in the event and it was great to be appreciated. Well worth the journey. Thank you to Han Robat, Grahame & Dianne Harris, Bruce & Marcia Eldridge for joining Peter and myself on the Friday.

Peter & I continued to stay in the Riverland after the event, albeit too briefly, enjoying their hospitality and beautiful scenery, before returning home on a very cold and blustery day.

Thank you for the following Saturday report written by Graham Edwards.

On Saturday, 3 vehicles and 6 members and one guest, with those being, Noel, Julie & son Jeremy Jackson, in their 1988 VH Commodore Sedan. Ian & Lyn Buchanan with their family dog in their 1967 Chevy Camaro. Graham & Maureen Edwards in their 1961 MK 2 Ford Zephyr Sedan.

Graham, Maureen, Ian & Lyn made their way to the Riverland on Friday, to make life a little easier to be present and all set up by 9am at the field day site, while Noel, Julie and son Jeremy made their way up and back on Saturday. Unfortunately, Tony & Kirsty Pfeiffer were unable to join the group due to a last-minute medical appointment.

With sites 121 – 129, ACCMB members were all set up by 9am, and ready to go and do whatever “Floated their Boat”. Because of the size and area of the Field Day, members wandered off in all directions on and off during the day from 9am – 5pm.

Fortunately, there were hundreds of exhibits to see, ranging from farm animals for children and some adults who shall remain nameless, who were seen patting and getting up close and personal with a Polar and Grizzly Bear at Jamie & Kim’s Mobile Zoo.

For the adventurous, you could for $50, take a helicopter flight and do a couple of laps around the perimeter of the Field Day site at about 250 feet, getting a bird’s eye view of the action down below.

If you were looking for a new caravan, boat, car, truck, Ute, 4×4, trailer, dirt & quad bikes, and the tools and accessories to tackle repairs, it was all on display and for purchase. Even a monster drone to use for spraying your crops.

The Pavilions were packed with people trying out new beds, having massages for their arthritis aches and pains, alternative power supply salesmen, pest control, new schools for students, government departments, i.e. fisheries, land management – “it was all in your face” providing you had a pocket full of money.

It had to be the greatest place to find a new pair of woollen socks we’ve ever seen, 1,000’s of pairs of all shapes, colours and sizes, along with hats and belts galore.

If you were in the market for machinery, which included farm, orchards, vineyards, almonds, and in fact almost any form of machinery you could possibly want – this Riverland Field day had it all, impressive, millions of dollars’ worth of machinery etc, which makes one wonder, with the lack of rain and with very few crops more than a couple of inches high between Murray Bridge and Barmera, along with the downturn of Wine sales etc, just how many of these machines will be left unsold and how many dealers will be in financial trouble. One dealer even had a “Hair Drier” accessory attached to his machine as standard equipment to try and attract the lady buyer.

As the day progressed, many trips to the few food vans took place, and even having to wait almost an hour, for two cups of coffee, when advised that the wait time would be 20 minutes. “How we would like to buy some time from that stall holder”.

Other car clubs in the Riverland had their respective vehicle displays, with many Riverland Vintage & Classic Car Club members asking, “What date is the next Biennial ACCMB Twin Bridges Rally” being held in 2025”??

It was a very awkward question for us to answer but, we said if someone steps up to organize the event, it may go ahead.

Hopefully some of the ACCMB younger members will step up to the challenge of staging this “Well proven event” – form a committee and keep this GREAT event alive. The Riverland Car Club have patronized this event almost from its early days.

With Saturday starting to draw to a close, one of the last static displays took place at 4pm, with the Airtime Freestyle Motorcross team of motor cyclist pushing the limits in an action-packed display.

These riders have more “guts than I’ve ever had”. Well done.

One of our last walks took Maureen and Graham up past the “Blacksmith artists”, consisting of a working Blacksmith, manufacturing all things metal stand, which went back to the olden day craft of

Making stuff, past the Riverland Vintage Tractors and Machinery stand displaying old engines, along with a Replica Quadricycle built by Henry Ford in 1896. (this replica was built by John Morrison of Henley Beach).

Now nearing 5pm, it was time to pack up club flags etc. With our group saying their goodbyes and thanks to each other for a great day out, wishing each other a safe return home on Sunday (except for the Jackson’s who went home Saturday night).

A great 2 days was had by all the ACCMB members attending. Maybe, if the ACCMB are invited again to attend in 2025, more members will think ahead and make the effort to attend this tried and proven event, which has been running from 1958 – 2024, making it 65 years old.