Oh glorious springtime Saturday in October, the air around Mount Tarrengower filled with the sound of bees and pobblebonks and roaring, revving engines. It was the Historic Hill Climb on Saturday 19 October, so motor-heads from miles around converged at Butts Reserve to admire each other’s chassis and race up and down the hill, as has been the tradition since 1928.
Dennis Dawson, Number 25 in his home-built Clubman, was ticking the classic Hill Climb events off his bucket list and had travelled from Hamilton to compete. “People think it’s bogans doing burnouts but 99 percent of people here are beaut,” he told the TT. Glenn Shepherd from Colac was driving a Jaguar Mark VII Special in the event, his fourth at Mount Tarrengower, while his father had competed eight times in the past. “There’s no practice run, the run is the practice,” he said, perhaps explaining why he keeps coming back.
Representing the local CFA were volunteers Julien Harrison and James Webb Sr, chilling on stand-by in case of any grass fire breakouts. They said there had only been two or three minor incidents needing their attention in the past few years and they enjoyed ‘the smiley, happy people’ who attended.
Amongst the various display vehicles were Brendan, Alastair and Percy with their very cute Citroën that they call Red Rocket. They explained that they don’t attend many car club events but the hill climb in Maldon attracted them because it is family friendly. “The appeal of this one is that there’s all sorts of different cars,” Brendan said. “And it’s a really nice spot here!”
With a lovely bush environment and friendly attendees, it was a buzzing day up on the hill and there was no risk of being bothered by the sound of flies or crickets.
This article appeared in the Tarrangower Times, 25 October 2024.
