Celebrating the MX-5 25th Anniversary
28 August 2014 / Words: Bryan Shedden, Photos: Peter Hilkmann, Video: Adam Walker
Our Club's celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the Mazda MX-5 was an elaborate affair focussed in the Hunter Valley, with a wide variety of options to get involved one way or another.
The events commenced on Saturday 17 August with Paul & Margaret making the long trip from Canberra to Pie in the Sky at Cowan. This was the meeting point for another seven MX-5s from the Illawarra Chapter, two from RPM Chapter and nine from Sydney Chapter. We were met there by another six MX-5s from Hunter Chapter who would be our run leaders for the drive north to Newcastle.
After downing a gourmet pie for lunch and delaying our start for a few latecomers (an overturned concrete truck on Ryde Bridge caused havoc), we hit the road in several groups and twisted our way along the Old Pacific Highway with tops down all the way. Due to the late start, an impromptu decision was made to skip the planned loop west to Kulnura. Instead we jumped onto the M1 freeway and zipped up to the Pacific Highway past Lake Munmorah and Lake Macquarie for a regrouping stop at Belmont. We counted 19 MX-5s in the carpark and realised that a small contingent had taken the trip to Kulnura after all. Not a worry as it gave us time for a good chat while we waited for the stragglers to catch up.
Back on the road, we climbed the hills of Charlestown, and descended to the spectacular coastal views of Merewether and Bar Beach. Mark then led us on a scenic tour of Newcastle via the Hunter River and Nobby's Beach before looping around Flagstaff Hill to our destination at King Edward Park. Peter & Maureen snapped wonderful photos of each of the 31 MX-5s overlooking Shortland Park and the Ocean Baths (a few more Hunter cars had joined us by now). Then it was afternoon tea in the park with cakes, slices, biscuits, dips, fruit kebabs (!) and hot tea, generously supplied and served by various members of the Hunter Chapter from the back of a camper van supplied by Ian Nunn & Carmen Morgan. By now it had started drizzling, but it didn't dampen our enthusiasm.
Our final trip for the day was a short run through town to our overnight digs at Adamstown. This included a walking pace cruise down the Hunter Street Mall, which attracted plenty of attention from shoppers. Finally we arrived at our very comfortable and roomy accommodation at Adamstown Motor Inn, which is managed by new club members Joan & Terry. Now it was time for the traditional pre-dinner cheese and dips, washed down with a glass or two of aged red or crisp white. No worries about drinking & driving because it was only a five minute stroll to dinner at The Nags Head Hotel. All 50 or so club members crowded in and enjoyed delicious pub meals with plenty of fun & frivolity. An excellent night! And it didn't end there. After returning to the motel, several partied on late enough for the arrival of Stephen from Tamworth, and then Dave & Amy ... in a Volvo! At least they had company, as Fiona & Alex also made the trip in our Volvo.
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Sunday morning, with the rain bucketing down, we filed out of the motel and convoyed our way to Beresfield to meet up with a huge contingent of Hunter Chapter members. The carpark was chock full of MX-5s. Morning coffee was a very rowdy affair in the servo cafe. A scenic drive through the Hunter Valley had been carefully planned, but due to the dreary wet weather, Mark settled for a quick run up the Hunter Expressway to our Lovedale brunch venue at Tatler Wines. As we pulled into the winery, the clouds parted and the sun shone on the growing collection of MX-5s lining the front entrance. The pair of Volvos were banished to their own car park.
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Brunch was a plentiful buffet of your typical hot breakfast variety, served in the winery's cafe. There was even time to sample Tatler's viniferous offerings and stow a case or two in the boot. Outside, the morning travellers from the Sydney Chapter, RPM Chapter and BreakFast Club arrived and completed the team. They had taken early morning wet drives up either the Putty Road or M1 freeway. By now there were an impressive 70 MX-5s and 120 people on site. Amazing! Peter snapped away to get the official event photos, and Reggie's drone hummed overhead like an angry mosquito, capturing the amazing GoPro footage (see top of page).
Once everyone had filled their bellies with brunch and gathered around to take in the spectacle, Michael extracted charity donations from everyone with an impromptu round of "heads & tails". A total donation of over $800 was raised for the Rural Fire Service at Salt Ash / Medowie. Prizes were handed out, (short) speeches made, and I presented Mark with the NatMeet shield so that the Hunter Chapter can appreciate it for a while. Complimentary "25th Anniversary" stickers were left on the seat of each MX-5 - thanks Reggie!
With the festivities over, many stayed on for the afternoon while I led a small group of nine MX-5s on a "return run" out to Broke and then along the Putty Road. Always a great drive despite catching a couple of slow cars in the "good bits", and it was tops down all the way. We stopped at Windsor for a late lunch / afternoon tea, before filing down the Northern Road and home to the Illawarra. Later in the day, Lesa & Greg led another group of eight people / four MX-5s for a clear run down the Putty Road to the Blue Mountains.
What a fabulous weekend! Thanks to Michael for coordinating things, and especially to Mark and the entire Hunter Chapter for hosting us all. The organisation was top notch. Team Hunter really knows how to put on a good show!
Click here for Peter's complete photo album
