Central Coast: Is It Time to Start a Chapter?
30 August 2026 / Story by Bryan Shedden
“Why doesn’t the Club have a Central Coast Chapter?”
It was a simple question from a new Central Coast member at a recent Breakfast Club run. But it’s a question that has been around for more than a decade.
Back in 2013, when the Club had 32 members around Gosford and Wyong, I raised the idea of local social events. In 2019, with 36 members on the Central Coast, I again explored whether a Chapter might be viable.
Fast-forward to 2026 and the Club has grown to 1,200 members, still with similar numbers on the Central Coast. But 18 of the 30 Central Coast members have joined since I last tested the waters.
That sustained level of membership is interesting for another reason: many of the newer members have joined primarily for motorsport. That's great, but are we missing an opportunity to attract and retain Central Coast members who simply want to enjoy their MX-5 socially?
The problem is geography
For Central Coast members, a typical Hunter event can mean well over an hour's travel to get to the meeting point. Heading south to Sydney isn't much better. Some members are happy to make the trip, and that's fantastic. But experience across the Club shows that regular participation drops sharply when people have to travel an hour or more just to get to the start of a run.
The Central Coast has plenty of brilliant MX-5 roads, terrific cafés and, importantly, a pool of members. The ingredients are already there. A local Chapter doesn't mean leaving what you're already doing. Members could continue enjoying Hunter, Sydney or any other Chapter's events. It simply adds another option — local runs, coffee gatherings, dinners and social events that are easy to get to.
The Central Coast has its own identity
There’s another reason to think locally: the Central Coast has its own character, demographic and style. Just look at the A-League. The Central Coast Mariners aren’t simply an extension of Sydney or Newcastle. They represent the Coast, and have built a fiercely loyal following of their own, winning three A-League Championships.
Why should the MX-5 Club be any different? Perhaps it’s time to give the Central Coast the chance to build something of its own.
So what's stopping us?
Volunteers.
We don't need someone to organise events every weekend. A Convenor supported by a small Run Committee could share the load. Start small. See what works. Build from there. That's exactly how every other Chapter started.
Central Coast members — what do you reckon?
Would you join a local social run? Help organise an event? Be part of getting a new Chapter off the ground? If you're interested, speak up. The MX-5s are here. The roads are ready. Who's up for starting something?
