Vintage car enthusiasts flock to Albany for Ford Model A rally
Hundreds of car enthusiasts have gathered in Albany, Western Australia, for the country's biggest Ford Model A vintage rally. Drivers travelled from Slovenia, England and New Zealand to celebrate vintage cars.
Hundreds of car enthusiasts have gathered on Western Australia's far south coast for what organisers say is the country's biggest gathering of Ford Model As.
Drivers travelled from Slovenia, England and New Zealand to celebrate vintage cars, with some restored cars coming from nearly every state in the country.
A rare glimpse into the past
The early colonial town of Albany, 400 kilometres south of Perth, was treated to a rare glimpse into the past on Friday, with the sounds of vintage car horns flooding its historic precinct.
Rally director Andrae Moore said the event had attracted participants from far and wide. "Then we've had participants actually join us without their cars from New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Slovenia," she said.
Century of preservation
Produced in the early 1900s, the Model A was one of the most well-known and top-selling cars in America.
"All the [second] Model As are from 1928 through to 1931 and came after the infamous Model T," Ms Moore said.
"These cars were special because they were the everyman's car, and they were allowed to be in any colour — they didn't have to be black like the Model T."
A long journey for some
Eighty-two-year-old Ben Munneke estimated he drove his Model A 5,000 kilometres from Maleny in Queensland to Albany for the rally.
"It was good fun driving, a lot of stops along the Nullarbor; there's not a lot of comfortable places to stay, but we made it, and we enjoyed doing it," he said.
For Steve Watson and his friends, the travel was much further as they flew from Yorkshire in England and borrowed a car so they could take part in the event.
"We have borrowed a car, and we've adorned it with suitable patriotic flags so everybody knows where we've come from," he said.
Mr Watson said there were similar clubs in the UK but not at the same level as the Australian meeting.
"There is a Model A club in England, and we have about 300 members, but the participation in an event like this is not as good," he said.