I WOULD like to congratulate the Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight, Duncan Gay, for getting NSW’s Historic Vehicle Logbook scheme up and running. It is to be a two year trial, but so far the new rules are working well.
The “Classic Vehicles Registration Scheme” supplements the current system of ‘registration’ for unmodifed historic vehicles that are more than thirty years old, the “H” plate scheme. The old rules restricted where the historic vehicle’s family could go, because drivers were regimented into touring only within their club’s “calendar of events”.
Under the new log book trial, owners of original unmodified vehicles must still belong to a RMS-recognised club, but will be allowed an additional sixty days of ‘personal use’.
Many owners will now bring their old cars to events of their own choosing. There are 300,000 members of clubs that will now be able to stay longer, and travel further. It is country venues like Wagga that will benefit from these new regulations.
This type of historic vehicle scheme made South Australia the premier historic vehicle tourist venue in Australia, with huge annual events like The Bay to Birdwood. Northern Territory introduced similar rules, then Victoria, and NSW is now sensibly following suit.
I am a member of the Classic Motoring Club Wagga Wagga which has been campaigning for this change for many, many years. I might add that Daryl Maguire has been very much a part of the success of this campaign.
As always, with any political matter, it’s numbers that matter. When the existing country umbrella body for historic car clubs resisted change, an enthusiast from the Milton-Ulladulla club, Philip Mudie, formed the Southern Motoring Association, and within 12 months 107 paid-up member-clubs have joined.
The work is far from finished. Duncan Gay is well aware that there are very many enthusiasts whose thirty years or older car is ‘Modified’ in the sense that it will pass ‘pink slip’ regulations, but is not eligible for “H” plates under the tight ‘original condition’ rules. New ‘Modified’ rules for these cars are anticipated in February.
Truck clubs, machinery clubs, and so on, are growing fast. Most of the members of these clubs are country people. Duncan Gay comes from Crookwell, so understands our needs. He deserves congratulations for setting this ball rolling.
In Wagga, historic vehicles are a major money spinner through painting and panel beating, engine reconditioning, upholstering, general repairs, spare parts, servicing, and perhaps most importantly through the dollars that historic vehicle owners bring into Wagga through the regular club events that are held here. Individual historic vehicle tourists will now add their dollars, too.
While saying a few kind words about Duncan Gay, I’d like to congratulate him for his work in reforming the Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA) into the Roads and Maritime Services (RMS). Getting dead wood out of the RTA must have been quite a task.
Establishing the Service NSW centres like Wagga’s one-stop shop at the former Motor Registry in Fox Street has been another success. Going into the old RTA office was guaranteed to be an unpleasant experience. Now, the staff can’t do enough for the customer, and in quick time with a smile. They handled implementation of the log book scheme smoothly.
Go to classicmotoringclubwaggawagga.com/news/ for further information.
