Sun ‘shines’ for car show

By Rohan Aldous

Oct 24, 2021

Hot wheels: Rochester three-year-old Chase Cunnington inspects this hot rod, which was one of the may fantastic cars on display at Sunday’s show ‘n’ shine.

Cars and motorbikes spilled onto the streets of Rochester for the weekend’s Motor and Music Fest as community events made a triumphant return to the Campaspe landscape.

King of collecting: Neville Freeman (right) discusses two bikes from his collection of 25 historic two wheelers with Dave and Greg Exon. He brought along a 1942 Harley Davidson “Army Girl’’ and his 1916 Indian, which was the year of his father’s birth - a former Light Horseman.

Need for speed: Echuca’s Lily Martin with a 1958 Porsche.

Rolling the dice: Wendy Share and Kerrie Wynd, from Echuca, inspect this restored entry, among hundreds of vehicles on show during Sunday’s event.

Car web: Bendigo brothers Ryder and Kruz Parsons inspect this open top entry into Sunday’s show ‘n’ shine competiton at the strongly patronised Rochester Music and Motors Fest.

Police presence: Shepparton’s John Casey with his 1991 VN Commodore South Australian police car, which he bought for $1000 and fully restored. He had two police vehicles on show, from his collective of 10 vehicles.

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Motorised means of transportation arrived at the Rochester Hotel co-ordinated event in all shapes and sizes for Sunday’s street parade and show ‘n’ shine component of the celebration — preceded by a swap meet on Saturday.

Shepparton’s John Casey attracted plenty of attention with two of his restored South Australian police vehicles.

The ex-police cars were a 1991 VN Commodore, which we purchased for $1000 a year ago.

Alongside it was a 1979 HZ Kingswood highway patrol car, complete with fluorescent stripes and fully restored to its former glory.

Mr Casey has 10 vehicles, including another three historic vehicles from the Victorian police fleet.

He had professional support from his panel beating brother to return the vehicles to their authentic condition.

Neville Freeman has 25 vintage and veteran motorbikes in his workshop, two of those were on display at Sunday’s show ‘n’ shine event in the car park of the Rochester Hotel.

“My father was born in 1916, so the Indian (motorcycle) is close to my heart. He served with the Light Horse,” Mr Freeman said.

By Rohan Aldous

Kyabram Free Press and Campaspe Valley News editor