The Vintage Sports Car Club of Australia

Jazz On The Hawkesbury, North Sackville, 21st April 2013

 Article by David Stuart, photos by John Grant& John Hurst

Someone was obviously looking after us with the weather on Sunday as the days leading up to it were so predictably lousy with  rain and  an unseasonable cold snap. However the Sunday turned out perfect, blue sky, sunny, quiet warm and best of all, no rain.

Most of us gathered at the Cumberland State Forest prior to embarking on an hour and half drive to the Lamrock’s property “Wingate” on the side of the Hawkesbury River at North Sackville. The route out to their property took the members through Kenthurst, Pitt Town with a drive along “The Bottoms” prior to crossing the Hawkesbury at Windsor. From here we traveled along the Putty Road through Wilberforce and then to Sackville to again cross the Hawkesbury by ferry. Entry to the property was via Chapel Hill Road, quite steep and scenic.

The Lamrock boys, Richard, Tim, Chris and Phil had obviously been beavering away for days preparing an area beside the river where we could park the cars. They had set up a marquee, coffee, cake and a row of vintage mowers were on display. The scene was set – it was going to be a good one.

 We had all arrived by 12.30pm & by then the Pure Nostalgia jazz band cranked up & entertained us for the rest of the afternoon. Everyone had set themselves up beneath the huge shade trees on the bank of the river – there we lots of happy faces all afternoon and the atmosphere and camaraderie is what our members enjoy most about this Club. We also had some members of the Alvis Club with us though I think they are multi Club members. Wendy and Brett Blackmore from Gunnedah also joined us in their 3 litre Bentley. They had stored it near Sydney on their return from the Bentley Rally in NZ knowing this day was on and did not want to miss out.

Tim Lamrock gave us a pottered history of the property and the surrounding area which is steeped in mysterious tales with not only produce in the 1800’s but there are also well documented records relating to murders & bad doings & the like – it was called the good old days.

By 3.30pm everyone began packing up and leaving by various routes home. I think that everyone who attended the event would like to thank the Lamrock boys for their wonderful hospitality as well as their entertaining vocal accompaniment as “Pure Nostalgia” were playing behind the row of cars. I am sure that if we were invited again to their property the day would see an even bigger and better turn out of Club members: we’ll keep you posted.