Vintage Brakes & Grease Guns

Thursday 20th January - 2022

Question: Who was the first Car Company to install Hydraulic brakes to their vehicles?

Being the Model A Ford 'tragic' that I am & for all of you vintage car enthusiasts that have had the pleasure or displeasure to drive a vintage car with mechanical brakes - you will completely understand where I am coming from.

The 4-wheel braking system using Hydraulics was first introduced in 1918 by Malcolm Lounghead, this specific braking system was adopted in nearly every vehicle by the late 1920s, except by Henry Ford.

When I recently spotted this photo the very 

sentiment of it tickled me pink

In 1924 Chrysler introduced Hydraulic Brakes to their vehicles, it was not until a staggering 15-years later until Henry Ford introduced Hydraulic Brakes to his world famous Fords in 1939. I find that statistic unbelievable, however it is the truth.

Elsewhere, I received an email from a friend of mine a couple of days ago, he is an old ex-Qantas work college of mine from the days when we were fortunate enough to be 'Trolly-Dollys' flying around the world with champagne tastes on a beer income for Qantas Airways.

Recently he had received a gift from his next door neighbor who was 93-years of age (who has since passed) twelve Vintage Grease guns (photo below), he is aware of our Sylvanvale Pre-WWll Vintage Car show coming up on the 20th March, 2022 & has decided to donate these vintage relics & highly sort after pieces of the automotive history to our cause to raise money for Sylvanvale.

These twelve vintage era Grease Guns could easily be yours,

they're available to the highest bidder out there

Surely there is a keen collector out there in Cyberspace that would love to own these automotive treasures, so what I suggested to him was that I would include a photograph of these vintage grease guns in one of my newsletters. 

To raise funds for Sylvanvale, we are going to conduct a blind auction. If there is anybody out there that would be interested in purchasing these items to get in touch with me via my e-mail address:

warbo47@gmail.com or you can call me directly on 0438 692 737.

I'm sure that there is somebody out there that would really appreciate owning these twelve pieces of automotive history and would like to add them to their nostalgia collections and your money is going to a brilliant cause.

Thanks as always for your continued support, 

Ken Warburton

Oh, and the answer to the brake question: None other than Fred Duesenberg to his Duesenberg Model A in 1921.

Tracking down the '30's era Survivors

Wednesday 5th January - 2022

I am very pleased to advise everyone that the initial response for car entries I have received so far for our Sylvanvale Pre-WWII Vintage Car Show in March 2022 has been way beyond my expectations.

Many of our previous entrants are only too happy to support us once again, however, what has surprised me the most is the response that I have received from first time vintage vehicle owners that want to exhibit their "Pride & Joy" in our very exclusive & unique exhibition in the Shire come March.

The three themed 'Survivor' Model A Fords that will be coming to
our Show in March 2022. Left: '28 'Depression Car' ex-tourer.
Middle:'28 Tourer 'Shitty Chitty'. Right: '31 'Handyman Hauler'.

Where else in Sydney can you go & see a Pre-WWII Vintage Car Show with all the vehicles on display that were manufactured before 1939, with many of these cars in their original condition. This is the reason why our Car Show has proven over the years to be so popular with men, women & children.

We're all here now in the 21st century. It seems that everyone these days wants to be retro or part of this bygone era. How good is it to step back in time to witness vehicles built in the very early 1900s with the most recent built in 1939. If my math is correct, that makes the "baby" car of our show a spritely 83-years young.

The sprawling front lawn of the property we visited

with the three Model A Ford survivors on show.

Why is this so? Our lives these days are so fast & complicated we hardly have time to scratch ourselves.

When we can have the opportunity to walk around at our own leisure inspecting these glamour's & chatting to the friendly vehicle owners it is a treat to behold.

This era of the motor vehicle industry from the early 1900s until the beginning of World War II that started on the 1st September 1939 must have been an absolute hoot, when life was so much more simple, I think this is why our followers & owners of the Vintage car era are so passionate about their hobby & love the opportunity to keep this special moment in time alive & well.

Inside the real man's Shed which can house

up to ten working projects at a time

Long before dashcams, mobile phones, air bags, electronic lane sensors, reversing cameras... the list goes on & on.

Yesterday, Steve Core & myself, (Steve helps me out running the social media side of our event because I really am a computer illiterate), we were invited to a friend of mine's rural property on the western outskirts of Sydney with the intention of inviting he & his wife plus some of his Vintage vehicles to support our show in March. 

Some of the tongue-in-cheek additions to these '30's era vehicles
include an original, low-tech, '30's Kodak Box Brownie 'Dashcam'

We arrived at his magnificent property at 9.30am, as we drove into the driveway of his semi rural property we were greeted by a troop of real live Kangaroos, there were probably twenty or more of them scrounging around in his front paddock, 

Wow! I thought to myself what a pleasant surprise, I have never been welcomed by a herd of Australian native animals before. This only happens in the movies.

Above: The '31 'Handyman Hauler' - featuring an 
original 'Australia Post' pushbike mounted on the side.

Upon arrival we were invited into his Man Shed, (let me tell you it is some Man Shed) and three cups of Bushell's tea later, the three of us old farts had fixed all the troubles of the world & then we decided to get down to business to discuss our upcoming Vintage car show.

Before us, we had nine Vintage Classics vehicles to choose from, I was thinking to myself this is definitely Model A Ford heaven, & here I am standing at the Pearly Gates.

On our arrival, we were greeted by wild Kangaroos peacefully

grazing on the property's front lawns

I chose three of his Model A Ford survivors, because I have a very soft spot for Classic old cars that have not been tampered with & they would fit in perfectly at our upcoming Car show.

We then parked the Vintage Classic vehicles onto his manicured lawns & Steve went to work photographing them in all their glory so that we can use the photographs of them for promotional purposes for the show.

Ready for any job... the '31 'Handyman Hauler'

By now it was around 2:00pm & we were all famished, we decided that it was time for a counter lunch at a nearby hotel washed down with a few cool beers, so off we went to the local Pub in my 1931 Model A Ford, 4-Door (all metal) Town Sedan.

During the afternoon my mate did a call around on his Al Capone to some of his mates that own vintage cars, he received commitments from six of his friends that put their hands up to support us & our Charity, Sylvanvale, on the 20th March, 2020. 

This collection of unique 'Survivor' vehicles will make up

an incredible range of vehicles from Concourse to Survivor

In summary, I reckon we had a very successful day, with a further nine Vintage vehicles to add to the ever growing list. What's more we all had the time of our lives BS-ing to each other as you should do at our age.

Keep your enquiries coming in as we still need more Pre-1939 Vintage Vehicles entrants, it will be a huge effort if we could fill the Sutherland Council's Car Park on Sunday 20th March, 2022.

Ken Warburton

All photos: Steve Core

Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race

Sunday 26th December - 2021

Reporting live from the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia Rushcutters Bay in Sydney on Boxing Day 2021. I suggested to my partner in crime Steve Core that we should make the effort & venture into Rushcutters Bay to check out the crews preparing for this year's Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht race.

We arrived at the Cruising Yacht Club at 7:00am, lucky to jag a parking spot for the ‘81 Ford Bronco a short stroll away from the club. We walked down to the Marina only to be informed by Event Security that there was no public access onto the jetties until 10:00am. That meant we had 3-hours to kill, so I put my thinking cap on & came up with this wild idea to attempt to wriggle our way into the exclusive press & media area.

Being ex-Qantas Trolly Dollies with the gift of the gab, we wangled our way into the sacred echelon of the press overlooking the multi million dollar yachts & marina right in front of the Club House.

Me and the always comical and mirthful Channel 9 News Reporter
Mike Dalton. Mike confirmed he'll be covering our Car Show in March.
Photo: Steve Core 

There was plenty of action in this area due to the numerous National News networks from around the world doing their pre-race interviews to their respective outlets. 

We needed to keep a very low profile because neither of us had Security passes & did not want to be evicted from our ring side seats where all the pre-race action was happening.

Steve noticed our friend Mike Dalton from the Channel 9 network interviewing various high-profile sailors about their tactics for the run down the east coast to their final destination in Hobart in a couple of hours time.

The race attracts entries & competitors from around
the world for this international classic

In between interviews I decided it was time for me to get off my butt, bite the bullet & approach him & re-acquaint myself with Mike.

I first met Mike in July 2020 when I organised a farewell to the Qantas “Queen of the Skies” Jumbo 747. I was interviewed by him on the Northern Concourse of the Sydney Opera House. Click here to see that story.

On that day I mentioned our up & coming Pre-WWII Vintage Car Show & asked him if Channel 9 would be interested to do a segment on our big day, at that time he showed a great deal of interest, however that was 18-months ago.

Anyway to cut a long story short I grabbed my opportunity to remind him of our conversation 18-months ago. To my delight he told me that he did remember our conversation. Mike also mentioned that he had received a Media Release from me last week & would definitely be at our show in Sutherland with a camera crew on Sunday 20th March 2020.

The main silverware up for grabs in the Rolex Sydney to Hobart
blue water classic.

Never to let a chance pass me bye I also managed to take photos of the precious silverware on display for the world' s media. The Trophy on the left is the Captain J.H. Illingworth Challenge Cup that is awarded to the first yacht to finish the Rolex Sydney to Hobart race with line honours, on the right is the George Adams Tattersall’s Cup awarded to the Handicap winner. 

This is the most significant & historic perpetual trophy awarded in the Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht race. Now recognised as one of the great ocean races in the world, despite there being no prize money for winners, just some impressive silverware & monumental prestige. Magnificent silverware to say the least.

In this 2021 event there were 88 yachts that started the race from Sydney Harbour. The fleet was battered by strong southerly winds, and due to these arduous conditions, more that a quarter of the fleet has withdrawn from the race with broken rigging & torn sails.

Entry fee to compete in this race is $9,500.00. Maluku (built in 1932) is the oldest & smallest (31ft or 9.5mtrs) yacht, compared to the Super-Maxi’s that are at least (100ft or 30.48mtrs).

The Cruising Yacht Club's Commodore Mr Noel Cornish

during pre-race media engagements

The Super-Maxi’s, Blackjack, Scallywag, Law Connect are predicted to take line honours in this year's blue ribbon classic event.

As the small hand on the clock pointed to 10 & the large hand struck 12 we put on our running shoes & headed straight towards the dock. The security guard was no longer stopping spectators from entering the jettys, we were now permitted to enter the earlier restricted areas.

Steve was in his element with his camera, we took full advantage to get up close & personal with these magnificent offshore racing yachts, we even took the advantage to have a good old chat with some of the competing crews.

We spent the following couple of hours drooling over these multi-million dollar, high-tech craft until the time it was for the competitors to depart their safe moorings & head out onto the Sydney Harbour to prepare themselves for the start of the challenging race to Tassie at 1:00pm.

Steve suggested that we hit the road & head for home back in the Shire, not before a quick detour via Bondi Beach for another photo shoot.

Me and my '81 Ford Bronco at North Bondi Beach
Photo: Steve Core

I took the opportunity to give one of my classic vehicles a trip into the city today. Due to this wretched Corona Virus my 1981 Ford Bronco needed the cobwebs blown out of her. The big 351 Cleveland V/8 engine had been in bed asleep for almost the last 12-months, so believe me I sure enjoyed pushing the pedal to the metal. You can keep your electric cars.

When we arrived at Steve’s special photographic spot at the world famous Bondi Beach he was relieved to know that there was no one parked in the perfect spot on Campbell Parade that overlooks the beach where he wanted me to park the Bronco.

As you can see by the photo my classic ‘81 351 Ford Bronco looks pure gold with the world famous Bondi Beach in the background, doesn’t come any better than this, & that my friends is all she wrote.

Remember my motto: ‘Adventure before dementia’.

Cheers for now.
Warbo

Seasons Greetings for 2021

Thursday 23rd December - 2021

As 2021 draws to a close, we'd like to reassure you that the 2022 Sylvanvale Pre-WWII Vintage Car Show is still all go. We will continue to work through the numerous challenges that Covid throws up at us.

This does mean that some parts of our event next year will look a bit different, but our end goal is to continue our legacy and produce another memorable and exciting event.

Seasons Greetings to one and all...

To all our loyal supporters, volunteers, sponsors and vehicle exhibitors, we would just like to take this opportunity to wish every single one of you a Merry Christmas and a Happy & Safe New Year.

With many other events being cancelled or postponed, please feel assured that we do not intend to be one of them. Our team is working incredibly hard to make it work and our only vision is to create a bigger & more unique Show.

Enjoy your time with your family and friends and keep safe so that we can see each and every one of you in Sutherland on Sunday 20th March, 2022.

Ken Warburton

& the Event Volunteer Team

New 2022 Car Show Date Announced

Thursday 02 December - 2021

Breaking News: 2022 Sylvanvale Foundation Pre-WWII Vintage Car Show

We are excited to be able to finally announce the confirmed date for the 6th Annual 2022 Sylvanvale Pre-WWII Vintage Car Show.

The new date will be: Sunday 20th March, 2022

Show Hours will be: 9:00am until 3:00pm

In addition to our new date we also have a new upgraded venue. We will be moving from the Cronulla Mall to the Sutherland Council Car Park in Flora Street Sutherland.

The move to a larger venue is to accommodate our growing Show. Our new venue has the capacity to display up to 188 vehicles.

Our Show will feature Australia's finest collection of rare & valuable Classic & Vintage motor vehicles, not seen anywhere else in Sydney.

Sporting its original 'Barn Find' condition this 1924 Graham Brothers 4-door sedan was built in the US by the Graham Brothers, who were once known for building rugged truck haulers and high-quality automobiles alike. Expect to see this 'Survivor' at our Show.

Sporting its original 'Barn Find' condition this 1924 Graham Brothers
4-door sedan was built in the US by the Graham Brothers, who were
once known for building rugged truck haulers and high-quality
automobiles alike. Expect to see this 'Survivor' at our Show.

Additionally, on display will be various unique and distinctive examples of 'Survivors', which of course are everyone's favourite.

Our expanded venue will allow us to include on-site food and coffee vendors. Wandering minstrals, musicians and Steampunk performers dressed in period costumes.

Admission is $5.00 per adult and children under 12-years-old are free.

Any further inquiries please contact me:

Ken Warburton, Event Curator, on 0438 692 737 

or warbo47@gmail.com

All Ford Day at Sydney Dragway, Eastern Creek.

Sunday 14th November - 2021

All Ford Day NSW, was held at the Sydney Dragway at Eastern Creek.

The family friendly All Ford Day is normally held on the last Sunday of July each year. But due to Covid restrictions over our Winter period it was re-scheduled to the 14th November in 2021.

On the day you can see some of the best examples of original Ford vehicles in the country, alongside some amazingly restored and modified examples. On this day we had an impressive 1,130 Ford vehicles out on display.

Yours truly showing off the the ‘Silver Ware’ with
my winning 4-door Town Sedan.

With a chance to exhibit their pride and joys, the All Ford Day is one of the highlights of the year and is enjoyed by our members of the Model A Ford Club of NSW Inc.

The weekend kicks off with a Swap Meet on the Saturday and then the All Ford exhibition Day on the Sunday.

Twelve Model A Fords Club members showed up with their Classic Cars, so I thought our club was very well represented, we were blessed with good weather for the day.

You can see the two trophy winners. Marie’s ‘28 Ford
Pick-up and on the far right is my ‘31 4-door Town Sedan.

Winners are grinners… on the day it was Club members, Marie Hyland with her 1928 Roadster Pick-up & yours truly with my 1931 4-door Town Sedan that picked up the first place trophies.

Happy bunch of happy Chappie's posing at this year's All Ford Day.

Proud Club Member, Phil Dalton, has gone to much creative effort to produce our new Tear Drop sign, plus other various signs he has organised in the past. You sure can’t miss us at any car event now. Many thanks Phil, excellent work and you are a champion

Here you can see Phil's excellent work with our Club's signage.

The photo above shows another angle of the clubs array of signs. Proudly lined up behind the signs are Model A Ford Club Member's vehicles. 

There would be hundreds of years of experience between
these five Club members and their years tied up playing with
Model A Fords. What a fine bunch of lads.

For this year with certain Covid restrictions and lockdowns having a lingering effect on the entire community, the attendance numbers were down, spectator numbers were down, however enthusiasm was high. 

It was just great to get out and about and mingle with fellow motoring aficionados again after so many months in lock down. Certainly living 'the Classic Life'.

Part of the Ford Collector's merchandise available on the day

A good day was had by all. A vast celebration of Ford cars on display along with 'blue oval' proud owners to chat to, so plenty a 'car talk' and photos taken.

It is currently planned that All Ford Day will revert to it's usual 'last Sunday in July' date for 2022. 

Cheers from the ‘Squire’

Warbo.

2021 Chrysler Restorer's Club Spring Tour - Part III

Friday 26th November - 2021

Part III of the 2021 Chrysler Restorer's Club Spring Tour

Unfortunately everything must end & today is one of those days.

Our group departed Uralla, NSW this morning for the final leg of our tour south to Taree. (288kms or 180 miles). The current east coast 'El Nina' weather turned nasty as we were about to leave the Bushranger Motel in Uralla.

Depicting a turn of the century sawmiller's village,

Timbertown also operates a 2.4km long Heritage Railway

Faced with heavily saturated roads, I decided to make a quick F1-style change to my tyres from slicks to wet weather tyres on the ‘64 Plymouth, 2-door, that’s how bad it was.

Approximately one & a half hours into our journey we arrived at the Ginger's Creek Roadhouse and Bush Resort for a well-earned pitstop and morning tea break.

There were twenty-one of us sitting on the verandah chatting to one another when I asked the owner “how’s the weather been?", he said that you are not going to believe this.

Our entire group relaxing on the verandah of the the Ginger's Creek

Roadhouse - halfway between Wauhope and Walcha, NSW.

On Saturday & Sunday this week we had 280ml or 11" inches of rain in that 48-hour period, now that is serious rain bomb in anyone’s language.

We then pushed a little further on to Wauchope to pay a visit to Timbertown for lunch & a look around the park. Timbertown is a re-created Sawmiller's village from the turn of the century and is set among 87-acres of natural forest.

(Below) I decided to become Casey Jones & stoke the fire for a while on ‘Ruby’ the vintage steam locomotive that operates on Timbertown's Heritage narrow gauge Railway. 

Me getting ready to do my best 'Casey Jones' impersonation

and stoke the firebox onboard the Heritage Steam Locomotive 'Ruby'.

After lunch it was a short one hour's drive south to Taree. I checked into the Highway Motel for a quick Nanny nap before heading off to our ‘Last Supper’ at the Taree Aquatic Club overlooking the tranquil Manning River.

After dinner we more or less exchanged our goodbyes to one & all in the group, because tomorrow we would all be heading off in different directions for our homes.

We made a great little roadside stop at the

Ginger's Creek Bush Resort in Mount Seaview, NSW

Another magnificent Spring Tour organised by our Chrysler club's event director Brian Kelleher. If Brian cannot organise a magnificent tour than nobody can. 

In another lifetime Brian & I worked together at Qantas Airlines, only he was up the pointy end as a skipper on the Boeing 747 Jumbos & I was the ‘Trolly Dolly’ down on the main deck, in cattle-class, say no more.

A popular stop on the Oxley Highway for all motoring

enthusiast's is the Ginger's Creek Roadhouse & Bush Resort

That my friends is all she wrote, so until the next ‘adventure before dementia’ stay tuned.

Cheers for now from the ‘Squire’ from the Shire.

Warbo

2021 Chrysler Restorer's Club Spring Tour - Part II

25th November - 2021

Part II of the 2021 Chrysler Restorer's Club Spring Tour

Last night in Ballina we encountered torrential rain all night, however the rain ceased just before our planned departure, thank heavens. As a team, we left Ballina around 0900 this morning for our (400kms or 240 mile) drive through famous country towns like Lismore, Casino, Tenterfield (where Entertainer Peter Allen was born), Armidale and finally into Uralla. 

Our first driving stint was approximately one & a half-hours to the Mallanganee Pub where we all enjoyed a cuppa & morning refreshments. After morning tea we pushed on travelling the New England Hwy south. I really enjoyed this next part of the journey, especially now that there was no rain.

Uralla, is town that holds the final resting place of Australian

Bushranger Captain Thunderbolt

Our journey led us to the Great Dividing Range (all 888m in height of it, or for my overseas friends only 3,000ft). It was much cooler now & hardly any humidity, the further you move inland away from the coast - the less humidity there is.

A lunch break at a little town called Deepwater. We ordered bakery items & sandwiches at the local bakery & roadhouse.

By now we had really broken the back of today's journey, we would be arriving in Uralla real 'Bushranger' territory within an hour. I have never been to this part of the world, so I was very excited to see what was ahead of me.

I drove my 1964 2-door Plymouth (with 3 on the tree) sedan into Uralla at 1500 this afternoon, checked into the Bushranger Motor Inn for the night that still left me plenty of time to check out this town.

Captain Thunderbolt's 151-year-old gravesite

My main objective this afternoon was to check out the infamous Bushranger 'Captain Thunderbolt' who roamed this part of the world creating havoc 151-years ago.

'Thunderbolt’s' real name was Fred Ward, he committed many robberies, bailing up mail coaches & private homes in the Liverpool Rangers & New England district in 1870 & is buried here in Uralla.

His life was cut short at the tender age of only 36 years. The law finally caught up with him when Constable Walker shot him dead on May 25th, 1870. I wanted to see where he was buried in the local cemetery, as you can see by my photos I managed that accomplishment.

The Gothic-style chapel of the All Saints Anglican Church
is in Gostwyck in the Parish of Uralla

I spent time cruising the cemetery checking out the Tombstones, while walking around the cemetery I met a local lady & asked her what else there was to see in the local area.

She mentioned that I should drive out of town for 10 klms (6.2 mls) to visit the All Saints Anglican Church, Gostwyck. What a pleasant surprise when I arrived at the Church.

As you can see by the photos, this delightful Church is built in a perfect country setting very tranquil & peaceful, unfortunately the doors of the church were locked & if I wanted to witness the interior I would have to hang around until the Church Service on Sunday.

The Church was constructed in 1921 with an oaken hammer beam roof
covered by oaken shingles and all the fittings were completed in oak.

By now the big hand on the clock was pointing to 12 & the small hand was pointing to the 6, it was now time to head back into town to hook up with my other travelling friends for dinner.

I am looking forward to a good night's sleep this evening, tomorrow morning I will have the pedal to the metal of the ‘64 Plymouth as we head south towards Taree for another adventure.

Stay safe, cheers for now from the ‘Squire’.

Warbo.

2021 Chrysler Restorer's Club Spring Tour

Wednesday 24th November - 2021

Hello from the NSW far North Coast.

I am on the road with Chrysler Restorer's Club on their annual Spring Tour. I am driving my 57-year-old, 1964 Plymouth/Valiant 2-door, 3-speed, manual sedan.

This year's tour takes us up to the northern tip of the State of NSW. With the current Covid Border restrictions, we will not be able to cross the borders into the Sunshine State; Queensland as we had originally planned to do.

We left Sydney and our Day 1, first leg, was an uneventful 8-hour (615km) haul from Sydney to Grafton up the super smooth Pacific Highway, the A1.

My 1964 Plymouth/Valiant 2-door sedan, as I stop to check out the
ruins of some of the oldest of the original settler's homes around Grafton.

(Above) On my way towards Ballina, I stop to check out the crumpling remains of one of the oldest houses in Northern Rivers NSW town of Grafton, just north of the township. The locals tell me that this house or what is left of it - was built by the first settlers last century, in 1890 or thereabouts.

It rained all the way to Coffs Harbour, but as we got north of the Banana Coast, the skies began to dry up. November is an ideal time to visit the city of Grafton, as all its Jacaranda trees are in full and glorious purple bloom.

Scrumptious mixed grill at the local Club in Grafton on my arrival.

Once settled into our first night's accommodation on Day 1 in Grafton, we headed out to the Clock Tower Hotel for our evening meal.

Day 2: We crossed the Richmond River to West Ballina
aboard the Burns Point Ferry

(Above) On our second day, we drove aboard the vehicular cable ferry, the Burns Point Ferry to cross the mighty Richmond River. 

For a fee of $6.50 it would carry us on a 4-minute ride across the Richmond River to West Ballina.

Breakfast this morning was at the Macadamia Castle's Restaurant

(Above) Special treat for breakfast this morning at the Macadamia Castle & Animal Park Restaurant located in Knockrow, NSW (between Byron Bay and Ballina). 

In the photo Brian, Bob & yours truly just about to attack a stack of pancakes.

A sensational breakfast on Day 2 at the

Macadamia Castle Restaurant

(Above) The ‘Squire’ enjoying his pancakes loaded with ice cream, fruit, berries, nuts (Macadamia nuts of course), butter, maple syrup & washed down with a large Mango smoothie. Truly a Breakfast of Champions.

We depart Ballina on Thursday morning with our next destination being the township of Uralla. Uralla is nestled in the New England High Country and has a rich Colonial period Gold Rush history.

I'm looking forward to exploring Uralla's natural beauty and pilot the '64 Plymouth along Thunderbolt's Way who's surrounding natural bushland reserves contain Aboriginal art that is over 500-years old. 

Stay tuned for more adventure before dementia.

Cheers from the road

Warbo

RELATED: I imported this 1964 Plymouth/Valiant 2-door, 3-speed, manual sedan 3-years ago in November 2018 - to read more about it CLICK HERE

RELATED: My 1964 Plymouth/Valiant lands in Australia from the US - to read more about it CLICK HERE

Celebrating 15-years in retirement...

Today I celebrate 15-years since I hung up my wings traveling the world as an International Flight Attendant for Qantas Airways. 

My flying career spanned the era of the B707, B747 Jumbo (Queen of the skies), & B767 aircraft.

Before I placed my head on the pillow last night, my mind drifted back to the start of my flying days working for the iconic International Qantas Airways. I was blessed to have a 32-year flying career with them.

I realised that I have now been retired for almost half of the time that I flew. On the 1/10/2006 the curtain finally came down on the most wonderful time & experience of my life.

This is the crew sign-on sheet for my

final trip, the column on the far right

indicates the crew's seniority numbers

I can remember just like it was yesterday morning that Qantas let me loose to go flying. My 1st trip was a 1-day Melbourne trip on a B707 aircraft, sign on was 0700. I was back home in the 'Shire' just after lunch, I couldn't believe it. In less than 7-hours I had flown from Sydney to Melbourne return, I thought all my Christmases had come at once.

My final trip's Crew worksheet
The work sheet denotes work positions on the aircraft

All I can remember is that I must have won the lottery. My life had completely changed from being a Garbo & motor mechanic to this life as a globetrotter, staying in 5 star hotels, living the life of the rich & famous, visiting overseas countries, having the time of my life & what's more they actually paid me for my time.

My final Certificate of Service.

By no means did I ever take my employment with Qantas for granted, I appreciate every moment that I was on their books, they afforded me the lifestyle that I enjoy today.

Thank you Qantas.

Cheers from the 'Squire' from the Shire.

Warbo

More of my Blog reading...

Related: Farewell to our Queen of the Skies

Related: If it ain't Boeing... I ain't goin'