Story: Russell Sturzaker
Porsche Club of Victoria 45th Anniversary - 26th August 2020 Wednesday 26th August 2020 was a Special Day for the Porsche Club of Victoria, as it was on this day some 45 years ago, that our wonderful club was officially re-formed, following an earlier attempt that had commenced some years earlier, but which did not survive. Our First Official Meeting was held on Tuesday 26th August 1975, in the Rally Room at the Light Car Club of Australia – 46 Queens Road, Melbourne. Following is an extract from the Clubs 1st Newsletter regarding the night. PORSCHE
CLUB
OF
VICTORI
NEWSLETTER NO. 1
OCTOBER, 1975
Secretary : Mr. Garnet Luckins, P.0. Box 222, KEW, Vic. 3101. Telephone: 920198 ENTHUSIASTIC FIRST MEETING August 26th saw the Rally Room of the Light Car Club filled to capacity with Porsche owners for the first meeting. Michael Stillwell welcomed the people present and outlined the aims and activities of the new Porsche Club of Victoria. He then presented the names of the Committee and the members approved them.
When I decided that we really needed to write something to recognise the past 45 years of our club, I thought it would be just a matter of sitting down and putting together some notes on our formation, to acknowledge our founding members, and to give an overview of some of our events over the past 45 years. However while collecting information for my article, it soon became obvious that to a certain extent I was merely trying to reinvent the wheel, as most of this information had been more than covered previously both on the club’s website (under Club Info / History) and also in the PCV 40th Anniversary History Book (1975 – 2015 The First 40 Years) produced by the 40th Anniversary Editorial Committee in 2015. That said though, when was the last time any of us have taken the time to sit down and familiarise ourselves with how our fabulous club came into existence, what we owe to our founding committee, and to reflect on where are we now today. So, as we all have plenty of time on our hands due to Covid-19 we are making it easy for you, by proudly reprinting (below), an article written for Porsche Parade in 2011 by Kerry Reynolds, a member of the original Club Steering Committee, a committee man of several years, Club President 1978/79, and himself a very keen competitor………… Club History by Kerry Reynolds
The history of Porsche in Australia was then unfolded by the guest speaker , Mr. Norman Hamilton. People listened almost spell -bound as the story of Dr. Porsche in post-war Germany and the manufacture of the first right-hand drive mode ls was told. Members then mingled amongst one-another and immediately mumbles of car stories and makes, models, tyres etc. filled the room. Treasurer, Vin Jacono then signed people up and the evening closed on an enthusiastic note. “The Porsche Club of Victoria is underway!”
Our August Club Night for this year (2020) was to be held on Wednesday 26th August at Lorbek Luxury Cars, at which we had invited all of the founding committee members to attend as our guests, but as we all know too well, COVID-19 has put paid to a number of our plans for this year, however we would like you to join us in recognising these members for their combined efforts in establishing the Porsche Club of Victoria that we all know today. PCV Interim / Founding Committee – August 1975 President: Michael Stillwell Vice President: Kerry Reynolds Secretary: Garnet Luckins Treasurer: Vin Jacono Social Secretary: Jill Stillwell Publicity Officer: Roger James
14
PORSCHE PARADE
Up until the early seventies it was possible for performance minded motorists to indulge their sporting inclinations on public roads, with little risk of coming to harm and only a remote chance of being caught. However, by 1975 the law had come to regard all speedsters as criminals and though being one of the last to succumb, it was obvious that unless I wanted to become a pedestrian, my sporting achievements would have to be recognised on the track rather than the road. A friend and fellow Porsche owner Vin Jacono, agreed that I was at last showing some rare signs of good sense and that perhaps the answer to my frustration could be a Porsche club. Having been involved with Vin some time earlier in the Triumph Sports Owners’ Association, I knew of the enjoyment to be derived from club motor sport. I took the idea to Tony Jones, who was at the time Sales Manager of Hamilton’s. Tony told me that another Porsche enthusiast Mike Stillwell had also expressed similar thoughts about forming a club. Tony was keen about the proposition and though not wanting Hamilton’s to be involved offered his support. Mike and I got together and with encouragement from Norman and Alan Hamilton, commenced a series of preliminary discussions, culminating in the meeting of a Steering Committee, held at my home on July 5th, 1975. Of the nine people present at that meeting four are still active members of the club, viz. Mike Stillwell, Vin Jacono, Garnet Luckins and myself.
