Bathurst Easter Rally
40th Anniversary Bathurst Easter Tour
13-20 April, 2014 – Bathurst, NSW
1975 was a big year for me for many reasons; it was the year that I first joined the official workforce the year I purchased my Honda 750/4, brand new from Paul Giles at Hawkesbury Honda. At Easter of 1975 Don Liddle, a member of the Vintage Motorcycle Club of NSW, started his official Bathurst vintage bike rally. Having organised an earlier event in 1973, the V M C of NSW gave him the OK providing it was self-funding. Consider that in 1975 when motorcycles had to be 30 years old to be eligible for the Club Plate Scheme, the youngest bike you could have registered on Club plates would be 1945 – most likely be some bike of the wartime delivery period. A BSA M20 perhaps or the ubiquitous WLA Harley Davidson! Old bikes then were many and collectors were few but those that did collect realised they were conserving motorcycling history; these machines were fast being scrapped as the population yearned for the modern contraptions of the 20th Century. The humble Honda Dream was much derided for in 1975, even the earliest ones were mere babes of only 15 years old. The British motorcycle factories were beginning to fail but for those people at the first Bathurst Easter Rally it was all about Vintage and the older Veterans. In total there were 43 entrants when come 2014 there would be an outstanding 238! The entrants lining both sides of Ashworth Drive, outside the Panorama Holiday Caravan Park from where the Rally is based, disgorges machines onto the Sydney Road each day of the 8 day event. I rode two bikes during the event, a 1968 V7 Moto Guzzi, only 7 years old when the rally started (a retired escort for the Italian Embassy in New York) as well as a 1973 Yamaha RD 350 – one of Yamaha’s fastest back then in 1975. The Rally is quite a spectacle, enough to obtain the services of the Bathurst Area Police Command to close the Highway for 5 minutes or so to get all the riders away on the Good Friday and Easter Saturday runs – two of the biggest days of the event. This year, 2014, was Don’s last year as organiser. He and his wife Colleen have been the chief organisers of the Easter Tour now for the entire 40 years, an achievement recognised by Bathurst Regional Council in that the Mayor, Gary Rush, invited Don and a small group of supporters to the Council Chambers for an afternoon tea and a presentation acknowledging Don and Colleen’s services not only to the vintage motorcycling community but that to Bathurst in providing its community with tourism. Don was presented with a framed certificate as well as a gift of a framed limited print of Bathurst Town Square, both Don assures me will find a prominent place on a wall in his home.
Fortunately for us ‘rally goers’, two blokes in the vintage club have agreed to continue to organise the event and keep it going without changing its format. The Caravan Park, being the hub of the rally, sees runs
each day to different destinations, returning in your own time to catch up for a free beer or soft drink at ‘Happy Hour’ at 4.30pm each day and bringing all participants together. It’s a formula that works well, with a few trophies donated and judged by the caravan park proprietor for what bikes he likes, simple and most effective. Don may be retired from the Chief Organiser’s position but I am assured he will be ever watchful and supportive of those following on to ensure the event continues its success. Best wishes to Don and Colleen who could not be with Don during the event due to poor health.
A message from Don
This rally has been a major part of our lives since 1975 to the present. We have so many wonderful memories that will never be forgotten, as well as meeting hundreds of entrants and families from many motorcycle clubs who have supported us over the past years. No one person can organise an event of this size without the help from volunteers and friends who have assisted us during the last forty years. We cannot thank them enough for their wonderful support, making this rally the success it has become and we hope the new organizers will receive the same terrific assistance. The managers of the caravan park continue to help us in many ways and also present the only trophies at this event. This year they selected: First Ross Grimson 1974 Ducati, Second Frank Dwyer 1960 BSA, Third Walter Higgins 1959 Ariel. We were again very fortunate to have great weather. The surrounding country never looked better and with the company of so many entrants (231) and families, this has made doing this rally extremely worthwhile. While retiring from organising this event, we still hope to participate into the future and stay in touch with the many friends we have made. Best wishes and safe riding to all.