About
The Goulburn Valley Motor Vehicle Drivers Club was formed in Numurkah in November 1970 to cater for veteran, vintage and classic motoring enthusiasts, initially meeting alternately in Numurkah and Shepparton until moving permanently to Shepparton in 1972. The club has grown in the ensuing years to number in excess of 300 members and is affiliated with the Australian Historic Motoring Federation (AHMF), the Association of Motoring Clubs (AOMC) and is registered with VicRoads to participate in the Club Permit (Red Plate) Scheme.
The Club was formed on 26th November 1970 when a group of veteran and vintage motoring enthusiasts met in Numurkah and formed the Goulburn Valley Motor Vehicle Collectors Club. Monthly meetings were held on alternate months in Numurkah and Shepparton at schools, halls and private venues. A decision was made in November 1972 to conduct meetings on a regular basis in Shepparton, initially at the Archer St Methodist Hall before moving to the St. Andrews Church Hall in St. Andrews Road. Growth in the Club's membership generated demand for a larger meeting location with improved amenities so in February 1975 the Club moved once more, to the Packham Street Tennis Clubrooms, where it met for the next 22 years.
The Club changed its name to the Goulburn Valley Motor Vehicle Drivers Club in January 1993.
In May 1997 the Club had again outgrown its meeting premises. The committee and members made a bold decision, signing a 30 year lease, renewable every 10 years, to utilise the Grahamvale Scout Hall. In June 2006 the opportunity arose for the Club to purchase the Grahamvale Scout Hall, finally delivering the Club a home "to call our own". Renovations, including building a new kitchen and library, were progressively implemented over the next 16 years to mould the clubrooms to the Club's needs.
We are affiliated with Australian Historic Motoring Federation (AHMF) through the Federation of Veteran Vintage and Classic Vehicle Clubs and also through the Association of Motoring Clubs (AOMC) and have also been granted approval as a Registered Club to participate in the Club Permit (red plate) Scheme (CPS).
The Club has grown in membership and events. Today we have more than 300 members and many of our events were established in the Club's first year of operation. Our first Swap Meet was held in September 1971 and the Annual Picnic Christmas Party has been held since 1972. To celebrate the Club's 21st year in 1991, the first touring rally to the Barossa Valley was held. Every year since, touring rallies have taken us to all parts of Victoria, South Australia, New South Wales and Tasmania. The Club is also well known for its Rally of the Valley, which was first held in 1985 over the Melbourne Cup Weekend. This event was held firstly bi-annually and in later years tri-annually, the East Gippsland and West Gippsland Clubs holding events in other years. This event is open to all Veteran, Vintage and Classic vehicles and attracts a good following.
The Club is proud to present the 'Shepparton Swap Meet' annually. The first Swap meet was held at Numurkah in 1971 and again in 1972 before moving to the Congupna Recreation Reserve until 1979. The need for a more suitable area saw the Swap move to the Shepparton Trotting Track (now Shepparton Paceway) at Kialla in 1980. As the Swap grew to over 400 sites, so did the problems. Parking, highway access and other logistic issues soon meant the need for another move. In 1993 the Swap moved to the Shepparton Showgrounds with 580 sites, growing to over 700 sites in 2004.
The re-development of the Shepparton Showgrounds in 2005 resulted in a move to the Driver Education Centre of Australia (DECA). This new venue enabled the Swap to continue and grow. Once the re-development of the Showgrounds was completed, a decision was made in 2009 to return to a much-improved Showgrounds, with better facilities that help us in our quest to continue to provide motoring enthusiasts with the "best one day swap in Victoria".
Further information regarding the Club's history is available in the Club's publications "Forty Years of the Goulburn Valley Motor Vehicle Drivers Club Inc", available to members for $20.00 or to non-members for $40.00 and "Celebrating 50 Years of the Restoration and Conservation of Our Motoring Heritage", available to members for $30.00 and to non-members for $50.00.
