Lotus 2019 Set for April 25-28, 2019, in the Beautiful Sunshine Coast

Lotus 2019 Queensland

It’s been a long wait since the magic Lotus 2017 in Victoria, but it’s nearly time to get the gang back together for our biennial celebration of all things Lotus. Lotus 2019 will be hosted by Lotus Club Queensland see the national Lotus community gather in the beautiful Sunshine Coast from April 25 to 28 for social events, car runs and motorsport.

The event will be based around the Mantra Mooloolaba, with activities held in the Sunshine Coast, including a concours d’elegance, magic Hinterlands fun run, and speed and happy lap events held at Lakeside Raceway.

Proceedings will open in relaxed Queensland style on Thursday the 25th of August, with drinks on the Mantra Terrace followed by a barbecue welcome dinner.

A track day will be held at Lakeside Raceway on Friday the 26th, with barbecue breakfast and lunch provided. If you’re not feeling so inclined, Friday will be a relaxed day with a lunchtime gathering. After the day’s activities everyone will gather at the Mooloolaba Surf Club for dinner.

Saturday sees the event kick into top gear, with the spectacular show ‘n shine and concours d’elegance held at the Mooloolaba State School Oval. There we’ll enjoy a picnic lunch by the lakeside at the Mooloolaba State School. From lunch we’ll set out on the fun run to explore three optional Hinterland routes, followed by drinks, canapés and dinner at the Mantra.

On Sunday, it will be time to prepare to go our separate ways. The option of a tour of the Bowden’s Museum in Buderim is being explored.

Further details will be made available shortly, as will registration for the event. For now, head to the Lotus 2019 website here to register your interest, and take some time to explore www.lotus2019.com.au for more detail and the most up-to-date info.

July Edition of Chunky’s Chatter Available for Download

July 2018 Chunky's Chatter

Katsu Kubota (Lotus 91) is flipped after making contact with Steve Brooks (Lotus 81) at Brands Hatch earlier this month. Photo by Bill Mair

Get properly stuck into July with the latest edition of Tom Devitt’s Chunky’s Chatter and catch up on all the news in Club Lotus Australia.

The July edition of Chunky’s Chatter features:

  • Bill Mair shares some fantastic photos from his recent trip following the European Historics
  • We remember John Miles, Lotus Formula 1 driver and designer
  • Mike Basquil returns with his concise and informative round-up of the last NSW CSCA round
  • A bumper ‘for sale’ section!

And much more! Enjoy Chunky’s lighthearted and sometimes irreverent monthly look at the world of Lotus.

Head to the members’ page to download your copy. And if you’re not a member already, have a browse around the site and hit up our membership page here to find out why you should be!

We’re Invited to the 2018 Kiama Auto Expo

Kiama Auto Expo 2018

Formerly known as the Kiama Car Spectacular, the Kiama Auto Expo will beheld on Sunday the 11th of November, 2018, at Kiama Showgrounds and Pavilion.

This family day in spectacular Kiama will feature displays of vintage, veteran and classic cars and bikes as well as mobile homes and leisure vehicles. Organisers are also featuring workshops and presentations and will hold events for off road remote cars, which sounds like fun.

Entertainment is available for the kids, musical performances will add to the aural atmosphere and food, refreshments and coffee will keep you well-fuelled.

Entry is $5 per person, which will be donated to the melanoma and skin cancer prevention program. Under 12s get in for free.

A raffle will be held during the event to support the Rotary Club’s melanoma and skin cancer prevention program. Free skin care checks by qualified medical practitioners will be available at the event.

We have supported this event in the past and thoroughly enjoyed it, so we’re looking forward to doing so again. Please let us know if you’d like to be a part of a Club Lotus Australia display.

The Preserve July 2018 Available for Download

The Preserve November 2017

‘The Preserve’ is the newsletter of the Council of Motor Clubs. It’s made available to members of CMC-affiliated clubs, and that means you! The July, 2018, edition of the newsletter has just been sent out, and we’ve made it available to download from the members’ page.

The July edition introduces the Brian Horne Trophy for Best Australian Built/Assembled Vehicle, looks forward to the upcoming Shannons Sydney Classic, recaps the Rattle and Hum Show and provides plenty of useful information for CMC-affiliated clubs.

Club Lotus Australia members can head to the members page here to download your copy. If you’re not a member of the club head here, and take a browse around the website to see why you should be!

Ashton’s President’s Prattle for July, 2018

President's Prattle

Bother, late again!

And winter is well and truly upon us. Mrs R. and I just got back from a lovely weekend in Orange, but my goodness they know how to do cold! Clearly I have been out of Edinburgh for too long. And, frankly, the houses (or at least the one we stayed in) are not designed for it, which is a bit odd.

So, we are already halfway through the year and tearing headlong towards lots of opportunities to enjoy our cars. I hope yours is/are in better working order than most of mine currently are! I had a very helpful pointer for a replacement starter motor (thanks Al!) so that should be on its way shortly, and with that hopefully more use of the Elan.

We have sprints of both varieties coming up. The Cootamundra Sprints are on the 28th of July and our next CSCA day is on the 11th of August. Several show or display days are on offer over the next few months, including Kiama, Shannons, Lugarno and the All British Day. We’re also looking forward to a social evening, meeting at Dario’s Carbonix on the 25th of July.

There are also two more Targa events still to come this year – the new Great Barrier Reef event in early September (for which Giles and I sadly won’t make it back in time from Alice) and Targa High Country in November. Not to mention the next Simply Sports Cars Lotus Only Track Day in two weeks’ time and the November LOTD at Phillip Island.

Tom’s first Lotus Lunch of the year is just around the corner. That will be held at Butcher and the Farmer at Tramsheds on Saturday the 28th of July. Details here.

If you haven’t seen something in that lot which grabs your fancy, let us know what you’d like to do and we’ll see what we can do to make it happen!

Elsewhere, young Daniel R is doing great things at Red Bull and reportedly is looking elsewhere (or possibly just some mischief-making in the wind). We’ve got World Cup fever, even if Australia can’t play football (or soccer – what ever you prefer). Wimbledon is just underway, and New South Wales may just win the State of Origin this year. Plenty going on on the world stage, even before you mention Thump or the great ‘Murkin dream.

At some point towards the end of the year Mrs R and I are planning to go to Sri Lanka, so if anyone has been there recently and has any recommendations for places to go, things to do and, most importantly, cooking classes for Caroline to drag me along to – I’m all ears!

Righto, better get this to Tom before I’m the one holding up proceedings – again!

Have fun, keep it safe, upright and, most importantly, on the blackstuff (unless you’re coming rallying with us!).

Pip pip,
Ashton.

The July 2018 Edition of Lotus Notes is Available for Download

Lotus Notes July 2018

Image: Scott Brooks

The July 2018 edition of Lotus & Clubman Notes, the official magazine of Lotus Club Victoria and Lotus Club Queensland, is on its way to members of those clubs. Editor Simon Messenger has kindly provided a digital copy for download by Club Lotus Australia members, and it’s up on the members’ page to be enjoyed.

This month’s magazine features:

  • EMR to Beeac Hotel
  • LCQ New England Late Autumn Run
  • Targa Tasmania 2018 Blog
  • Middle Park State School Display
  • LCV Shed Night at Mike Moore’s ‘shed’
  • Noosa Winter Hillclimb

And much, much more!

The newsletter is kindly provided to Club Lotus Australia by Lotus Club Victoria in its digital form, and will as such require you to be logged in to your members account. Download it from our ‘Members‘ page.

If you’re not a member yet, hit this link to find out more about the club and why you should become one! To learn more about Lotus Club Victoria, hit this link to their website and consider catching up with them when you’re in the state.

An Invitation to Round 4 of the 2018 CSCA Series: The Morgan Super Sprint in August

Club Lotus at CSCA 2018 Round 2 Sydney Motorsport Park

Round 4 of 2018’s CSCA super sprints is coming up on Saturday the 11th of August and will be held at Sydney Motorsport Park on the Gardner GP circuit. The event will be hosted by the Morgan Owners Club, and entry is set to open on the 2nd of July via CAMS Event Entry.

Read on for your invitation and head to the official Morgan Owners Club website for up-to-date details.

CSCA Morgan Super Sprint Gardner GP SMSP 11 August 2018

Thanks to Choy-Lin WIlliams

Members are invited to enter the Morgan Super Sprint 2018 to be held at SMSP Gardner GP Circuit. I have attached the Entry Package for ease of reference. The Entry package is available on the Morgan Owners Club website here.

Entries open 2 July and is again via CAMS Event Entry.

As per discussion within the CSCA, we are inviting entries of electric and hybrid vehicles (EVs). The Morgan Motor Company is scheduled to start production of the Morgan EV3, an electric three wheeler Morgan, later this year. As Morgan Owners we feel it is time to include EVs in our super sprint.

I look forward to receiving your entries.

The Preserve June 2018 Available for Download

The Preserve June 2018

‘The Preserve’ is the newsletter of the Council of Motor Clubs. It’s made available to members of CMC-affiliated clubs, and that means you!

The June 2018 edition of The Preserve remembers Julie Williams, CMC Secretary for the past seven years, recaps 2018 National Motoring Heritage Day activities at the Berry Showground, East Kurrajong School of Arts and Fagan Park, looks forward to the 2018 Shannons Sydney Classic and much more.

Club Lotus Australia members can head to the members page here to download your copy. If you’re not a member of the club head here, and take a browse around the website to see why you should be!

2018 Lugarno Lions Spring Festival and Classic Vehicle Show Set for September

Lugarno Lions Spring Festival

The Lugarno Lions Spring Festival and Classic Vehicle Show is on this September, the 16th, and we’re looking forward to getting involved once more.

The event will return to Gannons Park in Peakhurst on Sunday the 16th of September. It’s a community event that provides entertainment for the whole family, including stalls, rides and music. The 2018 show will welcome The Cockroaches, an Australian rock band founded in 1979 which included Anthony Field and Jeff Fatt, who went on to create The Wiggles.

The Lugarno Lions Club welcomes all types of classic vehicle to be a part of the classic vehicle show, which continues to grow year from year. There is a $10 entry fee for the vehicle show, which is donated to charity in its entirety.

Club Lotus Australia has contributed a great display to the show in recent years, and we’d love to repeat that in 2018. You can download an invitation and participation registration form from the following link:

2018 Lugarno Lions Spring Festival and Classic Vehicle Show Invitation and Participant Registration Form [PDF]

Club Lotus Australia member Peter Walker is the secretary for the Lugarno Lions Classic Vehicle Show, and you can contact him with any questions at carshow@lugarnolions.org.au.

Hit this link to head to the event’s official website for more info.