General News
3 March, 2026
Large crowds, bigger trucks for annual show
Clunes Historic Vehicle Show will return this weekend, showcasing rarities that no spectator could expect to pass on the highway again.
Truck enthusiasts Barry Dodson and Adrian O’Connell said the event is a chance for visitors to see some of the world’s rarest vehicles.
“We are featuring trucks that are very unusual, there’s one that is one of 16 in the world. We’ve got a lot of rare trucks but that one is the stand out,” Mr Dodson said.
The truck in question, the Bicentennial Mac, was made in 1988 as a limited edition marking the 25th anniversary of Mack Trucks in Australia and is extremely sort after.
“As for others, we have got the third Kenworth that was ever imported into Australia, and a Ferrari articulated tractor, they are the things that really hit the spot in the tractor people,” Ms Dodson said.
Last year’s show saw around 2000 people descend onto Clunes Showgrounds, with the pair expecting a similar size crowd this year.
“We just about filled the oval last time, that’s the aim ... last year we had 175 trucks, and equally that in cars, it attracts a fair cross section,” Mr Dodson said.
That’s also because the event draws camaraderie from interstate clubs, Mr Dodson said he has witnessed to be huge support.
“There’s lots of clubs that support us, interstate, South Australia, people from Wagga Wagga, places all along the river,” he said.
“That’s the most important thing, the intermingling, people from central Australia would come across ... people from way out would say ‘we saw it on the internet, we heard it was a good show’.”
Unlike most other shows in the state, there is no prizes for restoration or uniqueness of entry. It is purely an event to be alongside likeminded people.
“It’s all on the same level, doesn’t matter whether you’ve spent thousands on a truck painting it, or you’ve just dragged it out from underneath a tree somewhere. There are a lot of restored trucks back to great condition, but there are a lot of trucks in their working clothes too. There are no prizes, there is nothing, you just bring a truck along,” Mr O’Connell said.
“One of the main success stories of the show is because people come to see trucks they don’t see coming down the highway everyday. They are very rare trucks.”
Mr Dodson agrees, witnessing the event grow overtime out of people’s love for historic vehicles.
“It’s just getting rare vehicles that attract the attention. There is still lots of old vehicles around, the amount of things in our own back door that you don’t know about ... you’ll find those things when you least expect them.”
For those who aren’t die-hard truck enthusiasts, its still the nostalgia of recognisable vehicles that draws families to the event, particularly kids.
“People say ‘my grandfather had one like that’, and they get their photo taken beside it ... they’ll walk past a fully restored one or see the old rough on them that reminds them of their grandparents,” Mr O’Connell said.
“It’s a very good atmosphere … that’s why Clunes is so successful.”
Clunes Historic Vehicle Show comes to the showgrounds on Sunday, March 8, from 9 am to 4 pm. Food stalls and attractions for kids will be available on site.