Mopar Muscle Association UK

Last few pics as on way home now

Car show in Byford didnt happen on the day we thought and everything else that I saw was gone before I could get a picture.

Loved Australia, very hard saying goodbye to the kids but I will go again soon. Theres definately something missing in the UK (apart from heat and sun obviously) that they have bucket loads of it there. Im not sure what it is but socially, its how it should be.

The AFL match was an example to football here. Not a hint of trouble, everyone getting on great, buses and trains running like clockwork, very family orientated, it was fantastic.

I spent most of my time off the tourist tracks and had a real taste of how people live there. I can see why my kinds want it and if I could turn the clock back 30 years, I would have gone when I had the chance. I could have a garage full of Aussie Moredoors

Thanks for taking the time to post pics and updates Steve. Sounds like you had a great holiday.

Thanks Steve for sharing your Aussie photos here and they look great, especially with that BIG light in the sky
mind you it has been good here too for a change.

Enjoy the rest of your trip and have a safe journey back

My pleasure Rich and Ali, sorry I couldnt find more. They seem to be as rare on the roads there as classics are here. I saw a few I couldnt photograph in time and lots of new Mustangs everywhere.

ah used to live in coogee, did the coastal walk many times

I loved it there Dave. I wake up early as Im getting old now so walked from my kids place down to Bronte every morning at 530 for the sunrise. The coffee shops open at 6am so I would have a coffee and an almond croissant watching the surfers and other 'interesting' sights.

Im reading a great book my daughter gave me about a murder in the 30s where a guys arm was spewed up by a captured shark in Coogee swiming baths. Also watched a good documentary about the violent side of surf gangs at Coogee and Bondi called 'BRA Boys'. Pretty eye opening stuff.

I am saving to go back ASAP and could definately live in Perth. Couldnt live in Sydney as its just too busy,but great for a holiday and I have to go if to see the two youngest tiddlers

yeah the bra boys surf gang mainly centred next cove down at Maroubra.


we lived up the hill at Bronte for a while Then Edgcumbe avenue coogee about 3 roads back from the beach Randwick at the top of the hill

All good fun think bronte was the most picturesque but the surf there is vicious on a rough day, rip tides running out at a huge rate from the left hand side

coogee was the safe beach apart from the sharks hiding behind wedding cake island ....according to the locals

when we lived there a miracle happened one of the fence posts transformed into an image of the virgin mary...!

chaos for days as 1000s came to look

https://www.museumoflost.com/the-virgin ... gee-beach/

all good fun

Dave

We used to live up from the beach at Maroubra Junction, it was heaven, 10 minutes down Anzac Parade in the Charger to work at Fox studios and 10 minutes the other way to Maroubra Beach, La Perouse and Botany Bay.
We used to take the dog down the bay / La Perouse because it was a dog beach, there was a lady who used to bring her horse down for a swim in the sea. It was a lovely part of the Eastern suburbs, still working class, a bit rough and Bogan, but proper Aussie. I imagine it has changed now, still miss it, happy days.

Thats really interesting Dave, thanks for posting it.

Sounds idylic Matthew. I had a great time there but it was so busy in Sydney. My kids showed me a great time and I loved the beach / coffee / surf scene but I dont think I could live there. I would love a place on the coast in the middle of nowhere as I crave quietness. I can really see the appeal for youngsters, its a great life there if you are prepared to graft.

I only found out what 'bogan' means recently. I have very successfully dropped all news programs and current affairs rubbish from my life as I find them all very depressing and have (dont judge me, please) recently discovered 'Australian Married at First Sight'. I know,I know but in my defence, I only have basic Freeview telly and its one of the shows I get. It crept up on me and now Im addicted but they use 'bogan' like we use 'chav'

Sorry Steve but you’re such a Bogan mate! No I hear you current affairs is becoming more depressing by the day. We are heading back as soon as we sell up here, I won’t be able to afford a Valiant Charger when we get back, so I’m taking our right hand drive 69 Barracuda with us. Sydney is a proper big city now with that big city pressure, when we first lived there it felt like Britain in the 70s shops shut at 4 on Saturdays and closed Sundays etc.
We’re hoping to end up maybe Central coast NSW or maybe Sunshine Coast Queensland, exactly as you describe a small seaside town.

Thinking about it Dave, if you were on the edge of Randwick / Coogee, we were just down the hill from you, a quick roll down Avoca street to Anzac Parade but turn left up Holme street by the army base and right onto Garrett Street. Small world isn’t it. Used to love the old cinema up at Randwick.

Yeah Matthew, it all very depressing if you let all the media hype and social media into your life. I dont do any of it and dont watch anything that involves scare mongering and terrifying us for the sake of ratings on tv. Im quite happy in my bubble thanks and cant blame you at all for taking the leap back to Australia. Im sure I will miss something important one day and wake up with a big mushroom cloud over Galloway when its all gone pear shaped

Ive decided that I would have a big early classic V8 Landcruiser if I lived there

matt if you were there 2000-2004 we were probably staggering into each other in the coogee bay hotel...

The oddest place i found was a family run night club in randwick called randy wicks it was truly awful.... dad did the bar and the djing , mum cleaned up the chunder, and there was carpet on the dance floor..... a real "you won't believe this place" birthday party venue

used to like area up at The spot next the cinema

i used to work for the Australian caption centre in Ultimo... so i got to travel the suburbs going to each TV station fixing the kit Ch9 Ch10 ABC SBS
and all over the country so i was up to darwin one week down to adelaide the next canberra brisbane perth
i got to silver in the Quantas club....

great times
i tried to do it properly. proper job, 5 year sponsorship, proper flat, gas barbeque, nights at the RSL meat raffle, Valiant, people thought i was greek until i got out and presented them with an overweight rosey faced englishman in ill advised shorts, beach wear + me not at the beach = bad combination.


Dave

Funny, 2000 to 2004 we were in Maroubra, we were working at Fox studios, I was a set designer and illustrator on a few films and my wife worked at a special effects company. My favourite memories were Friday beer o’clock, rolling out the gates when the cricket was on next door arm out the window bottle in hand and the coppers would just wave you out to keep the road clear!
We went posh after that and headed to Pymble on the North Shore totally different, felt like being in a little town on the edge of the bush, the wildlife was incredible.
The Spot was lovely we used to catch a few at the Duke of Gloucester and then roll down the hill, if there was an RBT on Avoca street you could see them from the top of the hill, park up and walk home.

What Valiant did you have?

Thats a great photo Matthew! The car is gorgeous. I could definately get into the Australian stuff but its all very expensive now