The 49th Historic Winton will feature a display of 30 Mini Mokes. Photos: Supplied.
A massive group of 30 Mini Mokes will be on display at 49th Historic Winton, held from May 30 to 31 at Winton Motor Raceway, thanks to the Moke Owners Club of Victoria who will celebrate 60 years of Moke in Australia.
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Based in Melbourne, the club has about 300 members throughout Victoria and across the eastern seaboard.
Trip coordinator Ash Sharkey, who haild from Bendigo, said the Moke was a fun, recreational vehicle that was hardy and could travel just about anywhere, which gives Mokes great appeal.
“The Moke is one of the most versatile cars around and I use mine to get to work every day,” Ash said.
“It’s done about 68,000 km since I restored it five years ago.
“We have a great time as a club, moking all over Victoria and beyond, with a recent trip to see our Moke mates in Tasmania.
“Other Moking groups around the country also run big events such as a biennial roundup in Tamworth, but Mokes are just as reliable off road with some owners venturing farther afield to places like the Simpson Desert or on holidays to permitted beaches.
The Moke club of Victoria is celebrating 60 years of the Moke in Australia, bringing 30 vehicles to the 49th Historic Winton.
Ash said that for much of the 1970s, the Mini Moke was the cheapest car in Australia.
“My Moke was my Dad’s and he was the second owner,” he said, with the car first used to go round in second gear as a guard’s car at a chemical waste facility in Melbourne.
“I’m 24 and Dad bought the car at about the same age, so it’s been part of the family lifestyle for a long time.
“It was in good condition, but Dad still chose to do it up including having the shell hot dip galvanised in Shepparton.
“Dad had to talk the galvanisers into doing it as they didn’t know if it would work. They did, and the shape did warp after being dipped in molten zinc but reformed correctly as it cooled down, thank goodness.”
Manufacture of the Mini Moke commenced in Australia in 1966.
Originally, the Mini Moke was made as an army vehicle, a poor man’s Jeep, used by the army in the 70s. When that didn’t work out, it was marketed as a utility and recreational car.
Ash said it was a great car for people who liked camping, which is what Ash will do at Historic Winton.
Historic Winton is Australia’s longest running historic motorsport event, commencing at Winton Motor Raceway in 1976.
Edge-of-your-seat historic car racing, parades and car displays as well as great food and an automotive market will give spectators and motoring enthusiasts a fabulous two days of historic car action on May 30 and 31 this year.
