Auckland’s annual Hunua 100 Rally has long been a fixture on the calendar, traditionally a 100 plus mile rally run at Labour weekend. As numbers have been on the decline in recent years, the branch committee decided a revamp was required. Renamed to the Hunua Spring Tour, a title incorporating the event's history, originally the Spring Rally, keeping Hunua as the identifier and the change to a touring event versus a rally. Entrants were able to opt-in to be competitive if they wished. The changes clearly hit the mark. with over 50 entrants, a 70+% increase over last year.

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The tour started in Ramarama, a rural suburb in South Auckland, where a delicious morning tea of sausage rolls and homemade scones were provided.  The Spring weather was perfect as entrants headed south through the upper Waikato to pass through Rangiriri and loop past the Whangamarino Wetlands, (yes, those that have been in the news as a large fire has devastated the area) and onto lunch at Mangatawhiri Hall.

 

After lunch, it was a short drive to Clevedon, where over 100 people were treated to a tour of Zealandia Horticulture. This company is the source of most of New Zealand’s domestic vegetable and flower plants, providing 1400 plant varieties sold at Nurseries, Bunnings and Mitre 10. The facility is a state-of-the-art, computer-controlled facility, reusing all water collected from the large roof area and using local forestry slash to woodchip and use in the boilers to keep a constant heat in the glass houses. Packaging is blow moulded on-site, and any waste is reused. It is a very impressive facility, and all enjoyed the visit. Thanks to the owners for making the facility available to us.

  

The route plotters, Peter Alderdice and Paul Tomlin, kept the instructions straightforward and simple but still included some tricks to find a winner from those who wanted to be competitive. Congratulations to Rodger and Val Ball (1930 Model A) who were the overall winners by one point from Wayne and Carrie Roberts (1924 Velie). Trevor Hackett (1949 Vincent) won the motorcycle class. Alan and Shaaran Price (1949 Chevrolet Styleline) won the PWV class and Colin and Pam Bell (1979 Holden Premier) won the P60/P80 class.