The ninth annual run of the ‘Land Rover Series 1 Enthusiasts, New Zealand’ group took place at the end of February 2020 in Clevedon, South Auckland. We are not a club – just a bunch of total strangers who have nothing else in common other than a passion to keep Land Rover Series 1s on the road.
The trips started back in 2011 when Leon Zwetsloot from Upper Hutt sent out an email to everyone that was on the mailing list for the historic ‘Oxford to Cambridge’ run several years earlier, to see if anyone would be interested in another meeting. This first trip was covered in the April 2011 edition of the NZ4WD Magazine.
The inaugural trip had seven pre-1958 Series 1s gather in Taumarunui to work our way via hundreds of kilometres of dusty back roads to finish in Napier two days later.
Then, having been well organised almost 12 months in advance, posted on the ‘Land Rover Series 1 Enthusiasts, New Zealand’ Facebook Page – and being centrally located – the eighth gathering, at Carterton north-east of Wellington last year, attracted 26 pre-1958 Series 1s from as far north as Auckland and south as Wanaka.
On the last night of each trip we have a ‘Last supper’ together and discuss suggestions for the location of the following years run. I was keen on the Whanganui area – so keeping it in the central North Island, but in October 2019 the announcement was made that the 2020 event would be held in Clevedon and based in Camp Sladdin.
Close to home
This had the advantage for me of being close to home – actually right next door – but each year they have been held I have looked forward to the ‘Roadie’ in my vintage Land Rover, so decided to meet those travelling up from Wellington and surrounding districts halfway – in Taupo – this time around.
I chucked a sleeping bag and a box of beer in the back of my 1955 86” – rolled the canvas sides up – and drove off through the only rain Auckland had seen for over three months! I sat on the motorway all the way to just north of Te Awamutu where I stopped off for a catch-up lunch with NZ4WD magazine contributor Ashley Lucas before heading south to Kinloch via Whakamaru and Mangakino.
We headed back up through Kihikihi and back to Ashley’s – who made us all very welcome with a hot cuppa on the deck – on our way back up from Taupo before we headed up through Pirongia to hook off the new Waikato Expressway and head north through Orini – the eastern side of Lake Waikare and Kopuku and up through the Paparimu–Hunua valley to arrive at beer o’clock at Camp Sladdin in Clevedon. These chaps had no idea where they were, and couldn’t believe they were on the outskirts of New Zealand’s largest city.
Once everyone who was expected had indeed made it and signed in there was a quick team briefing to sort out the sleeping accommodation before the beers and wine were broken out.
Saturday morning saw a final few Land Rovers arrive, including the V8 Defender of our guide for the day, Duncan Munro.
Off-road fun
Soon after we headed out onto the main road south to Kawakawa Bay and over the hill to Cashmore’s farm for Duncan’s safety briefing. We all fitted our spark arrestors before heading up the valley trying our hand at some stream crossings and testing our 60+ year old ‘Armstrong’ steering on the rocky stream bed and bone dry cattle pugged paddocks.
We returned to the cattle yards and headed up the next track taking us to a UHF Radio repeater site high on the hills with views south down the Firth of Thames for morning tea, before descending into the next valley, only to climb the boundary track through dense bush to one of the highest points in the district for lunch.
Fortunately, the weather held affording us good grip, as many had road tyres – and outstanding views north over the islands of the Hauraki Gulf beyond the city, at the area often used for the NZ4WD Magazine vehicle testing.
Cups of tea and lunch consumed we headed back to Kawakawa Bay via Duncan’s own property for a quick ice cream and placed our orders for our picnic dinner before heading up through Cauldry’s property to the top of the southern headland of Kawakawa Bay.
From here we headed back up the valley to Richardson’s where we followed a ridge line paralleling the road over to Cashmore’s, and climbed to a high point, but with the mature forest, no view was acquired.
Back down the hill tracks to the road just in time to collect our food from the Kawakawa Bay shop to picnic in the cool evening breeze on the beach with fish n’ chips in paper – and Susi supplying squirts of the obligatory Tomato Sauce to a welcoming crowd.
On display
Sunday was another early start, rally and roll out to the Clevedon Farmers Market. Although living within sight of the Farmers Market, I had never been – and although afforded an hour to browse, Duncan and I engaged in a discussion of local Clevedon history of the 1860s and before I could move three metres from the Land Rover, it was time to move on to the Brit & Euro car show held at Lloyd Elsmore Park in Pakuranga. Best part of all, I was leading the convoy through heavy Sunday morning traffic. Joy.
Growing up in the area, I knew what to expect and had planned our route well, so minimal traffic lights and the right-of-way at the round-abouts – but I wish I had a camera for the faces of my southern friends as we hit the outskirts of Howick. I was on the PRS telling them which lanes to be in – and picking ‘catch-up’ points to keep the 13 Series 1s in a tight pack. The planning paid off with all 13 arriving at the biggest Brit and Euro car show in the southern hemisphere – in convoy with our lights on. It was quite a sight. We were even able to line up together backing on to the Rover Car and ‘Land Rover Owners Club Auckland’ display.
After two hours at the show we pulled out, and I led the group out of the city and back via the coast of Maraetai at full tide – through Clevedon and on to view the ‘Warbirds’ Museum. We then returned to Clevedon for a quick scrub up and headed off to dinner and prizegiving at the Papakura RSA.
We thought it prudent to ‘car-pool’ instead of leaving precious Series 1’s unattended and unlocked in the car-park, so myself, Duncan and Martin provided transport in our Defenders and gave the drivers the night off. A great night and a great meal was topped off by the extremely kind offer from Duncan Munro to present every driver an autographed copy of his book A Farmer Affair – The Legend of the Land-Rover Icon as a tribute to our team for keeping the Series 1s on the road.
Monday dawned and it was time for ‘Goodbyes’ for another year.
I have said it before and will say it again – nothing brings people together like Series 1 Land Rovers – and this trip was no exception. New friends were made and old friends enjoyed.
Thanks guys ‘n gals!
A big thank you must go out to Adam and Angela Plimmer for organising the access and accommodation at Clevedon, Leon Zwetsloot for bringing us all together again and Duncan Munro for his kind generosity of his time and his gift of our lasting memento of a special time spent together in a place I call home – Clevedon.
Plans are already under way for next year’s trip. Hot contenders are Gisborne or Whanganui. Anyone with a pre-1958 Series 1 Land Rover is free to join us for the trip. Get in touch with Leon Zwetsloot at leonz@xtra.co.nz to get on his mailing list – and stay up to date on Facebook – ‘Land Rover Series 1 Enthusiasts,
New Zealand’ and see our trips on Youtube: ‘Kevz110’
Story & photos by Kevin Isemonger
