Held as part of the Clarendon Classic Rally, at Hawkesbury Showground in Clarendon, NSW, the 2023 Kenworth Klassic brought together over 700 trucks, which made for an impressive display.
Held on the third weekend in September each year, the event took place last weekend on September 16 and 17, with over 5000 people coming through the gates.
Designed as a family fun day, Clarendon Classic Rally event co-ordinator Steve Muscat says there are no truck awards handed out, it’s just “a fun day for all”.
Of the trucks on display, around 500 were Kenworths of various models and ages. There were also other trucks on display dating as far back as the 1920s.
“The range of Kenworths on display was a real highlight. But with the popularity of the whole vintage truck movement, the vintage truck scene has really grown too over the past 10 years of so,” added Muscat.
“We had trucks there from Tasmania, Queensland and even Western Australia. And they reckon they’re coming back again. Normally once they’ve come here once, they’ll come back again.”
The real big rigs were joined by Little Big Rigs Sydney, with incredible life-like, remote-controlled scale truck models. Muscat says these are always a hit with the kids and the big kids alike!
Along with the massive display of trucks, there were steam engines, aeroplanes, radial aircraft engines, army tanks, military displays and a vintage tractor pull.
As Muscat explained, he himself is a vintage machinery enthusiast. He’s been on the scene since he was just 14 and now has over 100 pieces of antique machinery, including 80 tractors, all of which he collects and restores. “I took 20-odd items to the show – it was eight semi trailer loads,” he said.