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Wide Open Road
2010 - - 1893 -
2010 - ABC TV invites viewers to submit theircar stories
Australians love their cars and to help celebrate ABC TV is making a documentary series Wide Open Road about our obsession withautomobiles.
Cars have changed everything since their arrival a century ago and ABC TV wants your assistance to tell the story of how our humbleHoldens, Fords and Hyundais helped shape a nation.
Researchers for the documentary series are seeking stories, photos and footage of key eras and experiences that framed our socialhistory and drove popular culture. People with interesting stories about their car and fascinating images to boot are encouraged tocontact the ABC website abc.net.au/tv/wideopenroad
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2001 - Monaro is resurrected - part modern hellcar, part nostalgic revisiting.
Monaro is resurrected - part modern hell car, part nostalgic revisiting
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1986 - Unleaded petrol is legally mandated forAustralian petrol stations.
Unleaded petrol is legally mandated for Australian petrol stations.
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1982 - Falcon outsells Commodore.
Falcon outsells Commodore.
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1982 - Hans Tholstrup tows a caravan acrossAustralia.
Hans Tholstrup tows a caravan across Australia, from Steep Point WA to Byron Bay, behind a Daihatsu 4WD - extremeholidaymaking.
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1980 - GM-H closes its assembly line inPagewood.
GM-H closes its assembly line in Pagewood.
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1979 - Petrol prices rise by 50% through theyear.
Petrol prices rise by 50% through the year.
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1979 - The Monaro lapses out of production.
The Monaro lapses out of production.
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1977 - The Australian dollar is devalued; thisplus inflation causes a massive price risein cars.
The Australian dollar is devalued; this plus inflation causes a massive price rise in cars. A new Holden doubles in price in three years.
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1976 - The car is under threat in Sydney
The car is under threat in Sydney; both Liberal then the Wran Labor Governments favouring public transport over private. LiberalMinister John Fuller calls the car the "real villain" of Sydneys air pollution problem: "The day may not be too far distant when we willhave to say to residents of suburbia...You have every right to come into the city whenever you choose, but you don't necessarily havethe right to bring with you a tonne or more of pollution-producing machinery". Wran threatens to abandon Sydney's freeway plan. Carorganizations like the NRMA are incensed.
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1976 - GMH managing director Charles"Chuck" Chapman brings Larry Hartnettback into the Holden fold
GMH managing director Charles "Chuck" Chapman brings Larry Hartnett back into the Holden fold where he's re-christened Father ofthe Holden.
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1973 - Government drops imported-car tariff by25%
Government drops imported-car tariff by 25%, part of "rationalising "the industry and opening it to overseas competition.
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1973 - The ABC-TV show "Torque" premieres,with host Peter Wherrett; it runs off andon until 1980.
The ABC-TV show "Torque" premieres, with host Peter Wherrett; it runs off and on until 1980.
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1973 - The P76 Leyland is released.
The P76 Leyland is released; demand is high...too high. The company can't meet its production obligations and collapses as a result.
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1972 - Small cars begin eating away at the bigcars
Small cars begin eating away at the big cars; 4-cylinder Japanese imports gain 38% of the market.
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1970 - Number of new male driving licenceholders increases by 186%; the delayedonset of the baby boom.
Number of new male driving licence holders increases by 186%; the delayed onset of the baby boom.
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1968 - The Monaro HK is let loose upon thenation.
The Monaro HK is let loose upon the nation. It is followed by a muscle car explosion.
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1967 - Peter Wherrett starts Australias firstadvanced driver training school.
A racing driver and motoring journalist, Peter Wherrett, starts Australias first advanced driver training school.
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1963 - The Armstrong 500 is run on Bathurst'sMount Panorama circuit.
The Armstrong 500 is run on Bathurst's Mount Panorama circuit, beginning the Mountain's October Labour Day reign.
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1962 - The millionth Holden is made, a bronzeEJ station wagon.
The millionth Holden is made, a bronze EJ station wagon.
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1962 - Toyota begins making cars in Australiavia AMI.
Toyota begins making cars in Australia via AMI.
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1962 - Rail gauges between Vic and NSW arefinally standardised.
Rail gauges between Vic and NSW are finally standardised; the Southern Aurora runs between Sydney and Melbourne without aborder stop. Its far too late to make a difference.
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1961 - Breathalysing and follow-up bloodtesting is made law in Victoria.
Breathalysing and follow-up blood testing is made law in Victoria.
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1960 - Government imposes a 40% sales taxon new cars.
Government imposes a 40% sales tax on new cars, producing a sales slump and radical discounting; eventually the tax is woundback to 30%.
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1960 - Jack Brabham, the strong silent type,wins the world F1 championship.
Jack Brabham, the strong silent type, wins the world F1 championship. Goes on to win two more in 1965 and 1966.
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1960 - Inaugural Australian Touring Carchampionship.
Inaugural Australian Touring Car championship.
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1960 - Ford finally makes an Australian familycar, the Falcon.
Ford finally makes an Australian family car, the Falcon. But its a piece of crap - too low slung and fragile for Australian roads. Ford isable to recover quickly and make a good car to challenge Holdens market dominance.
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1957 - Ted Grey breaks the Australian landspeed record.
Ted Grey, driving a Chevrolet Special, breaks the Australian land speed record on a public road: 157.5 mph.
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1956 - Sydney's first traffic jam.
A giant traffic jam in Sydney's inner west and north on the Queens Birthday weekend (June 1) is the first big sign of motor mayhem tocome.
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1956 - Government restricts imported cars by25% and kit cars by 12.5%.
Government restricts imported cars by 25% and kit cars by 12.5%, driving local assembly plants to be set up by BMC, VW("Beetlemania") and Australian Motor Industries (Standard/Triumph).
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1955 - The first parking meters appear inAustralian city streets.
The first parking meters appear in Australian city streets.
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1955 - The deserts are opened for transport.
The deserts are opened for transport. Len Beadell, "the last explorer", surveys the Gunbarrel Highway and around 5500km of otherinland roads through the Gibson, Great Sandy and Great Victorian deserts, often travelling with his young family. Amazingly he'sdoing this because of Australia's weird involvement in the Atomic Age - the highways are built primarily to provide access toWoomera, Maralinga, and the outback rocket range. But Lens just interested in surveying and camping. The desert is now gracedwith 700 kilometre roads named after Len's wife and daughter, Anne and Connie Sue.
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1954 - The first "motel", the American Motel inBathurst, opens.
The first "motel", the American Motel in Bathurst, opens. Also the first Australian drive-in theatre, at Burwood in Victoria.
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1953 - The FJ Holden Special is launched.
The FJ Holden Special is launched.
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1953 - First REDeX trial round Australia held.
First REDeX trial round Australia held. 187 cars set off from Sydney Showground, including Gelignite Jack Murray in a Plymouth andan elderly woman, "Granny" Conway in an Austin A40. The course goes through Brisbane, Darwin, Adelaide and back to Sydney. Itturns into a madhouse on the road from Townsville to Mt Isa, when the trial descends into a no-holds-barred road race and cars crashall over the shop. "I had no trouble finding my way here", says the last driver in, I just followed the hubcaps. Another declares: "Only amadman would continue". 140 of them do so. Its eventually won by a...Peugeot.
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1953 - "Joyriding" - stealing cars for fun -becomes a major issue.
"Joyriding" - stealing cars for fun - becomes a major issue. Between 1953 and 1963 the number of vehicles illegally used doubles.The crime is seen as distinct from stealing the car for real - more a sort of unauthorised loan. Over half the joyridden cars are FX andFJ Holdens - very easy to break into and start.
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1950 - Petrol rationing ended by the incomingMenzies Liberal government.
Petrol rationing ended by the incoming Menzies Liberal government, who dangled it before the public like the ultimate carrot. It isenough to get him in the door. Car culture's about to go national...but it wont look like anything Chifley or Menzies imagined.
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1948 - The Holden FX is launched.
The Holden FX is launched. The name "Holden" is actually fifth on the GMH name list behind such gems as "Canbra" and "Lion". TheFX, with a fuel economy of 30 mpg and a top speed of 80 mph, goes on retail sale for a bit over 700 pounds in February 1949, amongthe buyers is Harley Tarrant. Demand exceeds supply for two years. It will be followed by the FJ model in 1953. By then, 120,000Holdens will have been sold.
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1946 - Larry Hartnett replaced as GM-Hmanaging director
Larry Hartnett replaced as GM-H managing director after US Head Office comes to see him as a bit off the leash - too interested inAustralia, not enough of a company man. Hartnett leaves GM in 1947.
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1946 - Australia is "car-starved" by US currencylimitations
Australia is "car-starved" by US currency limitations which send US vehicles into the luxury class. Small British cars make up 72% ofthe market... cheesy little things compared to the Fords and Chevys they had replaced.
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1945 - "Project 320", awholly-Australian-manufactured sixcylinder sedan
Led by engineer Bill Abbott, GM-H designers Roy Rainsford and Reg Hall go to Detroit to work with GM's top gun engineers on"Project 320", a wholly-Australian-manufactured six cylinder sedan based on a GM prototype which has been in storage since beforethe war. The Chifley Government underwrites the expense.
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1945 - World War II ends; 65,000 moreAustralians have been killed on theroads than died in the war.
World War II ends; 65,000 more Australians have been killed on the roads than died in the war.
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1943 - To help conserve energy, a nationalspeed limit of 40 mph is imposed, thenreduced to 30 mph.
To help conserve energy, a national speed limit of 40 mph is imposed, then reduced to 30 mph.
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1942 - The Japanese bomb Darwin; car lightsnow must be permanently masked forblackout.
The Japanese bomb Darwin; car lights now must be permanently masked for blackout. People start fitting "gas producers" and coalgas bags to their cars as petrol replacements.
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1941 - The Japanese enter the war, pressingAustralia's panic buttons.
The Japanese enter the war, pressing Australia's panic buttons. Petrol rationing becomes harsh reality; private cars are restricted to1000 miles a year. Then replacement of rubber tyres is banned. Conservatives lose the balance of power in Government and JohnCurtin takes over as PM, turning the nations eyes to America.
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1940 - Larry Hartnett changes his mind aboutthe need to make cars in Australia
Larry Hartnett changes his mind about the need to make cars in Australia "directly the war tempo enables the project to besatisfactorily handled". GM-H goes on to make aircraft engines, guns, boats and marine diesel engines during WW2 - a confidencebuilder.
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1939 - World War II begins in the Europeantheatre.
World War II begins in the European theatre. Australian drivers mostly blithely ignore calls to self-ration petrol.
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1937 - Maroubra Speedway is finallydemolished to make way for HousingCommission flats.
Maroubra Speedway is finally demolished to make way for Housing Commission flats.
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1935 - Charles Kingsford-Smith goes to Britainto try to find financial support for hisdream car
Charles Kingsford-Smith goes to Britain to try to find financial support for his dream car, the Southern Cross - named after his famousplane. Support is not forthcoming. The car is too complicated to be built to a profit. Short of cash to get home, Smithy found a sponsorfor an air speed record between London and Sydney...but his plane disappeared off the coast of Burma and was never seen again.
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1934 - The first Ford ute is sold; likewise thefirst GM-H ute.
The first Ford ute is sold; likewise the first GM-H ute. Ford and Holden still argue over who did it first. But the ute is a body over apre-made chassis from overseas. Most agree that a wholly Australian made car, chassis and all, is still too hard.
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1934 - Larry Hartnett takes over as managingdirector of GM-H.
Larry Hartnett takes over as managing director of GM-H.
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1932 - 30% unemployment; numbers have nowfallen to 13,921 new cars sold.
30% unemployment; numbers have now fallen to 13,921 new cars sold.
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1932 - GM-H is born.
General Motors Australia and Holden Motor Body Builders officially merge for protection from the Depression; GM-H is born.
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1932 - The Sydney Harbour Bridge opens.
The Sydney Harbour Bridge opens.
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1930 - 571,417 cars on Australian roads
571,417 cars on Australian roads - but new car sales have fallen apart. Only 40,130 sold this year.
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1930 - Don Robertson does the last officialSydney-Melbourne dash
Don Robertson does the last official Sydney-Melbourne dash, racking up 9 hours 16 minutes. Two more drivers are killed trying tobeat this record. Police then ban any further speed attempts on public roads.
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1928 - Birtles drives Sundowner, his old BritishBean car, from London to Melbourne.
Birtles drives Sundowner, his old British Bean car, from London to Melbourne. The trip takes eight months and he pulls through crazyhardships before encountering a customs man at Darwin, who demands that he pays import duty on the car. Eventually he cables thePrime Minister and receives permission to proceed. At journeys end in front of the Melbourne GPO he is told to move on by a cop -he's obstructing traffic!
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1927 - Norman "Wizard" Smith drives twoHarkness cars.
Norman "Wizard" Smith drives two Harkness cars - one mounted with a huge 12-cylinder supercharged engine owned by the RAAF -and sets a 10-mile speed average of 164 mph.
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1927 - Vehicle sales peak with 103,637 in theyear.
Vehicle sales peak with 103,637 in the year. They wont reach this height again till 1949.
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1926 - Marion Bell and her daughter becomethe first women to drive around Australia
Marion Bell and her daughter become the first women and only the third drivers ever to complete the round-Australia driving trip.
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1926 - Maroubra Speedway running companygoes bust.
Maroubra Speedway running company goes bust and the speedway is closed after five deaths on the track.
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1925 - Main Roads Act in NSW sets in placethe Department of Main Roads.
Main Roads Act in NSW sets in place the Department of Main Roads.
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1925 - Ford assembles 12,500 Model Ts in thefirst year.
Ford has factories in Geelong, Sydney, Fremantle and Tasmania; assembles 12,500 Model Ts in the first year.
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1925 - Australia's first petrolhead, DonHarkness.
Australia's first petrolhead, Don Harkness, who started his mechanical career by repairing an aircraft engine, loads a 250hpHispano-Suiza plane motor into a car chassis and drives it at 120 mph on Gerringong Beach, becoming the first Aussie over 100mph.Harkness eventually wins 50 races in his modified 1924 Overland car, which he names "Whitey".
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1924 - Holden makes 22,150 car bodies.
Holden makes 22,150 car bodies, about half the nation's total production. Edward Holden, Henry's son, signs deal with GeneralMotors to build their bodies for Australia.
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1924 - A.V. Turner blows away Sydney toMelbourne record.
A.V. Turner blows away Sydney to Melbourne record with 13 hours, 47 minutes - and 28 speeding fines.
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1923 - Construction of Maroubra Speedwaybegins; it opens in 1925, with facilitiesfor 90,000 spectators.
Construction of Maroubra Speedway begins; it opens in 1925, with facilities for 90,000 spectators.
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1921 - Francis Birtles is hired by thegovernment to help explore the country.
Francis Birtles is hired by the government to help explore the country ahead of a proposed Oodnadatta-Alice Springs rail extension.His car explodes and he and travelling companion Roy Fry almost die of their burns. Saved by Aboriginals who ride to a nearbystation to alert the cattlemen.
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1921 - The "Southern Six" tries to be Australiasfirst uniquely Aussie car.
The "Southern Six" tries to be Australias first uniquely Aussie car.
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1920 - NRMA founded in its original form (theNational Roads Association).
NRMA founded in its original form (the National Roads Association).
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1920 - 75,628 cars on the road.
75,628 cars on the road.
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1919 - Fred Gordon founds the Australian Six.
After visiting Louis Chevrolet in the USA, Fred Gordon founds the Australian Six; builds around 900 six-cylinder cars. Charles Innesgoes into business building a six cylinder Lincoln. The true Aussie family car is bornbut not quite. Both businesses eventually fail.
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1917 - Bert Cheney encourages Holden to builda factory.
Holden gets a big boost when government regulations mandate that two of every three car bodies must be made in Australia. BertCheney encourages Holden to build a factory to deal with Dodge, which he distributes.
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1917 - Alice Anderson opens her garage andchauffer service in Melbourne.
Alice Anderson opens her garage and chauffer service in Melbourne.
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1916 - First driver to beat theSydney-Melbourne express train time.
Boyd Edkins, later founding chairman of the NRMA, is first driver to beat the Sydney-Melbourne express train time, doing the trip in 16hours, 55 minutes.
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1915 - Birtles takes his dog Wowser on a trip toBirdsville.
Birtles takes his dog Wowser on a trip to Birdsville. Wowser so named because "he looked upon the world with a fixed expression ofdisapproval". The pair almost die of thirst when the car is bogged.
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1914 - Henry J. Holdens Adelaide vehicle fittingcompany builds its first car body.
Henry J. Holdens Adelaide vehicle fitting company builds its first car body.
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1913 - The Caldwell brothers test drive the firstever four wheel drive car.
The Caldwell brothers, Felix and Norman, of Adelaide, test drive the first ever four wheel drive car at Botany Bay sand dunes. The caralso features all wheel steering.
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1912 - Birtles and Syd Ferguson make the firsttranscontinental drive from Fremantle toSydney.
Birtles and Syd Ferguson make the first transcontinental drive from Fremantle to Sydney, via Broken Hill, with Rex the fox terrier in aBrush Company one cylinder car. Rex has to be tied to the car at night so he doesnt get into brawls with the dingoes. The trip takes28 days, they finish at the Sydney GPO.
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1911 - The town of Sale, Victoria sets a townspeed limit of 5mph. Small towns arescared of cars.
The town of Sale, Victoria sets a town speed limit of 5mph. Small towns are scared of cars.
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1910 - 12,000 cars registered throughout thenation.
12,000 cars registered throughout the nation.
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1910 - Australia's first drunk driving conviction.
Australia's first drunk driving conviction - John Edward Bywater, a chauffer, is arrested after an accident and fined 40 shillings plus 75shillings in costs.
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1908 - The Ford Model T is born. 348 are soldin the first year.
The Ford Model T is born. 348 are sold in the first year. Eventually 250,000 will be put on Aussie roads.
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1907 - Harry Dutton and Murray Aunger try todrive from Adelaide to Darwin.
Harry Dutton and Murray Aunger try to drive from Adelaide to Darwin in a 20hp Talbot bought by Dutton for 800 pounds. Have to huntdown wild donkeys to pull the car out of bogs. Finally car gets stuck hopelessly and the pair hitch back to Oodnadatta by camel train.They buy another more powerful car and head off again on June 30 1908. Recover the first car, fix it, drive through a bushfire andfinally make it to Darwin after 51 days on the "road". The first car, which they named "Angelina", finishes the trip by train.
Bizarrely, they bump into the cyclist Francis Birtles in the middle of the drive - it's Francis's first encounter with long distance motoring.
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1907 - Captain Oswald Watt begins thecity-to-city record craziness by travellingfrom Sydney to Melbourne.
Captain Oswald Watt begins the city-to-city record craziness by travelling from Sydney to Melbourne in two days, 17 hours and 26minutes. The express train takes 17 hours.
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1907 - Harry James and H.L. Stevens drive1243km on public roads.
Harry James and H.L. Stevens drive 1243km on public roads in a single 24-hour period and promptly claim a world record.
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1906 - First known driving licence issued, toWilliam Hargreaves of Adelaide.
First known driving licence issued, to William Hargreaves of Adelaide.
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1905 - RACQ formed in Queensland.
RACQ formed in Queensland.
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1905 - Australia's first long-distance trial event,from Sydney to Melbourne.
Australia's first long-distance trial event, from Sydney to Melbourne, sponsored by Dunlop and promoted by Dunlop's publicitydirector, Harry James (great-uncle of Peter Brock). Mrs Ben Thomson is a game female challenger in an otherwise all-male field.Harley Tarrant is the overall winner in a Scottish car known as an Argyle. Ten months later, another Dunlop trial is held, going theother way (Melbourne to Sydney) - it is a tie, so the race turns around and races back to Melbourne.
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1904 - The first Ford car, a model A, reachesAustralia.
The first Ford car, a model A, reaches Australia.
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1904 - lbert Ohlmeyer of the Barossa Valleymakes "The Jigger".
lbert Ohlmeyer of the Barossa Valley makes "The Jigger" - was driven until 1923 by which time it was thought to have covered 80,000kilometres.
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1904 - Australia's first real motor race atSandown.
Australia's first real motor race at Sandown.
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1903 - Tarrant founds Melbourne Motor BodyWorks.
Tarrant founds Melbourne Motor Body Works.
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1903 - The Wood cycle company set up as acar maker, making the Australis model.Close down again in 1908.
The Wood cycle company set up as a car maker, making the Australis model. Close down again in 1908.
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1903 - Richard Lean of Lithgow NSW imports aDe Dion engine and builds a car.
Richard Lean of Lithgow NSW imports a De Dion engine and builds a car for trips back and forth to Bathurst (site of the Bathurst500!). On first trip he takes along the local cop, Sgt Burns, to check for roadworthiness. "Let's see if yer brakes work", says the sgt,and is flung forward out of the car when they do.
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1903 - Automobile Club of Victoria is formed.
Automobile Club of Victoria is formed.
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1902 - George Innes is the first driver to bebooked for speeding.
George Innes is the first driver to be booked for speeding, a police officer chases him down a Sydney street at 8mph and fines him 10shillings.
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1900 - Vivian Lewis and Murray Aunger maketheir first car in Adelaide.
Vivian Lewis and Murray Aunger make their first car in Adelaide; invited to show it off at an agricultural show but it scares the animalsand angers the crowd.
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1900 - The first Tarrant is made, sold for 225pounds to DW Chandler and Co ofFitzroy.
The first Tarrant is made, sold for 225 pounds to DW Chandler and Co of Fitzroy.
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1900 - The Home Made Car Era. 20 carsregistered throughout the nation.
The Home Made Car Era. 20 cars registered throughout the nation.
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1900 - Herbert Thomson and Edward Holmesbegin the first interstate car trip.
Herbert Thomson and Edward Holmes begin the first interstate car trip, from Bathurst to Melbourne, in a 5hp kerosene/steam car. Thetrip takes 10 days, the car is bogged, creeks have to be forded, average speed is 14km/h. Thomson goes on to be Australias firstproduction car maker but only makes 12 vehicles.
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1899 - Henry Sutton of Melbourne builds afour-wheeler front wheel drive car
Henry Sutton of Melbourne builds a four-wheeler front wheel drive car with a differential and a two speed gearbox, plus all wheelsteering.
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1898 - Gladiator Cycle Company to put ondemonstrations of cycling.
Frenchwoman Mlle Authelmina Serpolette, 24 years of age, comes to Australia courtesy of the Gladiator Cycle Company to put ondemonstrations of cycling and of the Gladiator motorised tricycle. She gets short shrift from the cycling columnist of The Criticnewspaper, who "doubts whether Mlle is anything out of the ordinary except as an advertiser for ------'s cycles". But she puts onexhibitions of both cycling and motor-triking in Perth, Fremantle, Adelaide and Sydney, where she rides the motor-trike at the SydneyCricket Ground. She wears a specially designed split skirt instead of her normal bloomers in deference to the conservative mood inAustralia at the time. Later she is injured while riding the trike in Centennial Park and taken to hospital.
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1897 - Harley Tarrant makes two cars inMelbourne
Harley Tarrant makes two cars in Melbourne and sells them for 33 pounds each; begins business with partners Howard Lewis (worldspeed record holder on a penny farthing cycle), Frederick Grimwade and Bill Ross.
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1897 - The Pioneer four-wheeler with akerosene engine is built in Melbourne.
The Pioneer four-wheeler with a kerosene engine is built in Melbourne courtesy of a group of local businessmen; called "Australia'sFirst Motor Car" by a number of newspapers. They get the governor of Vicco, Lord Brassey, to ride in it for PR.
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1897 - George Menere of Windsor, Melbourne,builds a two wheeler steam drivenmotorbike.
George Menere of Windsor, Melbourne, builds a two wheeler steam driven motorbike - rides it for the next seven years.
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1897 - Harley Tarrant builds his first car,powered by a Benz motor.
Harley Tarrant builds his first car, powered by a Benz motor.
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1897 - Hertel quadricycle the first car importedinto Australia.
Hertel quadricycle the first car imported into Australia.
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1896 - Charles Highland of Annandale, Sydneybuilds a three-wheeler with a Daimlerpetrol engine.
Charles Highland of Annandale, Sydney builds a three-wheeler with a Daimler petrol engine with the help of the Wood cycle firm.Follows up in 1897 with a four-wheeler powered by a De Dion motor.
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1896 - David Shearer of South Australiafinishes a large four-wheel steam drivencar.
David Shearer of South Australia finishes a large four-wheel steam driven car.
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1896 - Knight-Eaton demonstrates atwo-wheeled motor vehicle in George StSydney.
Knight-Eaton demonstrates a two-wheeled motor vehicle in George St Sydney. Reported in the Sydney Observer of 25 April that year.Watched by a crowd of 5000, it went to Circular Quay and back.
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1893 - Mr H Knight-Eaton builds a small petrolengine and mounts it on a pedal tricycle.
Mr H Knight-Eaton of the Austral Cycle Works in Brisbane builds a small petrol engine and mounts it on a pedal tricycle. (Cycling andthe first cars go hand in hand; safe bicycles only predate cars by a few years.)
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