Great Lakes Historic Automobile Club Inc.

Well in the beginning, in a previous life I was a bank manager with the State Bank of NSW. I was transferred in late 1991 from manager Coffs Harbour to manage the Bank's then Tuncurry Branch (yes there was more than one bank in Tuncurry at that time, four actually). In Coffs I had been vice president of the Coffs Harbour Veteran & Vintage Car Club, and had my 1961 Bedford coach and 1952 AEC Regal bus on their plates. I and my family enjoyed many wonderful activities with the Coffs Club. They were a great group of people.
On my arrival in the Great Lakes I found no classic car club. I got together with local car identities Allen Curtis and Col McDonald and suggested to them that there was a need for a Club locally. My expertise was the legal, constitutional and formation aspects of forming a club while Allen and Col had the local knowledge of those who might make up our formation membership, not to mention between them owning some thirty or forty cars.
Our first meeting was held at the Curtis Collection in December 1991, our first run to One Mile Beach in January in 1992. Perusing our first membership list, foundation members still in the club are John Amato, Dick Cawley, John Daniel, Peter Darbin, and myself. 
The foundation membership contained twenty seven names Over the fifteen years since inception the Club has had six presidents, Col McDonald, Ron Taaffe, Bob Burns, Ray Sonter (x2), Peter Cole and our current incumbent Ron Pulling. There has been four treasurers - Garry Cater, Graham Smith, Brian Rees and Ross Humphries, one Registrar and Assistant Registrar John Daniel and John Amato, and one secretary, myself.
A club magazine was commenced just after the club's inception, the first magazine to carry the name Exhaust Notes published in June 1992. Bruce Molin thought of the name and was the foundation editor. 
I took over in October 1992 and have filled the roll ever since. The magazine has come a long way, being initially put together with a typewriter and produced at Old Bar School. In November 1994 Eric from EDN Print & Mail in Leura took over printing the magazine, with an upgrade in quality, In 2005 Bookworks of Lakemba took over. I started preparing the magazine on a computer a few years later. The magazine is now done electronically. 
The Club was initially formed with a charter to be a family based club where the cars are not our prime concern, people are. The cars are a common interest. Our club I am happy to say, I feel has met that first up aim.The committee we have had over the years from the president down have done a fabulous job, and I as founder would like to thank them for all the hard work. But at the end of the day a club is as only as good as its members, and this is where we are big winners. Our club is one of the very best around. We have a good reputation and the number of new folk joining us month after month is evidence of this.

Written by Chris Goodsell
Club Founder
Great Lakes Historic Automobile Club Inc.