While Geelong came about third in the recent Melbourne football competition, it’s the winner when it comes to autos. In November the Motor City of Melbourne, the Detroit of the Dandenongs, the Car City of Corio Bay is home to the one of the world’s greatest motoring festivals, the second annual Geelong Revival. Out Goodwooding Goodwood, acting mayor Bruce Harwood and his council including, Eddy Kontelj, the holder of two Guinness World records for the longest static cycling marathons, have put together two days of sprints, shows, fashion, food markets and a $79 gala dinner (this includes welcome drinks and a three course meal) that would make even the city’s most famous resident, Barry Crocker, rush back to his birthplace.
Younger readers might not remember that Barry wrote and recorded the Geelong Football Club’s theme song ‘Come on the Cats’. However, he is best known for that wonderful song from the classic piece of film blanc Barry McKenzie holds his own, ‘My One Eyed Trouser Snake’.
They’re so keen on cars in Geelong they named their biggest bridge after Lewis Bandt (real first name Louis but who’s checking?) the inventor of the ute. At 19 Lou went to work at Ford as a draughtsman and ended up as the company’s first Australian designer. The inaugural ute came off the production line in 1933. Henry Ford called them Kangaroo Chasers but of course both Ford and GM soon began making, what would become, their most profitable products.
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