General News
2 November, 2023
Purvis Eureka’s set to arrive on mass
A PIECE of Australian motoring history will descend on Camperdown and surrounds this weekend.
A PIECE of Australian motoring history will descend on Camperdown and surrounds this weekend.
The annual Eureka Nationals which sees Purvis Eureka Car Club of Australia members gathering to celebrate all things Purvis Eureka during the club’s annual rally this weekend.
The group of about 50 members, bringing an expected 10 cars, will begin arriving on Friday.
Saturday will see the Eurekas hitting the road and enjoying some of the local delights including Dairylicious Fudge Farm, GORGE Chocolates, Simpson for a historical talk 12 Apostles, Port Campbell for a late lunch, Peterborough, Timboon Fine Ice Cream before returning to Camperdown.
Club members will enjoy an evening dinner held at the Kilara Centre which will see certificates and awards handed out.
Locals will get the chance to take a look at the iconic cars on Sunday with the cars on show adjacent to the monthly Camperdown Rotary Club market near the Killara Centre.
A peoples choice voting competition will be also held during the showcase with one lucky voter able to win a framed piece of Purvis Eureka memorabilia.
Later in the day the group will head to Cobden for a round of mini golf testing their prowess with a putter.
Local Purvis Eureka owners Neil and Lynda Podger, who have organised the national meet, said they were looking forward to it.
“It (the Eureka Nationals) hasn’t been held in Victoria for a couple of year,” Mr Podger said.
“I’m very much looking forward to it.
“It’s been a 12-month long project; it’s all fallen together really well.”
Mr Podger said it had been a boyhood dream of his to own a Purvis Eureka, with his being a F4 and one of the last iterations of the vehicle produced.
“I’ve had it for about six years,” he said.
“I found it in Tasmania. I went over and had one look at it and said “it’s coming back with me”.
“Way back in the day I loved them for some strange reason, but they were an extremely expensive car as a kit form.”
The Purvis Eureka sports car, produced by Purvis Cars at Dandenong in Victoria, rolled off the production line between 19 74 and 1991.
The Eureka was based on the British Nova kit car design of 1971 and was first unveiled in Australia at the Melbourne International Motor Show on March 8, 1974 by Allan Purvis.
Mr Podger said there was only a handful remaining on the road today.
He encouraged residents to take up the opportunity to view the cars in person in Camperdown on Sunday.
“There will be members here from Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and West Australia,” Mr Podger said.
“We will also have Allan Purvic here over the weekend as a special guest.”