I would like to thank all club members who have assisted to make this club year very successful. We have had a hard-working committee, supported by various appointees, who have put in a huge effort to keep things on track and allowed the club to prosper and grow.

Although Vice President Richard Sellars was not called upon too often, he was always willing to step up, including taking meeting minutes in Secretary Duane’s absence. Richard has prepared guidelines for nominating Life Membership, based on his research and experience with kindred organisations. This has been adopted by the club and we are grateful to him for his work in this regard.

Secretary Duane Kaak continues to be a tower of strength within the club and provides us with great service. It is hard to imagine the club running successfully without Duane.

Our treasurer, Lisa Macleod maintains the books very efficiently. Having had this role for the previous 10 years, I know what a time consuming and at times complicated job this is, and the club owes Lisa a debt of gratitude for her hard work. We had budgeted for a deficit for the club year, however managed to finish at close to break even. Lisa and I also attended a Federation, one-day workshop with the ATO regarding tax return requirements to which all not for profits must comply. Again, Lisa was able to lodge our tax return on time, and we did not incur any tax liability.

Katherine Bradley as Fastrak Editor position two years ago and continues to produce an excellent publication each month. Again, we are very grateful for all she does in this production.

Neil Martin relinquished the role of Competition Secretary last year, and Secretary Duane Kaak has taken on this role in addition to his other secretarial duties. Unfortunately, we did not have a team to compete in the MSCA 6 Hour Regularity Relay this year, and we have only small number of members participating in competition events.

Life Member, Natalie Farrell as social secretary provided a great range of monthly events which continue to be well attended. Several members have assisted Natalie by organising individual monthly runs. Lawrie and Kaye Placing continue to arrange mid-week lunch runs which have a small but keen following. Thanks to all who have contributed to the varied program.

Ian Rigby has, as he does every year, carried a heavy club load, and worked tirelessly as Conditional Registration Scheme Registrar and Membership Officer. Ian has a band of helpers on his committee, and I thank these members for assisting Ian in this major role. Ian is also our representative on the Federation of Historic Motoring Clubs and has been instrumental in gaining grants from the Federation for our Day of Triumph.

Bill and Margie Berlemon ran the Weekender again this year, this time based at Burra. This three-day, two-night event was highly successful and enjoyable, and is always a highlight of any club year. Bill has been on the sick list this year, and the club hopes that he is now over the worst and can get back to normal activities as soon as possible. Margie, along with Treasurer Lisa, has also been the stalwart on the door, and, together with Bill, organising the raffle and supper at club meetings. A particular vote of thanks to both Margie and Lisa, and other club members who have assisted for suppers.

Dean Berlemon was again the convenor of the day of Triumph Display Day, as well as Regalia sales. Dean, assisted by wife Lisa, did a great job and team Berlemon/Macleod remains integral to club operations and success.
Dean also joined the club executive committee this year . This came about because of there being no dedicated Competition Secretary in 2024/25. Our constitution provides for this position to be “Competition Secretary or Committee Member”. An anomaly of our constitution is that one of the most important roles in the club, that of Concessional Scheme Registrar is not a committee position. Altering the constitution is a laborious process, so I have proposed that the position of “Committee Member” be reserved for the Concessional Scheme Registrar if there is no separate Competition Secretary.

We had a great turnout of Triumphs at the All British Day in March and Stephen Wade was our club representative on the ABD Committee. Thanks to Stephen for all his effort albeit as well as being a member of TSOA, Stephen is also a member of several other British car clubs, so is representing more than just us on the ABD Committee.

Our Christmas Dinner continues to be our largest and best attended annual function of the year. Life member Sue Gibson, along with Natalie, is the main organiser of this event, as she has been for many years. Thanks, Sue once again for making this such a successful and enjoyable event.

This year has been very special as it is our 60th Anniversary. A TSOA club in South Australia was proposed by a then youthful Tony Case, together with the late Ron Fergusson. The first meeting was held on 22nd January 1965 at Ron Fergusson’s house to discuss the constitution and aims of the new club. To celebrate this milestone, we had a birthday lunch at Tea Tree Gully Golf Club on Sunday 20th July. This was a great event attended by around 90 past and present members. Secretary Duane Kaak was MC, and Life Member Roger Lange gave us great talk about the club through the years. The birthday cake was cut by life member Bob Anderson. Thanks to everyone who assisted in the organisation, helped on the day, provide photos and memorabilia, and attended the lunch.

We have maintained membership numbers at around 250 in total despite members leaving each year due in most cases, to having sold their vehicles. New members are joining, and our challenge is to get these new members involved with our club, which offers so much more than just the concessional registration scheme. I have encouraged new members to attend meetings and bring their vehicles for “cars on stage” which continues to be a key part of each meeting.

Storing and transporting our club equipment remains a significant task, and Ian Rigby and the Berlemons (Bill and Margie, as well as Dean and Lisa) continue to do most of this work. It would be great to see another club member take on some or all of this role as Ian, Dean and Lisa are already heavily committed to working for the club in many critical areas.

Our club has two awards for service made each year. The President’s Award is made to the Committee member who has made an outstanding contribution to the running of the club, and the Vice President’s Award is to a club member, other than a committee member. The committee is a small group, and all do a fantastic job. Our secretary, Duane Kaak is always ready and willing to take on any additional tasks asked of him, including this year, Competition Secretary, and MC of the 60th Birthday lunch. He is also on Ian’s Concessional Registration Scheme committee and does a lot to assist Ian in this regard. Duane’s joke telling is legendary, and he is always there to talk with me about any club issues that may arise. I am therefore very pleased to announce that Duane is the winner of the 2024/25 President’s Award.

Regards
Alex Smithson -President 2024-25

Sep 3rd : Wednesday – Mid week Lunch at Macclesfield – Laurie and Kaye Placing

Sep 16th : Tuesday – Meeting at Sporting Car Clubrooms 51 King William Rd, Unley

Sept 21st : Sunday – Day of Triumph – at the Birdwood Motor Museum. Keep this date free – information TBA

Sept 21st : Sunday – MSCA Super Sprint, Mallala

Oct 17th – Oct 24th – TSOA Nationals, Port Stevens NSW

Oct 18th : Saturday – a day with the TR Register Nationals. Drive to the Hahndorf Primary School Oval by 10 am for their show and shine (we are not included in the judging) and leave after 3 pm

Oct 19th Sunday – join with the TR register in the “Bay to Birdwood” This does mean that you have to register with Colin Baldock.

Oct 21st : Tuesday – Meeting at Sporting Car Clubrooms 51 King William Rd, Unley

Nov 2nd : Sunday – Observation Run . . . Details TBA

Nov 11th : Tuesday – Mid Week Lunch at Old Noarlunga Hotel – Laurie and Kaye Placing

Nov 16th : Sunday – MSCA Super Sprint, Mallala

Nov 22nd : Saturday – End of Year Dinner – at the Royal Adelaide Golf Club. 6.30PM . . . keep this date free!

On the 17th August Charlie and Carol Onody, set a run to the Gully Hotel for lunch, Thank you Charlie & Carol for your
contribution. It was a great run through the hills with no rain, to end up at the Gully Hotel for a lovely lunch. Thankyou
Charlie and Carol. We will be seeing a lot more of these two, as I have handed the baton onto them for the Social
Secretary position along with Dino Vettese.

It is time for me to pass it on to others now, as my life is changing and taking a new path, and I thank you all very
much for the help and associations I have had with the club over the 30 years I have been a member. Bob and I have
met some wonderful people all over Australia and been to places which we would never have seen if we were not a
member of the Triumph Club. So thankyou to you all.

Sunday September 21st is the Day of Triumph at the Birdwood Museum. Meet at the Museum. Judging starts at 10
am. So be early and enjoy the day. Contact Dean Berlemon for enquiries.

Don’t forget the TR Register is having their annual Rally in October and has asked us to participate on the weekend of
18th October to their show and shine at the Hahndorf Primary School Oval 10am – 3pm. Cars on the Oval by 9.30am.
Drinks and food are available at the oval and in aid of the school.

Also on the 19th October is the Bay to Birdwood parade, and the TR Register is getting a group of Triumphs together
to participate in that as well.

We would like an EXPRESSION OF INTEREST now! if you would like to attend in one or both events. Contact Colin
Baldock a member of both clubs email colbtr2@hotmail.com or mobile 0405 396 874 or myself.

Our Mid-Week Runs have turned into Mid-Week Lunches, and the next will be on the Wednesday 3rd September to
Macclesfield and after that one, to the Old Noarlunga Hotel on the 11th November Contact Lawrie or Kaye Placing to
book your attendance.

On Saturday the 22nd November we are having our End of Year Dinner at the Roal Adelaide Golf Club,
Tapley’s Hill Rd Seaton at 6.30 for a Happy ½ hour on the club. “ See Poster” Keep this date free as we would love to
see you there. Ring me with your attendance and Dietary requirements which are available. I am organising this
event for the social Secretaries.

Hope you can participate with the social side of the club as it is your club and we would love to see you there

Cheers,
Natalie Farrell
Social Secretary
0455 250 990

Prior to the July club meeting we had a thankyou night pizza meal for members who have helped the club during the year. The club does not run itself, and we have a range of people who make things happen, including the executive committee of Richard Sellers (Vice President), Duane Kaak (Club Secretary and Competition Secretary), Lisa Macleod (Treasurer), Natalie Farrell (Social Secretary), Katherine Bradley (Newsletter Editor) and Dean Berlemon (Committee Member, as well as Regalia and Display Day co-ordinator).

Other key club members include Ian Rigby as Membership/Concessional Registration Secretary and his committee of Duane, Kevin Foster and Graham Dean, mid-week run organisers, Laurie and Kaye Placing, Weekender organisers Bill and Margie Berlemon, Web Master Roger Lange, and Librarian Greg Page. Margie and Lisa also greet us at the door each meeting and organise the raffle, and Bill and Margie also organise supper rosters, and do much of this catering. Sue Gibson has for many years, organised the Christmas Dinner, and she and Rory remain very involved with our club. Various other club members also help out at events, including motor sport, Day of Triumph and organising individual runs.

I am very grateful for all club members who contribute to the running of our club, and hope that other members will give serious thought to becoming involved in some of these tasks at our AGM in August. Without members taking on these roles, our club will cease to function, despite being 250 strong.

There were no cars on stage at the July meeting, Unfortunately, the members who I organised to bring their vehicles were unable to do so, however cars on stage will resume as from our September meeting.

Our 60th Birthday Lunch at Dimples, Tea Tree Gully Golf Club was on Sunday 20th July, and was a great success and enjoyed by all who attended. A special thanks to Sue Dowden who is Business Manager at TTG Golf Club and was able to get us a special deal. We had around 80 attend the event, with more booked in, however there were some last-minute apologies for health reasons. Our Secretary, Duane Kaak was MC for the event, and as well as telling some very amusing jokes, up to the high standard he sets at our club meetings, also wrote and recited a great poem about our club which was arguably even better received by the attendees than his jokes. Life Member Roger Lange gave a great talk about the life of our club over 60 triumphant years of our history, and Life Member Bob Anderson cut the cake to celebrate the occasion. All attendees were able to take home an etched glass with our 60th logo, a printed placement/poster and a piece of birthday cake.

I would particularly like to thank Noel Schmidt who did the artwork for the 60th Logo, and also worked until midnight, one night getting the 250 or so photos for the slide show properly formatted, Dean and Lisa for organising the glasses and getting them etched, Duane and Roger for making the day so entertaining and enjoyable, Natalie and Sue Gibson for doing seating plan, Lawrie and Kaye Placing for manning the welcome desk, everyone who brought along memorabilia, trophies and supplied photographs, and. Last but far from least, my wife Sue for doing many behind the scenes tasks too numerous to mention.

The display of Triumph Cars did not go completely to plan, due to the excess of vehicles to parking spaces at TTG Golf Club on a Sunday morning and particularly around lunchtime. Whilst there was a spot on the pitching green reserved for us, it was not signposted, and lots of others at the Club who could not find anywhere in the car park, decided to park in our space. Ian Rigby has agreed to direct our vehicles to this area, but by the time most TSOA cars arrived, the pitching green was full of TTG members’ cars.

Victor Harbor Rock ‘N’ Roll Festival is returning for its 16th year from September 19 – 21, 2025. Cars will feature in Shannon’s Show ‘N’ Shine across Warland Reserve and Albert Place, and registration is free. Register now at rocknrollfestival.com.au via the Vehicle Display.

Alex Smithson
President

Thanks to Graham Keynes and Richard Sellers for bringing their Stags along to this month’s meeting and having them on stage, for a club “Stag Night”.

Richard has recently sold his TR8 to an interstate buyer and purchased a very tidy white Stag from Collectible Classics at Strathalbyn. Unfortunately, Richard has been through bit of a bad patch, health-wise, and has not driven his new car more than a handful of times but is very happy with how it drives.

Graham has a Tahiti Blue Stag which was at some time previously, owned by past club member, David Treen. I have been going through old photos of club events for a slide show at the 60th Birthday lunch and have seen this car is in several of those photos, when in David’s ownership. Graham is also greatly enjoying the Stag experience.

I am pleased to advise that we have over 80% of members financial as at the writing of this report. If you have yet to pay your subscriptions for 2025/26, please make sure these are paid prior to 30th June and save a lot of unnecessary work for Treasurer Lisa.

The Conditional Registration committee of Ian Rigby, Kevin Foster, Duane Kaak and Graham Dean were once again, hard at work stamping logbooks at the June meeting. Remember that you need to have your logbook stamped and signed by an authorised signatory by 30th June for your vehicle to be legally registered after that date, so please contact one of these committee members to arrange this if you have not already done so. This obviously can only be done if you are a financial member.

Bill and Margie Berlemon organised a fantastic weekend away at Burra from Friday 6th June to Sunday 8th June. We were not blessed with great weather (Saturday in particular, was very cold, wet and windy), however despite this everyone attending had a great time. Bill and Margie have a knack of finding very interesting places to visit. We had dinner at the Burra Bowls Club on both nights and enjoyed great home-cooked meals provided by bowls club members, and Paxton Cottages were very cosy and comfortable, and provided very good-value accommodation.

We are close to 100 people booked for the club’s 60th Birthday celebrations which will be on Sunday 20th July, at Dimples Restaurant and Function Centre at Tea Tree Gully Golf Club. If you have not done so, already, please do this as soon as possible, so we can lock in numbers. As previously advised, this will be great celebration of an amazing 60 years of history and should not be missed. Please see the flyer in FasTrak regarding booking for this very special event. There is a $10 discount for the first 100 registrants which is still available. Get in quick as there are only a small number of places left at this discount price.

Noel Schmidt is putting a photo slideshow together, to run during the lunch. If you have any photos of the early days of the club, could you please contact me ASAP so these can be included in the presentation. We also will be having a memorabilia table and again, please contact me if you have any items that you think would be suitable for display. We will have club perpetual trophies and the like, but I am sure there are other items of interest that we could display on this table.

Orders have now closed for the special shirt being offered to members to celebrate our 60th Birthday and will be delivered at the July meeting, so those with shirts will be able to wear them to our 60th birthday lunch.

Alex Smithson
President

Thanks to David O’Loughlin for bringing his TR3 to have on stage at our May meeting. David’s car was an original Triumph company demonstrator and press vehicle in the UK and was fully optioned from the factory. David has much original paperwork for this special vehicle, which is in fantastic condition, and is probably the only “Salvadore Blue” TR3 that most of us will see in our lifetimes.

David is a passionate Triumph side screen owner (he also has a TR3A) and we are very pleased that he has decided to be a member of our club, as well as being actively involved with the TR Register.

As advised at the April club meeting, the executive committee has decided to increase subscriptions for 2025/26 to $60.00 for full members and $30.00 for social members. I am pleased to note that we have over 50% of members now financial for 2025/26. Hopefully we can get all renewing members to pay subscriptions prior to 30th June and save a lot of unnecessary work for Treasurer Lisa.

Unfortunately, our conditional registrar, Ian Rigby was a late apology for the May meeting due to coming down sick after his recent overseas holiday. Thanks to Ian’s fellow committee members, Kevin Foster, Duane Kaak and Graham Dean for all their work stamping logbooks at the meeting. The team will be available again at the June meeting. Remember that you need to have your logbook stamped and signed by an authorised signatory by 30th June for your vehicle to be legally registered after that date.

Thanks to Roger and Cherri Lange for organising the run to Middleton Tavern on Sunday May 18th. The event was well attended, and we had a great meal at Middleton.

Bill and Margie Berlemon have organised a fantastic weekend away at Burra starting on Friday 6th June through to Sunday 8th June. As always, this is packed with visits to interesting places and great meal venues. We are staying at Paxton Cottages and Bill has suggested to those attending, that bringing a small fan heater for the bathroom may be wise. Thos attending are really looking forward to a great weekend away.

Lots of members have booked their places at our 60th Birthday celebrations which will be on Sunday 20th July, at Dimples Restaurant and Function Centre at Tea Tree Gully Golf Club. If you have not done so, already, please do this as soon as possible, so we can lock in numbers. As previously advised, this will be great celebration of an amazing 60 years of history and should not be missed. Please see the flyer in FasTrak regarding booking for this very special event. There is a $10 discount for the first 100 registrants which is still available.

Orders close for the special shirt being offered to members to celebrate our 60th Birthday at our June meeting. This costs $55.00 and must be pre-ordered. Please see details in FasTRak and on our website. These will be delivered at the July meeting, so those with shirts will be able to wear them to our 60th birthday lunch.

Finally, Dean Berlemon gave us the exciting news that this year’s Day of Triumph will be held at the National Motor Museum, Birdwood, on 21st September

Alex Smithson
President

The year 1959 was a great year for cars. The Mini and the Ford Anglia were both launched, but the show was stolen by the advent of a remarkable little car that would sell around the world and form the basis of a whole breed of popular saloons and sports cars; the Triumph Herald.

The Herald was unveiled in its original 948cc saloon and coupe versions at the Earl’s Court Motor Show in April 1959. A kitten-healed Miss Triumph demonstrated the front-hinged bonnet, revealing the whole of the engine and front suspension, while a coupe revolved enticingly on a turntable, showing off sleek Italian styling with large areas of glass and two-tone paintwork. It would herald (pun intended) the start of the 1960’s.

More spectacular still was a night at the Royal Albert Hall, hosted by Bob Monkhouse. Four specifically trained Standard-Triumph apprentices appeared carrying pieces of a Herald. In less than four minutes, they had assembled a fully working car and driven it off stage. The audience was stunned into an astonished silence before rapturous applause brought the apprentices back on.

The amazing assembling act was refined down to three minutes, repeated at European motor shows, and the Herald was launched in style. A newspaper critic asserted that “the Triumph badging sets it in a class above the outgoing Standard 8 and 10 range, which always conveyed an air of ration books and boiled cabbage”.

There was nothing “boiled cabbage” about the Herald. This was the sleekest of Italian chic, distilling sporty glamour of Ferrari and Maserati into an everyday four-seater saloon and delivering it to British buyers as a practical and affordable car.

It has been designed by Giovanni Michelotti, who was commissioned by Standard Triumph to produce a totally new model to set the style of the forthcoming decade. His prototype body shell arrived in Coventry on Christmas Eve, 1957. When the directors saw the almost unbelievably pretty coupe on their studio turntable, they were so delighted, they downed tools and went out to celebrate.

There is an industry legend that the car was named Herald after the Managing Director’s yacht. There was certainly no design by committee. Production models scarcely differed from Michelotti’s concept, showing the excellence of his design and willingness of his employers to accept original genius. Michelotti’s monogram would appear on the chrome bonnet-release catches of all Heralds and the Vitesse, Spitfire and GT6 models that followed.

Prototypes were driven the length of Africa from Cape Town to Tangier, generating much publicity and showing the reliability of then new cars. When they appeared in Britain’s showrooms, they caused a clamour of excitement. At just over £700, the Herald was priced above some of its competitors but embodied an enviable cachet of sportiness and modernity.

Despite the rakish body, huge rear window, all-round independent suspension, white rubber bumpers, distinctive fins, hooded headlamp covers and overall “swept wing” appearance, the Herald was not as modern as it looked. Standard-Triumph had decided to take what many considered to be a retrograde step of building their new car with a separate chassis rather than use the monocoque style of construction like other major manufacturers.

The idea was to facilitate assembly of different variants including saloon, coupe, convertible, estate car and van using a common chassis. The benefits to future generations of classic car enthusiasts have included superb accessibility giving ease of working and comparatively simple repair and restoration. If a car’s body can be unbolted from its chassis, every panel and component including the chassis itself can be repaired or replaced and many Heralds have undergone more than one “body-off” rebuild to keep them going today.

The gigantic, 1,000-feet-long factory was built at Canley in the West Midlands with a state-of-the-art paint shop and three parallel assembly lines. It was completed in 1960, cost £2 million and built more than 500,000 Heralds along with all the Triumph Vitesses, Spitfires and GT6’s.

The earliest Heralds were slightly underpowered, and their interiors lacked refinement, but subsequent models were given bigger engines, better carpets and wooden dashboards. Sales took off. The cars were especially popular in South Africa, Australia and New Zealand: some were even built in Italy for the European market. A version called the Gazel was successful in India.

The now much- sought- after coupe was discontinued in in 1964 – it was deemed to be in competition with the Spitfire, but Herald saloons and convertibles were produced through several upgrades until 1971, the final 13/60 model being the most powerful and best equipped.

I have had a long and happy relationship with the Herald. After learning to drive as a boy on disused airfields, a yellow Herald was the first car in which I “went solo”. In the early years of the 21st century I bought a 1962 Herald 1200 and shared it with my mother as a four-seater running mate for my Spitfire 1500 which had been bought new in 1980. Its dazzling red and white paintwork led some fellow enthusiasts to dub it “Santa Claus’s Herald. It was a stylish and lovable car, and I understand it is still on the road with its current owners. When I drive my Spitfire today, I know it would never have existed without the Triumph Herald.
You’ll always smile when you see a Herald. It has the air of an English Sixties girl smartly suited in Italian clothes with a dash of Fifties glamour. It is rightly valued as a pretty, practical and affordable car.

Note: this article was published in “This England” magazine, Winter 2019 and was provided to TSOA SA by Tom Olthoff.

The Run to the Stockwell Hotel and the midweek run to The Greenman Inn at Ashbourne were enjoyed and well
attended.
The Weekender, where we have a fabulous time with everyone, we will be travelling to Burra this year. Margie & Bill
always provide great eating and sight-seeing including little gems that are hidden in unusual places will now be on the
6th-8th June. Contact Margie or Bill on 0438 836 837. It is on in June instead of May because Burra will be
celebrating their 180th year and we could not get accommodations for May, and because of that the June Run to
Middleton has been changed to the 18th May. Roger Lange has set this run, again nice scenery and great food
ending at the Middleton Tavern 37 Goolwa Road Middleton. Meeting at the Crafers Hotel Car Park and leaving at 10
am.
It is shaping up to be a very impressive social calendar so far, and we have the 60th Anniversary this year as well.
This is on the 20th of July, at the Tea Tree Gully Golf Club Restaurant for Lunch. For the first 100 people the lunch
will be Subsidised by $10 to $50 each, after that it will be $60 each. We are expecting a large crowd so get in early.

On the 17th August Charlie and Carol Onody, new members to the club, are setting a run to the Inglewood Inn for
lunch, Thank you Charlie & Carol for your contribution. It’s great to see our new members enjoying the social side of
our club.
Don’t forget, the TR Register is having their annual Rally in October and have asked us to participate on the weekend
of 18th October to their show and shine at the Hahndorf Primary School Oval 10am – 3pm. Cars on the Oval by
9.30am.
Drinks and food are available at the oval and in aid of the School.
Also, on the 19th October is the Bay to Birdwood parade, and the TR Register is getting a group of Triumphs together
to participate in that as well.

We would like an EXPRESSION OF INTEREST now! if you would like to attend in one or both events. Contact Colin
Baldock a member of both clubs email colbtr2@hotmail.com or mobile 0405 396 874 or myself.
Hope you can participate with the social side of the club as it is your club, and we would love to see you there.
.
Cheers,
Natalie Farrell
Social Secretary
0455 250 990

Thanks to David Stephens and Ivan Powell for bringing their immaculate, but very different TR2’s to have on stage at our April meeting. David’s car was restored over more than 3 years in Victoria, starting as a relatively small engine bay project, but ending up as a full restoration. This must now be one of the best TR2’s anywhere and has a high degree of originality. It has won several awards at national TR Register meetings.

Ivan’s TR2 in contrast, is a tribute to its racing heritage in the Mille Miglia in Italy and is quite heavily modified. It is also in great condition and turns heads wherever it goes.

As advised at the April club meeting, the executive committee has decided to increase subscriptions for 2025/26 to $60.00 for full members and $30.00 for social members.

We are forecasting a modest operating loss for 2024/25, and we have budgeted some $2,000 for subsidies and other costs associated with our 60th birthday lunch and related celebrations in July. We expect other costs such as hire of Sporting Car Club rooms, and administration systems and insurance to rise next club year, so a modest increase in subs seems appropriate.

Our subs in 2018/19 were $75.00 for full members and were reduced during COVID, as many club activities were suspended at that time. We have managed to keep subs at a low level since then however we now believe a small increase is appropriate. TSOA is still one of the lowest cost car clubs in South Australia, and my thanks go to our treasurer, Lisa Macleod who has been able to keep operating costs down and subsequently, maintain low subs.

You should have received an email advising that these subscriptions are now due, and we ask all members to pay these promptly, and by 30th June at the latest. Lisa has a big job in keeping track and receipting 240 members’ payments, and it is unfair if she needs to chase late payments. Please try to make her job as easy as possible.

We had a great run to Stockwell in the Barossa Valley on Sunday April 6th. Thanks to Katherine Bradley and husband Derek for organising such a great run, which was very well attended. Unfortunately, I had mechanical problems on the North South Motorway coming home and spend some 3 hours at the start of the exit ramp to Port Road, waiting for a tow truck. A new alternator has however now fixed the problem (I hope).

Also, thanks again to Lawrie and Kaye Placing for arranging another well attended mid-week lunch to The Green Man Inn at Ashbourne on 10th April.

Lots of members have already booked their places at our 60th Birthday celebrations which will be on Sunday 20th July, at Dimples Restaurant and Function Centre at Tea Tree Gully Golf Club. Although still a little way off, we are looking to lock in attendees, so please book early. This will be great celebration of an amazing 60 years of history and should not be missed. Please see the flyer in Fastrak regarding booking for this very special event. There is a $10 discount for the first 100 registrants, so get in quickly.

There is also a special shirt being offered to members to celebrate our 60th Birthday. This costs $55.00 and must be pre-ordered. Please see details in FasTRak and on our website.

We now have a workable proposal for the 2027 Nationals, and after the 60th Birthday is behind us, a committee will start the planning for this event. Thanks to those who have already volunteered to join this committee, and please see me if you also wish to be part of the 2027 team.

The Weekender will be in Burra in the first weekend of June. This is always a great event, and Bill and Margie Berlemon have, as usual, arranged an exciting and full program at an amazingly reasonable price. I believe there are still a couple of rooms left, so please contact Bill or Margie if you would like to attend.

Alex Smithson
President

TSOA 60TH BIRTHDAY LIMITED EDITION REGALIA SHIRT

To commemorate our club’s 60^th birthday, we have organised a special shirt, with an embroidered badge designed by our own Noel Schmidt. It is a very smart, pale blue, long sleeve casual shirt with button down collar. Cost is $55.00. This is a limited-edition shirt available by order only.

Contact Sue Smithson – ph 0409 675 343 or email scsmithson@hotmail.com to place your order and advise your size.

Payments by EFT preferred – Payment should be made to TSOA of SA Inc – General Account. BSB 065-006. Account # 00902024. Please include your name and “60Shirt” as reference. 

TRIUMPH SPORTS OWNERS ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA INC   60TH BIRTHDAY LUNCH Sunday 20th July 2025

Current and past members and friends of the Triumph Sports Owners’ Association of South Australia Inc are cordially invited to join in celebrating an amazing 60 years of our club, founded by Tony Case and Ron Fergusson way back in 1965.

Sunday 20^th July 2025 at Dimples Restaurant and Function Centre at Tea Tree Gully Golf Club

60 Hamilton Road, Fairview Park

2 course meal (3 choices of main course)

Special 60^th Birthday gift to all those attending

$50.00 per head for first 100 bookings

$60.00 per head for all subsequent bookings

12.15pm for 12.45pm

Contact Alex Smithson – alex.m.smithson@outlook.com or phone 0412 823789 for further information or to book your place.

Payments by EFT preferred – Payment should be made to TSOA of SA Inc – General Account. BSB 065-006. Account # 00902024