I've just read that the Bendigo Swap Meet is on next weekend . Never been so I'll think I'll get up there and have look.
Anyone been before or going up this time?
This is cut from the Trading Post notice
Bendigo National Swapmeet
articles 31 Oct 2002
The Bendigo Swapmeet is Australia’s premier car swap
that caters for motoring enthusiasts from around Australia and in fact attracts an international following.
The two day event sees around 1,600 stall holders converge on the city for two days along with over 25,000 patrons bringing millions of dollars of income into the local community.
Included at the swap meet is an outstanding toy and model car swap housed in three halls and a superb pedal car display.
The Toy and Model Car Swap has Victoria’s largest contingent of interstate traders with over 50% of its traders coming from SA and NSW. The model swap is run by Collectormania on behalf of the National Swap Committee and is now housed in three adjoining halls just inside the main gates.
The Pedal Car Display is run by well known local collector, Brian Thompson and is sponsored by Collectormania with prizes being awarded for various categories. This would be the largest display of pedal cars held in Australia with over 80 magnificent pedal cars on display. If you have a pedal car that you would be interested in displaying you can contact Brian on 03 5446 9365. All vehicles entered in the display are protected by 24 hour security - some of the rarer antique pedal cars are valued in excess of $10,000 each.
The Bendigo National Swap is the longest running swap event of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere. The original swap was held 26 years ago with just 150 sites and has grown ten-fold.
A thousand volunteers are involved in staging the event which covers 11 hectares at the Prince of Wales Show Grounds in Holmes Road, Bendigo.
The event has a significant flow-on to other local businesses including advertising, the media, accommodation, hotels and catering suppliers. Fuel sales alone during the event are estimated in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The event is run on behalf of the Vintage, Veteran and Classic Club of Bendigo. Somehow in the dim past of club formation, the word vehicle or motor was overlooked, so the VVCC is locally known as the ‘car club’.
There is an extensive waiting list for sites at the event stretching into a few years, however, each year the club strives to open up new areas to cater for the backlog.
The gates of the Swap Meet open at daybreak on Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th November.
Enquiries for the Swap should be made to 03 5441 1002, the Toy and Model Car Swap 03 5470 5709 and the Pedal Car Display 03 5446 9365.
Grey 57 Old Grey Cruiser
2,937 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·