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16 January 2018

Wolfsburg's finest on show at Day of the Volkswagen

By Kat HawkeKat Hawke
There was a 400-strong display of vehicles at the Day of the Volkswagen. (image credit: Kat Hawke)

​The sleepy surrounds of the Yarra Glen on Melbourne’s outskirts plays the yearly host to an invasion of Wolfsburg's finest metal, as attendees assemble for the Day of the Volkswagen.

The Volkswagen Club of Victoria organises this world-class gathering for both classic and modern VW’s, with almost every year model accounted for (including the odd Skoda and SEAT). Last year's November 19th event saw the 40-year milestone of VW’s trusty Diesel range; with a bright yellow Mk-1 Golf Diesel on show at the main gate to ring in the occasion.

The event is a chance for all enthusiasts of the brand to gather and celebrate the lasting icons of the Volkswagen family in a fun and relaxed environment. In addition to a 400-strong display of vehicles, there was also a sizeable swap-meet, an area for VW-related vendors (artists, engineers, aftermarket parts, memorabilia) as well as plenty of food and drink outlets serving hearty meals. The mercury was tipping 40 degrees on the day, sending people scurrying for shady refuge (via the ice-cream truck, of course!), although many braved the harsh Australian sun to take in the sights and sounds of the cars on display.

There was also a sizeable swap-meet, an area for VW-related vendors. (image credit: Kat Hawke) There was also a sizeable swap-meet, an area for VW-related vendors. (image credit: Kat Hawke)

It was difficult to stand out from the crowd when the field of entrants was so diverse, but there were certainly some very unique vehicles in attendance. George Economou's modified Type 3 Squareback was an obvious contender, with an impressive paintjob and gleaming chrome work, winning him a first-place in his class. Despite conventional show categories focusing on perfection and correctness, there were trophies to accommodate the slightly different vehicles too: a "Rat" class catering to the more original vehicles who still wore their rust patches and lifting clearcoat with pride.

Buggies and Sycro-vans were included in the judging of air-cooled models, whilst Beetles and Kombis were split into a total of eight different groups due to sheer numbers. On the "water cooled" side of things there were a myriad of Golfs, spanning its 43-year production life and their five respective categories. Every other type of VW and the breakaway subculture of "stance queens" (yes, that was the name of the category) was also recognized.

  • Volkswagen Kombi Type 2. (image credit: Kat Hawke) Volkswagen Kombi Type 2. (image credit: Kat Hawke)
  • Volkswagen Kombi ute. (image credit: Kat Hawke) Volkswagen Kombi ute. (image credit: Kat Hawke)
  • Volkswagen Kombi Type 2. (image credit: Kat Hawke) Volkswagen Kombi Type 2. (image credit: Kat Hawke)
  • Volkswagen Kombi Type 2. (image credit: Kat Hawke) Volkswagen Kombi Type 2. (image credit: Kat Hawke)
  • Volkswagen Kombi Type 2. (image credit: Kat Hawke) Volkswagen Kombi Type 2. (image credit: Kat Hawke)
  • Volkswagen Kombi Type 2. (image credit: Kat Hawke) Volkswagen Kombi Type 2. (image credit: Kat Hawke)
  • Volkswagen Kombi Type 2. (image credit: Kat Hawke) Volkswagen Kombi Type 2. (image credit: Kat Hawke)
  • Volkswagen Beetle. (image credit: Kat Hawke) Volkswagen Beetle. (image credit: Kat Hawke)
  • Volkswagen Beetle. (image credit: Kat Hawke) Volkswagen Beetle. (image credit: Kat Hawke)
  • Volkswagen Beetle. (image credit: Kat Hawke) Volkswagen Beetle. (image credit: Kat Hawke)
  • Volkswagen Beetle. (image credit: Kat Hawke) Volkswagen Beetle. (image credit: Kat Hawke)
  • Volkswagen Beetle. (image credit: Kat Hawke) Volkswagen Beetle. (image credit: Kat Hawke)
  • Volkswagen Golf. (image credit: Kat Hawke) Volkswagen Golf. (image credit: Kat Hawke)
  • Volkswagen Golf. (image credit: Kat Hawke) Volkswagen Golf. (image credit: Kat Hawke)
  • Volkswagen Golf cabrio. (image credit: Kat Hawke) Volkswagen Golf cabrio. (image credit: Kat Hawke)
  • Volkswagen Golf VR6. (image credit: Kat Hawke) Volkswagen Golf VR6. (image credit: Kat Hawke)

The latter is a group dedicated to the fresh influx of younger fans entering vw-ownership: often Gen-Y enthusiasts with a taste for widebody kits, airbag-suspension, cambered wheels and loud exhaust systems. Some performance-oriented and some more for aesthetic purposes, however, they are all share one passion: taking an already-fantastic VW product and modifying it to represent their own personal interests.  

Also contributing to the diverse display were the increasingly valuable 23-window "Samba" Kombis, elegant Karmann Ghias, trusty pop-top campers, Myers Manx buggies, first-generation Passats, sleeper-spec R36s, Scirocco Rs, and even a Type 3 Fastback that had been restored whilst showcasing part of its previous fire damage! Of course, the humble beetle was there in droves: everything from the highly desirable split-window models of the early 1950s, right up to the most recent models... The legendary "Love Bug" was well represented indeed. Giving the annual "VW Nationals" (in Sydney) a run for its money, the Day of the Volkswagen is well worth checking out if you have a penchant for classic cars, an abundance of history and a smattering of signature smoke clouds.

  • Volkswagen Golf GTi. (image credit: Kat Hawke) Volkswagen Golf GTi. (image credit: Kat Hawke)
  • Volkswagen Type 3 Squareback. (image credit: Kat Hawke) Volkswagen Type 3 Squareback. (image credit: Kat Hawke)
  • Volkswagen Karmann Ghias. (image credit: Kat Hawke) Volkswagen Karmann Ghias. (image credit: Kat Hawke)
  • (image credit: Kat Hawke) (image credit: Kat Hawke)
  • Volkswagen Golf R. (image credit: Kat Hawke) Volkswagen Golf R. (image credit: Kat Hawke)
  • (image credit: Kat Hawke) (image credit: Kat Hawke)
  • Volkswagen Karmann Ghia. (image credit: Kat Hawke) Volkswagen Karmann Ghia. (image credit: Kat Hawke)
  • (image credit: Kat Hawke) (image credit: Kat Hawke)
  • Volkswagen Golf GTi. (image credit: Kat Hawke) Volkswagen Golf GTi. (image credit: Kat Hawke)
  • (image credit: Kat Hawke) (image credit: Kat Hawke)
  • (image credit: Kat Hawke) (image credit: Kat Hawke)
  • (image credit: Kat Hawke) (image credit: Kat Hawke)
  • (image credit: Kat Hawke) (image credit: Kat Hawke)
  • (image credit: Kat Hawke) (image credit: Kat Hawke)
  • (image credit: Kat Hawke) (image credit: Kat Hawke)
  • (image credit: Kat Hawke) (image credit: Kat Hawke)
  • (image credit: Kat Hawke) (image credit: Kat Hawke)
  • Volkswagen Caddy. (image credit: Kat Hawke) Volkswagen Caddy. (image credit: Kat Hawke)
  • (image credit: Kat Hawke) (image credit: Kat Hawke)
  • Volkswagen Amarok V6. (image credit: Kat Hawke) Volkswagen Amarok V6. (image credit: Kat Hawke)
  • (image credit: Kat Hawke) (image credit: Kat Hawke)
  • (image credit: Kat Hawke) (image credit: Kat Hawke)

Kat Hawke is the internationally published, high-octane woman behind the lens at Kat Hawke Photos.

You can get in touch and follow her work on Instagram and Facebook. 

Did you attend the Day of the Volkswagen? Let us know in the comments.