About the Wolseley Car Club, Australia

The Wolseley Car Club of Australia is an Incorporated group of members that is active with some form of involvement or ownership of a vehicle or stationary engine that holds the Wolseley marque. In addition we have many club members with other vehicles from the wider British Motor Corporation (BMC) family including Austin, Morris and Riley. There we several model vehicles manufactured in Australia at the BMC Zetland plant in Sydney, NSW.

The WCC has membership from all states of Australia and has close relations with Wolseley clubs in New Zealand and the United Kingdom. We also enjoy international membership that is wanting to keep in touch with the marque or purchase spare parts from the ‘Wolshed’ parts facility.

As a registered Not For Profit organisation spare parts can only be sold to valid Club Members.

Members living in Victoria can also enjoy the Club Permit Scheme with VIc Roads.

Wolseley and Australian History

Few of Australia’s Wolseley drivers realise how closely linked their marque is with our history as a nation. The Wolseley Sheep Shearing Machine Co. revolutionised wool production with its equipment introduced in the late 1880’s.  Their young engineer, Herbert Austin, returned to England and designed the first Wolseley in 1892.  The first car was driven 1895, with many vehicles being produced before the turn of the Century.  After many ups and downs, the company became part of the Nuffield Organisation in 1927.  In the early 50’s this group combined with Austin to become the British Motor Corporation, BMC.  Unfortunately, a later amalgamation with Leyland saw Wolseley production conclude in 1975, which was coincidentally, the founding year of the Wolseley Car Club in Victoria.

After the Wolseley Car Club was founded in Victoria in March 1975, a NSW club was started in July 1978 with Queensland forming the third club in 1982.  With members in every State, the total number members of all Australian Wolseley Car Clubs now exceed 300, making us among the larger of the marque car clubs in Australia.  Since its inception, the Victorian Club alone has recorded well over 1400 registrations. The Wolseley Car Club is associated with both the Wolseley Register and the Wolseley Owners Clubs in the UK, both with whom we maintain regular correspondence.  We have a large representation of post-war models as well as many pre-war models, and have vehicles as old as 1904 on our records.  At present our youngest car is a 1975 Wolseley Six FWD.  Our Club also has members in many overseas countries that we provide technical assistance or requests for parts are sourced, prepared and shipped to help keep another Wolseley on the road.

Club Origins

Inaugural Meeting of the Wolselely Car Club

At 2pm on Saturday 15th March 1975, at 24 Trafalgar Road Camberwell, the inaugural meeting of the Wolseley Car Club was held. Those present responded to a call, by way of an advertisement published in “The Age” newspaper by Commander Peter Richardson of the above address, to come together and discuss the formation of a new car club specifically for Wolseleys.

Owners’ vehicles were parked in the grounds of the adjacent Congregational Church, arranged in groups according to type and vintage. Following an initial introductory session where members welcomed each other and investigated the assembled vehicles, we all adjourned to Peter Richardson’s home for the inaugural meeting.

Charing the meeting, Peter began by welcoming us all and he expressed thanks for our spirited response to his advertisement, and our attendance. It was then decided that to get the club established, a Steering Committee should be formed and those present decided the following positions:-

• Club President – Peter Richardson
• Club Treasurer – Walker Gronich
• Club Secretary – Peter Perkins

The job of the Steering Committee will be to organise the initial establishment of the club until July, when it was expected that sufficient support will be available to call a General Meeting, at which office bearers and a Committee can be elected for a full year’s term. Those in attendance were asked to find at least one new member before the next monthly meeting, at which time we hope to have about 50 members on our roll.

It was decided that as Foundation members, those joining at this time would pay $5.00 joining fee, subject to review at the General Meeting to be held in July.

Peter then throw the meeting open to general discussion and the following points were raised:

1. More pre-war vehicles should be uncovered and their owners introduced to the club
2. Registers should be prepared listing known wrecks, known part suppliers, good mechanics, bad mechanics, etc
3. Certain members offered contacts for supply of essential parts and materials, eg Trevor Kilgour can obtain cheap oil filters and standard grade oils.
4. Car Club functions should be commenced as soon as possible, eg early morning runs, barbeques, etc.
5. A fund be established for the purchase of available wrecks or cheap vehicles for sale. The fund would ensure a continual supply of parts and fittings.
6. The Wolseley Car Company C/o British Leyland, U.K., be contacted and permission sough for use of the name and emblem.
7. Investigations should be made to see whether other clubs existing in Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.