The Zephyr and Zodiac Club of Victoria is revitalising regional communities through the monthly Cars and Coffee events in Nathalia.
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The Zephyr and Zodiac Club of Victoria is breathing new life into regional communities through its monthly Cars and Coffee events in Nathalia, while preserving the legacy of classic Ford vehicles.
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The Zephyr and Zodiac Club of Victoria president Andrew Maclean explains the club's origins.
“We are a car club that started up a few years ago,” he said.
“Mainly, there wasn't anything in regional Victoria for people involved with Zephyrs and Zodiacs. The main club at the time was based in Melbourne.”
The club has grown significantly since its inception.
“In the club, we have over 100 cars,” Mr Maclean said.
“We have members from all over, we've got members from Hastings, Lilydale, Geelong, all over.
“We have a member in Queensland and a couple in NSW, now we have members everywhere.”
The Cars and Coffee initiative emerged from a simple observation.
“We were just sitting in town at the bakery having a coffee and something to eat and saw that the town is really dead on the weekends and there wasn't much happening,” Mr Maclean said.
The club, with over 100 cars and members from various locations, aims to preserve the legacy of classic Ford vehicles.
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The event has become a significant drawcard for Nathalia.
The Father's Day event in 2024 attracted 181 vehicles and more than 400 people.
“We generally get 50-plus cars during the colder months, normally it brings over 100 people into town for a few hours on a Sunday morning for a run,” Mr Maclean said.
“It doesn't matter what type of car you have; you can have a tractor.
“The main thing I get out of doing the Cars and Coffee personally is just seeing locals come out who normally wouldn't come out on the weekends, and it is good for their mental wellbeing.”
Cars and Coffee meets on Blake St, Nathalia, at 9am on the second Sunday of the month from April through September. The next event is scheduled for July 13.
