About HSVFest
The HSVFest philosophy is to provide the maximum amount of fun for HSVOC members at prices that families can afford.
This event is run to cover costs and does not provide any income for participating clubs or the Organising Team.
The first HSVFest was held in Albury/Wodonga on the Queen’s Birthday long weekend in June 2013 with just 12 cars attending from the ACT and Victorian HSVOC’s. After the news of the success of this event spread, the second HSVFest was held in 2014 with nearly 50 cars making the trip. When the NSW HSVOC was invited in 2015, this event became too large to organise on the relatively informal basis that it had been in previous years.
A small Organising Team of James Weber (ACT), Pete Eastwood and Joe Rapinett (Vic) and Ian Williams (NSW) was formed to organise the 2016 HSVFest with duties being shared between the clubs. The current format is a “Welcome” dinner on the Friday where the weekend’s activities are explained. The Shannons Show n Shine is held on the Saturday morning followed by the choice of entering the Dyno competition or participating in a cruise in the afternoon, with the Saturday night free to explore the Albury/Wodonga area for dinner. Motorsport consisting of timed track sprints, Go to Whoa eliminations and a 1/8th mile single car drag is held on the Sunday with a trophy presentation dinner on the Sunday night.
2016 saw the introduction of an online entry and payment system so that accurate orders could be placed in advance with event suppliers to ensure that staffing was in place and that catering didn’t run out of food.
2017 was the largest HSVFest yet, with over 200 people attending from the 3 Club’s and saw the introduction of a Dyno Shootout held at the premises of LS Engineering in Albury.
2018 was the year that the www.HSVFest.com website was launched and is administered by the NSW HSVOC Webmaster. It is linked to the NSW HSVOC e-commerce system that manages the event payments and entrant accounts. All HSVFest entrants need to Register and create their Account which is required in order to Login to enter these events. Once an Account has been created it can be used to enter all future HSVFest events.
Covid-19 border lock downs saw the cancellation of both the 2020 and 2021 events, and the closing of GMH Holden production and the subsequent loss of that brand from the market saw the previously dealership based Show n Shine relocated to the expansive Gateway Lakes site in Wodonga, Victoria in 2022.
In 2023, HSVFest Supporting Clubs ACT and NSW agreed on a new Memorandum of Understanding with the HSVFest Organising Team that formalised the relationship between all parties. Both Supporting Clubs agreed to share equally any downside that may occur due to an unforseen circumstance if the HSVFest Organising Team was unable to cover such a circumstance.
To celebrate 10 years of HSVFest, the 2023 HSVFest Nationals will be held starting with a Welcome dinner at Junction Square on Friday evening followed by a Car Show at Wodonga Racing on the Saturday featuring an Elite Hall, an outdoor Car Show and a Dyno Competition, followed by Motorsport on Sunday then an optional scenic Victorian drive on the Monday.
Also, for the first time ever, owners of genuine HSV or HDT’s will be able to enter the 2024 event to sample what great events that membership of an HSV Owners Club can experience.
The financial support of the Walkinshaw Group as the official HSVFest sponsors, Wodonga Council and Shannons Insurance has enabled the event to keep its costs and prices down.
The success of this event is also based on its guiding principles: fun, informality and value. It doesn’t include serious shows, formal dinners and big budgets – but it does include events and activities to satisfy most HSV owners at a cost where members can afford to bring their families and include them in with the fun. HSVFest is definitely the “must do” event each year for every HSV Club member in Australia!
HSVFest Nationals Organising Team
James Weber (ACT)
E: luvhsv@hotmail.com
Joe Rapinett (ACT)
E: joerapinett@outlook.com
Pete Eastwood (ACT)
E: gosickr8@gmail.com
Ian Williams (NSW)
E: hsvfest@hsvclubnsw.com
Mick Wrobel (NSW)
E: michaelwrobel@integralsystems.com.au
