(by Kevin Clarence)
The MR2 OWNERS’ CLUB OF AUSTRALIA was formed by a few keen enthusiasts after a TOYOTA sponsored driver education day at Calder raceway in 1991. It is the oldest official MR2 club in the world.
The First AGM: The first meeting was held on 28 June 1991 at Dandenong, subsequent meetings have been held at the TOYOTA CONFERENCE CENTRE Port Melbourne, until recently, when we decided to adopt a more informal approach. They are now held on the first Tuesday of the month (except January) just after the monthly run. Members are welcome to attend Committee Meetings. The July Club Event is also for our AGM. In attendance were Kevin and Carol Clarence, Mike Kallmeier, Kelvin Prior, Gary Ip, Robert Hegyesi and friend, Joe Danese, Craig McDonald and Bob Pettigrew and John Pettigrew, with apologies from Geoff Halprin, Terry Saville, Colin Graham and Walter Renfrey.
The First Outing: Sunday 22 September 1991 was the first MR2 Club outing, Meeting first at the Botanical Gardens, then at Frankston a drive through the Mornington Peninsula and a pub lunch at Sorrento. Eighteen MR2s attended that first run and I can still see the image of the convoy of MR2s, all with aerials up, in my rear vision mirror, in my mind. Eighteen MR2s parked in the centre of the main street in Sorrento on that Sunday was a sight to behold, creating much interest for all to see.
The MR2 OWNER’S CLUB OF AUSTRALIA caters for all TOYOTA MR2s, both the AW11 (From 1984 for Imports, and 1987 to 1990 for Australian delivered MR2s) to the SW20 (1990 – 1999) and the MR2 Spyder (2000 – 2005). The Club has a Monthly Run 2…….which is a Sunday drive to a lunch destination. Members take turns at organizing these events. We meet at locations indicated on the Club Calendar on the LAST Sunday of each month.
We host events such as Pub Lunches, Cruise to Places of interest, Picnics and BBQ’s, Social Outings, Road Rallies, Car Trials, Driver Education and occasionally, Motorkhanas, Track Days, Hillclimbs and 1/4 mile sprints. Our MR2 Nationals are held every second year, rotating in each State of Australia organised by the MR2 members of that state.
The MR2 Club is Incorporated in the State of Victoria and affiliated with Motorsport Australia.
COME JOIN US, WE KNOW YOU’LL HAVE FUN AND BETTER APPRECIATE THE UNIQUE QUALITIES OF YOUR MR2!
Victorian Club in Recent Years
In 2022 over 30 years later, the VIC Branch is travelling well. Membership of 50 members remained static for many years, gaining 10 new members each year and losing 10 members for various reasons. This year we signed up our 512th member. With the changes to the Club Permit Scheme in 2011 which admitted cars 25 year and older, our membership has increased to 73, with 53 MR2s and 6 other vehicles on the Scheme.
A strong dedicated 15 member committee is the strength of the VIC Branch, plus the committed Editors of our monthly newsletter “MR2 Track Record”, Marion Harris who for 4 years produced Editions 01 to 47, followed by Ian Morrison who for the last 10 years has produced our Newsletter, Editions 48 to 153.
Events held on the last Sunday every month provide members with the opportuning to get their MR2 out, and, with likeminded people enjoy the features our unique motor car has to offer. The most memorable event conducted by the VIC Branch was the 30th Anniversary gathering in Melbourne in 2014 to celebrate the birth of the MR2 in 1984. Ninety three, yes 93, MR2s turned up from as far away as Queensland to create the unintended record of “The most MR2s in one place in Australia”.
The cars are today increasing in value as they become “collectable” and recognised as a true sporting car of their era. May they live on for many years to come.
