Emma Pritchard

The brilliant sunshine which bathed the South Grafton Aerodrome on June 18 was matched by the enthusiasm of an estimated 6000 attendees who passed through the front gates, eager to admire the impressive line-up of motorcycles, aircrafts, tractors, historic engines, and classic cars on display as the Grafton Aero Club hosted Wings and Wheels for 2023.

While diehard Holden and Ford fans good-naturedly argued over which manufacturer was best represented, and children raced excitedly from one model to the next and pointed out their favourites to their parents, event organiser Kevin Wilson said he was ecstatic to see so many people enjoying themselves at the popular annual event.

Describing the occasion as a massive success, Mr Wilson said it was wonderful to see so many people support Wings and Wheels, especially following the unfortunate cancellation of the event in 2022 following back-to-back floods in the region.

“Being an outdoor event, the weather plays a big part in determining how successful it is going to be, and the weather over the weekend was brilliant,” he said happily.

“At a guess I would say between 5000 and 6000 people attended, which was great.

“We had a really good number of vehicles, motorcycles, and a variety of aircrafts on display, and it’s always good to see the community turn up and support the event.”

Local couple Terry and Cheryl Barnes, along with their son Matthew, said they were drawn to one particular vehicle on display at Wings and Wheels this year, a beautifully restored 1960s EH Holden.

“Terry and I had a late 1963 EH Holden Station Wagon which we have since given to Matthew,” Mrs Branes recalled. 

“As soon as we saw this one in the line-up, we had to come straight over and take a look.

“It’s beautiful.”

While the Barnes family have always admired Holdens, Sydneysider Geoffrey Priest said he has always preferred vehicles produced under the famous blue oval logo.

“I’ve always owned and driven Fords,” he said, adding he was pleased to see what he described as an amazing collection of vehicles on display over the weekend.

“Don’t ask me which particular model is my favourite though, that question is too hard to answer.

Other vehicles which attracted plenty of interest included a 1925 Studebaker which was fully restored in 1971 by the late Ronny Lee of Tyndale, and a 1926 Austin 7 Chummy.

A free community event, visitors were invited to make a gold coin donation upon arrival, with all proceeds raised from Wings and Wheels in 2023 to be donated to the Grafton Base Hospital (GBH) Oncology Unit.

Mr Wilson revealed the full amount was yet to be confirmed at the time of publication.