Targa High Country Car Show heads to Swanpool

By Simon Ruppert

Jan 4, 2023

Fun for all ages: The Targa High Country Car Show is headed to Swanpool on January 15. Photo by Contributed

The small community of Swanpool will host a special show and shine on January 15.

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Not to be confused with the Swanpool Motor Festival, which is headed to the north-east in March, the Targa High Country Car Show is a little different.

It is promoting the upcoming Targa High Country 2023 — a three-day event with competitions and tours driving from Mt Buller to Whitfield, Eildon and back to Mt Buller.

At its conclusion there will also be the TARGAfest, held in the heart of Mansfield, featuring sports cars, activities, market stalls and music.

Which is not too dissimilar from the Swanpool event. However, it will also be an opportunity for people looking to find out more, and possibly take part in the driving tours.

Sponsored by Shannons Insurance, the car show will be jointly organised with Ross Coles, who has been integral to the success of the town’s motor festival.

“Shannons are looking to get people in the area to take part in Targa High Country 2023, not necessarily as a race, but as a tourist,” Mr Coles said.

“There’s all these different sections people can join. The racing ones go all out to win but the tourist section is where people drive their own cars then go and get lunch, perhaps at a winery, so it’s very relaxed.

“If anyone is interested in taking part they can come along to the Albert Heaney Reserve in Swanpool on January 15.

“They can have a chat to a representative from Shannons and get all the details.

“Plus there will be lots of amazing cars, bikes and trucks to look at.

“The first one of these we did was in 2022 and we had 300 cars, on very short notice. So we hope to have even more this year.

“Anyone can bring a vehicle along to show for only $5. The entry fee for spectators is $2 and all profits go to a good cause.

“It all ends up back in the community, and we will be using it to fund volunteers from BlazeAid, who will be coming to stay in the area to rebuild fences damaged by recent flooding.

“Normally they would pay to stay in a town themselves, but as they will be doing so much for the community we wanted to cover that.”

The Targa High Country Car Show will be at the Albert Heaney Reserve in Swanpool on January 15 from 9am to 1pm.

The Swanpool Motor Festival will return to the same location on March 12. Keep an eye out in the pages of the Ensign, and at www.benallaensign.com.au for more on that as the date approaches.