Old Bar Beach Festival - Old Bar's Biggest Garage Sale

At 3pm Sunday the awards were presented on stage, the winner of the Most Novel Kombi "Magic Happens" (a multi coloured hippie bus) was called to the stage. The owner brought to the stage a previous owner of his bus, Andrew (also known as Kombiman) we met in Old Bar on Friday afternoon. Kombiman is approximately 70 years of age, has VW tattoos on his body, and had previously lived in this Kombi for nine years... a very interesting character with lots of stories. On leaving Old Bar Kombiman called in to say "this had been one of the best weekends of his life".

Kombis have been part of the Australian way of life for decades, kombis are part of the beach culture (that this festival promotes), the kombi provides the escape, the adventure, the freedom to travel up or down the coast, camping and enjoying the best that nature has to offer. A kombi is a lifestyle, an Australian Icon, it is great to see it preserved and celebrated by the many clubs and gatherings such as this.

This year celebrates Kombis 60th Birthday. During the Sunday's event a large 60 was painted in the middle of the oval, everyone present was asked to stand on the 60 for an aerial photograph surrounded by the buses to celebrate sixty years of the Kombi.

Events as this don't happen without volunteers and sponsors and may I take this opportunity to thank those involved.Cozette & Tim Leonard from Old Bar Cellars work tirelessly with a committee and volunteers to make this work. Most of all a huge thank you to all the VW Kombi and Transporter owners and families that travel to Old Bar and give this event the great "feel" it has, and add to a brilliant week-end.

There are many sponsors for the overall festival. The main sponsors that support the Kombi fest section of the festival is Kombi Crazy, this is a family business with a passion for VW's and Kombis. Kombi crazy sell VW and Kombi products and merchandise and attend most VW events. Kombi Krazy sponsored the trophies for this event.

Another major sponsor was Trakka Australia, most people who know Kombi Campers know Trakka. Trakka have been fitting out VW Kombis since the early 1970's. The Trakka story is a great one, directors of the company, Dave and Sally Berry with their showroom based at Mt Kuring-gai in Sydney's north, had their daughters Olivia and Alex bring two of their vehicles to the festival and were displayed all weekend, one being a motor home and the other a VW Transporter-The Trakadu Model. Trakka is a quality product Australian designed and Australian manufactured for Australian conditions.....tried, tested and trusted for over 35 years.

Lauders Real Estate, a leading Real Estate office in Old Bar's main street and trading in Old Bar for almost 50 years sponsored the Kombi Fest this year providing the car flags displayed on the Kombis in the Saturday parade and on the Sunday event.

Thank you also to VW Magazine Australia for your continued support of this great Old Bar weekend.

Bob Cameron - Kombi Fest Team Leader.