There is a new kind of state versus state battle brewing on the Border.
Eighty of the best cars, 40 each from New South Wales and Victoria, will ‘battle’ it out to take home the Best in NSW and Best in Victoria title at Junction Place in Wodonga on 26 October.
Organised by local photographer and car enthusiast, Luke Hunter, this event is the first of its kind for the Border, trading in the traditional Ford versus Holden or domestic versus import model for state v’s state. Wanting to do something a bit different, and uniquely the Border, the idea of Border Battle was born.
“It was just an idea to put a show on. I didn’t really know what it was going to be in the beginning or what we were going to do, but I didn’t want to do something that had been done before,” Luke said.
Luke has organised the entire event himself, from getting in touch with the council to sorting out the insurance requirements. There are also a number of local businesses on board sponsoring the event including Engine Master Australia, Do It Electrical and AIM Calibrations helping to cover the costs of the event and the trophies.
In addition to the best in each state title, there will be a People’s Choice award up for grabs. Another unique aspect of this event is an oddball category for the best car that just “is.” The final category is perhaps the most interesting because it will be up to the judges to determine the criteria, looking for “the car that is cool as it is. It might not be the best, but it will be good for what it is, just an unbelievably cool car,” Luke explained.
On the surface, a car show might seem like a niche event but it can be surprising who you’ll find involved in the car community.
“Everyone knows someone with a hot car or a bike or they have their own project car,” said Luke.
For spectators, this will be an opportunity to get up close to the cars while they are on display, take photos and chat with the owners. Spectators will enjoy live music as well as food and other vendors. The Junction Place atmosphere is also a drawcard, where the cars will be set up along the Junction Place promenade.
The limited spots mean that entrants will be chosen based on the quality of the application and successful applicants will be notified a few weeks out from the event. So far, there are over 50 entrants and good variety of cars for the organisers to choose from.
To enter, visit the Border Battle 2019 Facebook page for all of the details.
