Motoring News – Ten Days’ Contest To Start To-day.

Sydney Morning Herald, March 10^th 1927

The first interstate Alpine reliability touring contest of the Royal Automobile Club of Australia will start to-day and extend over the next 10 days, during which time the competitors will cover a distance of about 1450 miles and travel through Southern New South Wales and Victoria to Lakes Entrance, at the mouth of the Gippsland Lakes, returning via the Prince's Highway.

During the tour, the motorists will visit many of the highest mountains in Australia, and pass through the Alpine districts of the Commonwealth, which are declared by all who have seen them to be among the finest of their kind to be seen in any part of the world. An opportunity will be extended to competitors during their stay of 24 hours at Mount Kosciusko on the third day of the contest, to visit the peak of the highest mountain, when they will reach an altitude of 7128 feet above sea level, and this no doubt will be availed of by practically every participant in the contest. On leaving Mount Kosciusko, the cars will also cross Mount Talbingo, 1100 feet in height, before teaching Albury. Other great mountains which will he climbed will be Mount Buffalo, 4400 feet; Mount St. Bernard, 5000 feet, and Mount Hotham, 6100 feet, in Victoria, besides numerous smaller ones in both States. There will be some very long climbs, the longest being up Mount Hotham, 181/2 miles, while both Mount Kosciusko (to the hotel) and Mount Buffalo are 141 miles in length. There is an additional 16 miles to climb to the peak of Mount Kosciusko.

The contest is entirely one of reliability, and will be for three classes of cars – (a), those up to 1500c c , (b), 1501 to 3000 cc. and (c), over 3000c c.

There are 15 cars entered, three in the smallest class, six in the intermediate, and six in the largest. The field, although not large, will be thoroughly representative, and a fine trial should result, while as a tour it is expected that this will prove one of the most enjoyable yet organised by the Royal Automobile Club of Australia.

Arrangements for to-day are that the competitors will assemble at the club house, Phillip-street, at 12 noon, and obtain their official numbers, observers, and final Instructions They will then proceed to the official weighbridge in Wattle-street, and weigh, fully loaded with passengers, but excluding the observers and their luggage, who will weigh separately. The same passengers and luggage must be carried throughout the contest, and no dead weight will be allowed. From the weighbridge, the cars will proceed straight out of the city for Robertson, the end of the first day's stage.

The contest will include as subsidiary events two hill climbs, a flying mile, slow running, flexibility, and acceleration tests, all of which will count In the general scores, and also rolling and speed judging tests, which will not be included in the final results.

The following are the entries, of whom it is expected practically all will start to-day.

Entrant. Capacity and car Cyls.

CLASS A (up to 1500 c c ).

S. G. H Lee (906 cc, Jowett). 2

A. G. Barnard (990 cc, Fiat). 4

F. M. Beck (1400 cc, Fiat). 4

CLASS B (1501 to 3000 c c).

A. A. Fairfax (1534 cc, Alvis). 4

R. R. Hawkes (1865 cc, Austin). 4

D. V. Clifton (1995 cc, Ballot). 4

A. R. Johns (2476 cc, Essex Coach). 6

R. Cobden (2914 cc, Willys-Knight). 6

W. B. Larke (2953 cc, Chrysler). 6

CLASS C (over 3000 cc.)

R. C. Nelson (3394 cc, Buick). 6

R. A Carter (3583 cc, Chrysler). 6

R. L. Harper (3938 cc, Diana). 8

G. Miller (4078 cc Paige). 6

Boyd Edkins (4224 cc, Vauxhall) 4

F. A. Parle (4221 cc, Vauxhall). 4

The various stages of the journey are:‑

March 10.- Sydney to Robertson, via Liverpool (22.2 miles), Campbelltown (33 miles), Camden (41 miles). Picton (52.1 miles.), Yerrinbool (70 miles), Mittagong (80.2 miles), Bowral (82.9 miles), and Kangaloon (91.25 miles), a distance of 97.25 miles.

March 11.- Robertson to Canberra, via Moss Vale (15 miles), Exeter (22.1 miles), Bundanoon (26.4 miles). Marulan (49 miles), Goulburn (69 miles), Gunning (99 miles), Gundaroo (117 miles), Sutton (126 miles), and Ainslie, a distance of 136 miles.

March 12.- Canberra to Mount Kosciusko (Hotel), via Queanbeyan (8.6 miles), Michelago (38.7 miles). Bredbo (56.7 miles), Bunyan (73.5 miles), Cooma (79.8 miles), Berridale (102.1 miles), Jindabyne (118.2 miles). The Creel (123.5 miles), and Kosciusko Hotel, 133.5 miles.

March 13.-Kosciusko Hotel to Tumut, via Jindabyne (15.8 miles), Adaminaby (47.4 miles), Kiandra (69.4 miles), Yarrangobilly Caves (83.4 miles), Yarrangobilly (89.4 miles), Talbingo (106.8 miles), Blowering (120.8 miles), and Tumut, 130.8 miles.

March 14.- Tumut to Albury, via Wondalga (11.1 miles), Batlow (20 miles), Tumbarumba (46.4 miles). Jingellic (75.6 miles), Talmalmo (96.4 miles), Dora Dora (105.4 miles) , Bowna (132.3 miles), and Thurgoonah (138.4 miles), distance 145 miles.

March 15.- Albury to the Chalet, Mount Buffalo, Victoria, via Wodonga (3.5 miles), Barnawatha (17.1 miles). Wangaratta (47 miles), Tarrawingle (67.7 miles), Beechworth (70 miles), Myrtleford (89.6 miles), Porepunkh (102,1 miles), and the three gates, a distance of 120.8 miles.

March 16.- Rest at Mount Buffalo.

March 17.- Mount Buffalo to Bairnsdale, via Porepunkah (18.2 miles), Bright (21.9 miles), Harrietville (37.3 miles), St. Bernard's Hospice (51.8 miles), Mount Hotham (56.9 miles), Cobungra (77.5 miles), Omeo (92.8 miles). Cassilis (108.6 miles), Swifts Creek (123.4 miles), Tambo Crossing (149.8 miles), Bruthen (171.3 miles), and Bairnsdale (181 miles).

March 18.- Bairnsdale to Bega, N.S.W.. via Lakes Entrance (23 miles), Nowa Nowa (39.3 miles), Orbost (632 miles), Bellbird Hotel (90.4 miles), Cann River (120.1 miles). Genoa (152.8 miles), Kiah River (186.5 miles), Eden (199.7 miles), Pambula (212.3 miles), Wolumla (221.7 miles), and Bega (234.8 miles).

March 19.- Bega to Kiama, via Cobargo (27 miles), Wilba (41.4 miles), Narooma (53.7 miles), Bodalla (66.4 miles), Moruya (81.7 miles), Bateman's Bay (100.2 miles), Termeil (123.1 miles), Ulladulla (136.8 miles). Milton (141.1 miles), Conjola (145.4 miles), Wandandian (161.2 miles), Nowra (180.3 miles), Berry (192.2 miles ). Gerringong (202.3 miles). and Kiama (209 miles).

March 20.- Kiama to Sydney, via Shellharbour (7.5 miles), Albion Park (18.8 miles), Wollongong (27.1 miles). Bulli (33.8 miles), Waterfall (52.5 miles), Tom Ugly's Point (66.6 miles), and the clubhouse, a distance of 78.6 miles.