Ball Park Caravan Park and Corowa Showgrounds will be a hive of activity next month for the much-anticipated return of the Annual Corowa Swim-In and Military Vehicle Gathering from March 14 to March 20.
The event usually attracts military vehicle enthusiasts from all over Australia who gather in March for a week to display and use their military vehicles. It is the single largest gathering of military vehicles in the southern hemisphere.
The event was initially organised by Ian Grieve of Queensland and Alan Newton of South Australia and was for Amphibious Jeeps, but with so much interest generated among military vehicle enthusiasts it became a largescale gathering for all historic military vehicles.
This year will mark the 42nd year of the event which was sadly cancelled in 2021 following COVID-19 restriction concerns.
In 2019, 230 vehicles and over 1000 people attended the milestone 40th anniversary of the event.
The 41st event in 2020 was the last big event held in Corowa before the country went into lockdown with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
This year will be a little more restrained from previous years as organisers work hard to ensure it is a Covid-safe event.
“With all the COVID related regulations to deal with and constant changes to them, those of us on the organising committee have been working hard to ensure that the event can take place,” KVE President Richard Farrant
said in January.
“Any changes that have been made are hugely due to the COVID situations and the problems that have arisen from it. Hopefully, next year things will get back to a bit of normality.”
KVE secretary Jan Thompson-Creamer said she was looking forward to the event returning with this year’s theme Year of the Jeep and Year of the RAAF.
The program of events includes several trips to the surrounding region including Hume Dam, Tocumwal incorporating the Tocumwal Aviation Museum and Chrysties Classic and Collectables Museum, local trip to WW2 RAAF sites around Corowa, the piggery, nature reserve and ‘Shearing of the Rams’ trail.
On the Saturday there will be a vehicle display and Swap Meet at the Corowa Showgrounds.
“If anyone in town would like to volunteer, we are looking for people to help on our site office in Ball Park Caravan Park from Tuesday to Friday with the available times including 9-12pm, 12-3pm and 3-6pm,” Ms Thompson-Creamer said.
“We are also after assistance on Saturday, March 19 on our site office at the Corowa Showgrounds for one hour slots between 8:30-12:30.
“If anyone has skills parking up vehicles at Show and Shine events we may require assistance with our vehicle display on Saturday, March 19.”
Ms Thompson-Creamer said KVE appreciates the support provided by people in the Federation Council and Sonia and Andrew Palmer from Ball Park Caravan Park.
“I am sure the town and surrounding areas look forward to seeing us and spending money in your town,” she said.
For further information visit www.corowaswim-in.org or email: kveinc@optusnet.com.au