Land Rover lovers celebrate 75th anniversary at Cooma

Bumper to bumper. On Easter Sunday, traffic on Cooma’s main street was at a near standstill. But, unlike Sydney’s road conditions during rush hour, this gridlock was a circumstance to rejoice.

That’s because it was entirely caused by the hundreds of Land Rovers participating in the Grand Parade during the Land Rover 75th Anniversary event held in Cooma over the Easter long weekend.

So, why Cooma? Well, Land Rover has a long history with the Snowy Mountains region that extends beyond the marque’s paddock-pounding credentials. The Snowy Mountains Hydro Scheme started construction in 1949 – a year after the launch of the Land Rover Series I.

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While the Hydroelectric Authority had initially tested ex-military Jeeps to support its efforts in the High Country, Land Rover rapidly established its credentials on the challenging tracks that formed the lifeline of construction works. Ultimately, more than 700 Land Rovers were imported to support the Scheme.

Little wonder then that Cooma, on the doorstep to the Snowies, has cemented its place as a spiritual hub for Land Rover in Australia and is a fitting location for Land Rover anniversary events.

This year’s 75th Land Rover Anniversary attracted nearly 650 vehicles, with 1200 registered participants taking part in a full weekend’s program of activities including off-road trials, a swap-meet, a mix of self-guided and tagalong tours within the local area, live talks by industry celebrities and a gala dinner.

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Sunday’s street parade was followed by a vehicle display on the Cooma Showground where Land Rovers were literally nose to tail across the full expanse of the oval. And throughout the weekend, hundreds of Land Rovers of every model could be seen criss-crossing the township on their way to and from events, enjoying all that Cooma has to offer.

Speaking to event organisers, Cooma is said to host the biggest Land Rover gatherings anywhere in the world. This year’s community driven event was organised by the Cooma Car Club, the Range Rover Club of Sydney and the Victorian Land Rover Club, combined with massive support by Service Clubs, the Chamber of Commerce and a large number of volunteers.

Ultimately, an estimated 3000 people lined the streets for Sunday’s parade which is quite a turnout given Cooma’s population of 6700. Based on previous Land Rover events, visitors and participants are expected to have injected nearly $1.5 million into the local community.

We’re looking forward to the 80th Anniversary celebrations already!

Off-road trails

The 75th Land Rover Anniversary event was not just reserved for static displays. The half-day off-road trials, sponsored by 4WD Industries, allowed registered attendees to test their mettle in pursuit of bragging rights, with over 100 vehicles taking up the challenge.

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The trial grounds had five separate courses of varying difficulty in agility, visibility and navigation. Walking the track before the event kicked-off, it was clear that some of the tight corners were going to prove a challenge for anything other than a compact rig. But who could begrudge a short wheelbase Series I model 1948 Land Rover the opportunity to show-up its modern-day rivals?

The Defender 110s, 130s and the suite of Perenties didn’t stand a chance on one of the courses due to their long wheelbases. Meanwhile, some of the modern Range Rovers hit the mark (rather than the course markers) with traction control and electronic wizardry helping their cause.

A highlight of the event was a young 19-year-old Jack in his Silver Disco; with only one hand, he tackled the five courses better than many of his dual-handed competitors!

From far and wide

The 75th Land Rover Anniversary event attracted participants from across the country. A walk around the vehicles displayed at the Showground revealed plated vehicles from every State and Territory in Australia – with the exception of the Northern Territory (did we miss you?).

The event has a loyal following with numbers of registered attendees growing steadily:

• 50th Anniversary: 540+
• 60th Anniversary: 767
• 70th Anniversary: 900+
• 75th anniversary: 1200

Movie trivia

Did you know that, according to RoverWorks, there are more than 1781 Land Rover vehicles used in movies, TV series and music videos?

Amongst the Land Rover models, the Defender is the most popular in television series and feature films. Meanwhile, Range Rover and the Range Rover Sport have more appearances in music videos than any other luxury SUV in the world!

In 1995 the movie Judge Dredd showcased a customised Land Rover called a City CAB. Land Rover built 31 City CABs for the movie, based around the 101 Forward Control chassis that was originally manufactured in the 1970s for the British Army.

And while we all know that James Bond likes his Aston Martins, he also has a soft spot for Landies. He drove a Defender in Casino Royale and in Spectre, while the Range Rover also makes appearances in Octopussy, The Living Daylights, Tomorrow Never Dies, Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace.

And who could forget Lara Croft driving a Defender TD5 110 in Tomb Raider?

What's in a number?

Have you ever wondered about what the classification of Land Rover 90, 101, 110 or 130 means? The numbers represent the respective vehicles’ wheelbase lengths in inches.