Bugs, Kombis and VW lovers return to the Morgan riverfront
If you have a soft spot for old Bugs, Kombis and pretty much anything wearing a Volkswagen badge, there will be plenty to look at when Dubs By The River returns to Morgan Riverfront Reserve on Sunday, September 13.
Around 40 to 50 VWs are expected to park up on the lawns for a relaxed day by the river, with owners, VW lovers and anyone curious enough to wander over welcome to join in.
There are no entry fees, no registrations and no trophies or judging. The idea is simple, park up on the riverfront, check out the cars and spend the day with people who share a love of VWs.
And you don’t even need to own one.
“If it’s got a VW badge it’s welcome, if it hasn’t… it’s still welcome,” organiser Terry Jackson said.
What will turn up?
Bugs and Kombis are usually well represented, but over the years the line-up has included Type 3s, Golfs, Country Buggies, Beach Buggies, Karmann Ghias, Crafter campers, T4 buses and even the odd Porsche, Volvo and SAAB.
“You never know what will turn up,” Terry said.
There have been some memorable arrivals too, including a Mad Max-style Beetle last year and a couple who once turned up with only the restored floor pan of their project because the body wasn’t finished yet.
“That’s commitment,” Terry said.
How Dubs by the River began
Dubs By The River started in 2015 after Terry and his partner Bec, who live in Peterborough, found themselves regularly travelling to Adelaide to attend Volkswagen events.
The couple bought their first VW, a Kombi, in 2011, which Terry admits is still waiting to get back on the road. Bec added a 1971 Type 3 Notchback in 2013, the same model her mum had owned when she was a kid, and before long they were making the trip south for VW shows.
With Morgan already one of their favourite camping spots, Terry wondered why all the VW fun had to happen in Adelaide.
So in 2015, Dubs By The River was born with 11 Volkswagens and about 20 people.
The following year, a Morgan local helped them move the gathering onto the riverfront lawns, and a few years later the Volkswagen Club of SA came on board, making Dubs an official club event and helping with insurance.
Making a weekend of it
These days, people come a fair way for Dubs. Along with the Adelaide and SA contingent, there are regulars from Broken Hill, Mildura and Ararat, while travelling VW owners have been known to hear about the event and drop in along the way.
Members of the Morgan Classic and Custom Vehicle Club are invited along too, usually adding another 10 to 15 cars to the mix.
For all that growth, Sunday at Dubs hasn’t changed much since those early days. The VWs park up on the lawns, people wander around checking them out, owners catch up and visitors are welcome to stop for a chat.
People bring a picnic or BBQ lunch, grab something from one of Morgan’s local food businesses and settle in for a few hours by the river.
What has changed is the weekend around it. Plenty now stay in Morgan, with a Saturday cruise to somewhere around the district followed by dinner that night.
For Terry, it’s the friendships built over the years that keep them coming back.
“Most of us only see each other for this one day or weekend each year, but that has still made for great friendships,” he said.
Terry and Bec themselves are also proof that collecting Volkswagens tends to get a little out of hand. Their yard now contains a Kombi, Superbug, Notchback, two Squarebacks and a Fastback in various states of roadworthiness and restoration.
Terry admitted that “VWs are like rabbits… they breed when you’re not looking.”
DUBS BY THE RIVER
WHERE: Morgan Riverfront Reserve
WHEN: Sunday, September 13, 9:30am – 2pm
ENTRY: Free
Click here for more information.
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