120 years ago this coming Monday seven pioneer motorists met at the old
Australia Hotel in Castlereagh Street. That meeting on the 20 th March 1903 saw the
formation of the Automobile Club of Australia, the meeting called by ‘Harrie’
Skinner, after an incident in George Street with his 4.5HP De Dion made him
realise that motorists of the day had few rights under existing legislation. The
first car to be imported to Sydney had arrived in April 1900, and some three years
later just a handful of ‘horseless carriages’ were plying the streets of Sydney. The
Automobile Clubs first event, a Motor Gymkhana at the Agricultural Showgrounds
on the 5 th Dec. 1903, members motoring from Martin Place to Centennial Park and
then on to Coogee. In 1919 the title Royal was conferred on the Automobile Club
and today it’s proudly holds the title of the oldest Motoring Club in Australia. I’m
David Berthon

Image: Sydney’s first car import

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