IT was a sight to behold for Kombi lovers and classic VW fans on Saturday (18 May), as more than 100 of the iconic vehicles were on display at Dromana 3 Drive-in.
The car show was part of a celebration of the Kombi and a screening of the Kombi Man movie. The event was a sell-out, with about 150 people arriving for the display, live music, the movie screening (which included Bob Marley One Love) and the inspirational story of the Kombi Man told by film maker Jeff Bird and others.
Kombi and “beetle” owner and organiser Amber-May Jukes said she and her partner Chris were inspired to hold the event to pay tribute to the Kombi and the sense of freedom they represent. “We love the vibe we get when behind the wheel, and the freedom to travel our gorgeous country,” she said. “We wanted to make this a celebration of the movie, a thanks to the filmmaker for all his effort, an opportunity to visit such an iconic venue and a chance for all the groups of Volkswagen enthusiasts in the area to come together and enjoy an afternoon of fun. “We are also so excited that this event has the option of camping out overnight, which is an extremely rare experience.”
After seeing the film Kombi Man in May last year, the couple was touched by the story behind it. The film is about a race against time and one man on a fun-filled adventure to find a Kombi van, revisit his hippie youth and explore the meaning of life. He meets a series of characters along the way as the film delves into themes of mortality and the preciousness of life, as he dreams of one last road trip.
Jukes said that when she heard that the man in the film, Paul Mutimer, had written a book, she contacted the filmmaker to get a copy and became the “proud” owner of the last copy of The Simple Man. “It now travels with us in our Kombi Peggy-Mae and is always on display at shows,” she said. The event also raised money for the Australian Cancer Council.
First published in the Mornington News – 21st May 2024
