Automotive Historians Australia invited submissions for papers for their 4th annual conference in 2019, the theme set as 'The Joy of Motoring’. This theme was inspired by one of the 20th century’s most celebrated motorists, Mr Toad of Wind in the Willows, whose uninhibited and reckless enthusiasm for motoring at high speed encapsulated that century’s enthusiasm for automobility.
Both formal academic papers and less formal presentations were made, which reflected generally on motoring and automotive culture. We particularly sought contributions that derived from the experience of owning, racing, designing, restoring or building an automobile (or motorcycle), experiences that often rely on tacit knowledge accrued over a long period of time which remains hidden and is never recorded. Similarly, experiences of rallying, time trials, long-distance road trips, the open road were welcomed. Bringing this knowledge to the fore is an ambition of the conference and the experiences and knowledge of women in this space were particularly encouraged. The co-conveners Professor Harriet Edquist and Dr Simon Lockrey invite you to download the 2019 proceedings below:
Hosted by the RMIT Design Archives and School of Design the exciting conference program included:
Conference paper sessions, enthusiast presentations, and AHA Annual General Meeting 18th-19th October
Third Ron Tauranac Lecture: H. Donald Capps (Director of the Society of Automotive Historians, USA), 18th October
Joan Richmond Cocktail Party, RMIT Design Archives, on the night of the 18th October
Conference dinner at Jimmy Watson’s, on the night of the 18th October
Fisherman's Bend tour by Norm Darwin, 19th October
Here is a taste of the 2018 action, with the 2018 Ron Tauranac Lecture delivered by Graeme Davison
Please visit our YouTube channel for more full filmed versions of each of the paper presented from all of our conferences.