Who Are We, and What Do We Offer a Member?

The RCCA was formed in 1964 by a small band of Rover enthusiasts, membership is currently approaching 250, in the main from Victoria but also from other Australian States especially Tasmania.

Members of RCCA have Rovers that span most, if not all, the Rover models sold in the Australian market over the years. Rover P3s and P4s were of course the most popular models in the early years, soon to be joined by P5s and P6s, then the SD1 and SEII series 3500 V8s, Quintets, 416s, and then the 800 series, right through to the last models sold in Australia prior to the collapse of MG Rover, Rover 75 and MGZT series.

There are pre WW2 vehicles with the oldest Club car being a 1905 6HP model. The most popular model with our Members is the P6, in all its guises, SC, TC, P6B and P6BS. However, the number of Members with the Rover 75 (R40) and the derivative MGZT is steadily increasing.

By having a numerically strong Club, we are assured of a ready supply of spares, especially for the older models, now and into the future. Technical Officers specialising in particular Rover models are on hand to give advice on your car problems.

The Club is, and has always been, run by enthusiastic amateurs in the true sense of the word and no member receives any remuneration for their efforts. Through the tireless efforts of members hard or impossible to obtain parts have been manufactured, especially those which would not be a commercial proposition. Liaison is maintained with other Rover car clubs both in Australia and overseas and also with professional re-manufacturers to ensure otherwise unobtainable items are considered for stocking by the Club.

Benefits To Financial Members

Club Events & Monthly Meetings

Club Events organised during the year are broad and varied. These can range from Display Days to weekends away, touring with your Rover and fellow Members. The Biennial Rove, the National gathering of Australian Rover Clubs is hosted alternatively in each Mainland State. (See National Rove Page here)

If you are a prospective member or just interested in Rover cars you are most welcome to come along to one of our  Monthly meetings. They are held every month (except for January and December) usually on the second Friday of each month at the Club Rooms commencing at 8.00pm:

Uniting Church Hall
Entrance off Hepburn Street
Hawthorn
Melways Ref. 45F11

These meetings are varied and include video nights, technical presentations, social nights and presentations by guest speakers from a motoring related body or organisation. These evenings also provide Members with an opportunity to discuss technical problems, locate sources of Spare Parts or purchase Spare Parts from our Club Spares stocks, purchase Club Regalia or borrow from the Club Library.

Dates & details for Club Events are on our Events Page here.

Cars For Sale and Wanted – Car Mart

Advertise Your Rover or Parts for sale with RCCA – Advertisements can be published on our Car Mart web page, as well as appearing in our magazines, Viking Torque and Small Torque, if you wish to reach the wider Internet market. It costs nothing normally to advertise, (RCCA does reserve the right to charge a fee for ads placed by businesses or commercial suppliers under certain circumstances.)

For our Car Mart click here.

Affiliations

RCCA is a member of the Association of Motoring Clubs Inc. (AOMC) and is entitled to have delegates represent the Club at Association meetings and hold positions on the Association’s Committee and sub-committees; several of the club’s members have served on its Management Committee for a number of years. Club members support the AOMC by displaying their cars at the annual show for British and European vehicles.

VicRoads Club Plate Scheme

The RCCA is an “Approved Club” for registration of Historical Vehicles under the VicRoads Club Plate Scheme. This concession is only available for current paid up Financial Members.

Under recent revisions to the Scheme participating Car Clubs, including RCCA, are subject to more formal process of accountability for the proper operation of the scheme.

Further information relating to the Scheme:

Prospective Members please note that the following rules apply to the issuing of Club Permits to Financial Members:

  • Club Permits are to be available only to those who have been a member of the RCCA for a minimum of 3 months. The Committee will however consider applications under the 3 month period based on their merit. Such special applications may include, but not be limited to, such reasons as returning lapsed members or people moving from interstate.
  • Club Permits will only be approved for Rover vehicles. The Committee will however consider applications for a non-Rover to be granted a Club Permit if the owner already has, and continues to have, at least one Rover on a Club Permit.

For Club Members and prospective new Members, full details on how the Scheme operates in the RCCA is here.

Spare Parts & Club Regalia

The RCCA has an active Spare Parts Sub-committee and they are always on the look out for usable spares kept by Rover owners or former owners.  The Sub-committee also considers what “rare” parts needed by Members might be remanufactured.

The Club carries a wide variety of Club Regalia for sale to Members at reasonable prices.

The ability to purchase spare & remanufactured parts, and Club Regalia is a benefit of Club membership. See Spare Parts & Regalia Pages in Member’s Only Section.

Club Library

The Club holds over 700 items in the Library for use by members and contains workshop and spare parts manuals for most models. It also contains technical books and magazines of interest to Rover owners. The Library is kept in the Club meeting rooms in Hawthorn. Material may be borrowed on meeting nights, or mailed to you (at your expense) if unable to attend. Borrowings are limited to one month unless prior arrangements are made with the Librarian. The Club is always looking to expand the Library, so donations will be gratefully received.

Club Publications

The Club publishes two magazines to keep members informed of the Club’s activities and other Rover news. Viking Torque is produced quarterly, in the first week of March, June, September and December. Members are invited to submit articles and letters. Deadline for contributions is the second Friday of the preceding month (usually coincides with the Monthly Meeting date).

Small Torque is published during other months (except December and January), and lists the latest in Club events and news over the coming month.

Viking Torque and Small Torque Newsletter in PDF format is circulated to Members who choose to receive PDF rather than hard copy, and are also available for downloading for Financial Members, on our Members Only Page, which is password protected. Financial Members can request the password from the Webmaster

RCCA also publishes a Handbook which provides helpful information about the operation and services of the Club, including details of parts, colour charts and technical services. A vehicle information register is also kept. The Handbook is also available on DVD.

Internet Discussion Group

For our internet connected financial members the Club has an Email Discussion Group set up with members participating in discussions about the Club Activities, technical help, and about Rovers in general. For our interstate or Country members this provides a good opportunity to participate in Club activity. Recently we have also opened up the Group to participants who are financial members of interstate Rover Clubs, even more experience and expertise is now available for participants.

If you would like to join our Discussion Group Contact the Webmaster.

Club Founders

George Gosbell and Ron Creber

We recognise the passing of our Dear Friend, Founding Father and Life Member of the Rover Car Club of Australia George Gosbell in September 2020. George, together with the late Ron Creber, were responsible for getting the Car Club formed in 1964, and George proudly held the Membership Number One. George was particularly keen on the Rover P6, he had many over the years, and pleased to say, many are still with Rover Club Members.

So, now you are hooked, please go to our Membership Application Page and join us.