THE Menangle Military Muster is only in its second year but its future looks…big.
Described as a gathering of military clubs and enthusiasts, the event drew pristinely kept collections of wartime era vehicles from near and far…to the tiny township of Menangle in the Macarthur region of Sydney’s south-west.
“That beast sucks 70 litres of diesel per 100km,” marvelled one onlooker. “70 litres per 100k!!”
I won’t try to pretend that I know what the beast was… or even how it could consume such an amount. Perhaps I misheard the figures.
But these things were big. And they weren’t on their own.
A stallholder tells me more than I’ll hopefully ever need to know about a cluster of bullets of varying sizes – some possibly nudging an estimated metre in height.
Apparently military forces overseas are using a particular type of these bullets in their tanks requiring cleaning not once, but twice, a day…
There’s a lot to see on the site. Amid the maze of stalls, there are tents and many have come dressed in uniforms from the World Wars, accurate down to the finest detail.
But the enthusiasm isn’t limited to the World Wars. A hundred metres away, there are tents of a different shape set up – with folks dressed in medieval garb wandering purposefully around them.
Some are polishing swords and helmets. Others are giving youngsters instruction on using handcrafted bows and arrows.
The muster is hosted by the Campbelltown Steam and Rail Museum, so naturally, there is also plenty to keep any vintage fans busy as well.
Food orders for the barbecue are being taken from inside one of Sydney’s authentic old Red Rattler train carriages – in use from as early the 1920s.
We are kindly welcomed by avid railways enthusiast and carriage collector Guy Matheson into another vintage train carriage on show for the day – a Steam NSWGR Rail Car 1596.
He explains how the carriage’s lights were converted from their original gas supply to electricity in 1932. It is clear from the outset that this restoration project is much more than a hobby to this owner. It is a lifetime’s labour of love.
Further inside, there is a fully operational model train set, complete with replica rural landscapes, buildings and shops.
The little ‘uns are just as beloved as their big inspirations.
All in all, one BIG day out… |HN
The Big Menangle Military Muster THE Menangle Military Muster is only in its second year but its future looks...big. Described as a gathering of military clubs and enthusiasts, the event drew pristinely kept collections of wartime era vehicles from near and far...to the tiny township of Menangle in the Macarthur region of Sydney's south-west.
