DARLING DOWNS CHAPTER
Established September, 2005
The MG Car Club was formed in 1954, the club is composed of motoring enthusiasts who enjoy all makes of motor vehicles, not just MGs and provides activities for all aspects of motoring, sporting, and social.
The Darling Downs Chapter was formed in September 2005, and since that date the chapter has grown strongly with a growing list of members in Toowoomba, Warwick and as far west as Roma, who, enjoy access to all the benefits of the parent body at a reduced membership rate.
MG Car Club of Queensland promotes sporting and concourse events at a State and National level in addition to a strong calendar of club activities, technical and historic information can be accessed from the club web site.
Darling Downs' members enjoy regular monthly day runs and midweek lunch meetings, (organised by our Midweek Run Conveners). Day runs commence on the last Sunday of the month from various locations. Details of all runs are included in the "What's On" link on the MG Car Club website.
For further information contact Darling Downs' Conveners:
Marilyn Keating - Coordinator
Email: ddc.mgccq@mgccq.org.au
Mobile: 0427 573 048
DARLING DOWNS
26 July 2026
By: Trevor Martin
It was a perfect July winters day on the Darling Downs. Clear blue skies, no wind and a cool 10 degrees when the group set off from Ernest Peak Park, Drayton for the month end car run.
The drive headed out along the Toowoomba-Athol Road and then headed west towards the town of Wyreema and then turning north up through Umbiram to the small town of Southbrook. The road carries little traffic and passes through thousands of acres of productive black soil agricultural land with some cattle properties and horse studs along the way.
Leaving Southbrook, the drive turned back south on the Southbrook-Felton Road, a narrow well sealed bitumen road used mostly by local farms. The countryside turned more scenic with rolling hills and distant mountains with virtually no other vehicles encountered along the way.
Arriving at Cambooya, the next part of the drive was through more agricultural countryside with the morning tea destination at Sister Kenny Park at Nobby where members also visited a newly opened art gallery featuring local artists in the town’s landmark best preserved historic building.
The final leg of the journey ended at the Clifton Museum, a small volunteer operated museum which opened in 2021 full of memorabilia sourced from surrounding areas. The volunteers were most welcoming and appreciative of the patronage of the Club.
The day concluded with lunch at the popular O’Shanley’s Irish Pub in Clifton. Overall, the run provided perfect cool weather driving conditions well suited to our classic English vehicles.
Attendees:
Michael & Marilyn Keating (E-Type)
Trevor Martin & Ron Miller (MGB)
Gene & Faye Lucas (MGTD)
Mike Wade (MGB)
Mark & Leanne Calam (MGB)
Jim Carstens (MGB)
Alan & Deb Maskell (MGBGT)
Pat Bermingham (Honda)
Ian & Jenny Roberts (MGB)
Susan Willesden (VW Passat)
Brian & June Phillips (MGBGT)
Owen Douglas & Mal Campbell (MGB)
Gaye Hawkshaw & Debbie Schier (Camry)
DARLING DOWNS CHAPTER RUN - 28 June, 2026
By: Ian & Jenny Roberts
A brisk early morning start for this month's run may have discouraged a few of the faint hearted, however, with our small group we headed off down the range to Grantham, to the famous Floating Cafe. As usual, the staff were friendly and the breakfast menu was enjoyed by all.
Unfortunately, on departing, Peter and Jenny Wild caught their exhaust on a piece of concrete in the carpark and returned home safely (albeit noisily) without further participation on the run.
After farewelling Peter and Jenny, the rest of us trekked down what is locally called Heifers Creek Road. There was magnificent scenery which included valleys, hills, steep cuttings, falling rocks, speed bumps and boom gates in the middle of nowhere (I think the ground might shift and the road gets affected).
As we neared the end of that road, the landscape turned into farming lands, and a short run later had us at Clifton Centenary Park for our BYO morning tea.
PARTICIPANTS:
Michael and Marilyn Keating (MGBGT)
Susan Willesden and Trevor Martin (MGB)
Peter and Jenny Wild (Daimler)
Janice Lawrence (MX5)
Gaye Hawkshaw and Debbie Schier (Camry)
Alan and Debbie Maskell (MGBGT)
Gene and Faye Lucas (MGTD)
Ian and Jenny Roberts (MGB)
DARLING DOWNS CHAPTER
Marilyn Keating
OAKEY RSL LUNCH 10/06/2026
What a day we encountered for our June lunch meet. Very thick fog and drizzly rain greeted us as we arrived in Toowoomba on our way to our lunch meet at Oakey RSL Club. It’s not unusual to see that much fog at the top of the range, but unusual for us to experience such thick fog almost all the way to the western outskirts of Toowoomba, and then clearing as we neared Oakey. I do feel sorry for those who live at the top of the range, looking out over the valley with magnificent views and then having to experience white-out quite often at this time of year.
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Needless to say, there were only two MGs amongst the group of eight cars who rolled up for the lunch at noon (extra Brownie points to Ken & Sue, and Owen). The Oakey RSL is always a safe bet for a nice lunch and you rarely have to wait long before your meal is served. It was interesting to note that on the menu for seniors, was a “corned beef and white sauce pie”.
That’s the first time I have ever seen that version of a pie on a menu, or indeed, in any pie shop. I decided I would be brave and try it, and I can say it was very nice indeed. Something a little different to the usual fish and chips, crumbed chicken etc.
Following lunch there was the usual catch up with fellow members and after solving the world’s problems (and there are a lot of them), it was time to head home. A very pleasant couple of hours taken care of.
PARTICIPANTS:
Michael & Marilyn Keating (Jaguar XJ6), Ron & Judy Gillis (travelled with the Keatings), Jim Carstens (Falcon), Ken Shead & Sue Craig (MGBGT), Gene & Faye Lucas (Honda), Helen Goodfellow and Del Jensen (Corolla), Bill & Del Fischer (Honda), Owen Douglas (MGB), Trevor Martin (Nissan).
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