George Roberts Shield

In Memory of George Roberts, OAM

Founder - Concours d'Elegance - Annual Display Day

Awarded to the Overall Winning Vehicle

George Roberts OAM made a significant contribution to the early days of the CVVTMC, a contribution that is both historical and enduring. In 1959, George Roberts, with George Green (the first President of the CVVTMC), negotiated the guidelines for the issue of the first conditional number plates on behalf of the Veteran Car Club of NSW, with the Commissioner of Motor Transport. This led to the Club Plate scheme and, ultimately, the Historic Vehicle Scheme, now enjoyed by the majority of historic vehicle owners. In addition, he was a driving force behind the commencement of the annual CVVTMC Display day at Warwick Farm Racecourse in 1964, which is now the Shannons Sydney Classic. 

The Shannons Sydney Classic is a huge show attended by the majority of CMC member clubs. The yearly Concours judging, held at this event, is to encourage the restoration of Veteran, Vintage, and Classic vehicles. A perpetual trophy has been named in George Roberts' honour for the outright winner of the Concours every year. 

George Roberts was born in Ipswich, Queensland, on the 27th of December 1909.  At a time when motoring was a fledgling industry, his father opened Roberts Motors, selling T-Model Fords, Fiats, and Mitchell cars in Ipswich. George became surrounded by cars and engines, and he developed a talent that would become quite prodigious, particularly his understanding of instruments. At the age of ten, he had seen his first aircraft and wondered how anyone could build such a device. He hoped he would fly such a contraption one day. He took his first flight in an aircraft, a Curtis Seagull, over Morton Bay. He went on to meet aviation pioneer Ross Smith and travelled to Bundaberg in 1928 to await the arrival of Bert Hinkler after his solo flight from Great Britain. He welcomed Charles Kingsford Smith later that year. He even helped pull British Aviatrix Amy Johnson out of her upturned Gypsy Moth near Brisbane when it landed.  In 1936, George approached QANTAS seeking work with that group. His enthusiasm, coupled with his mechanical experience and knowledge of instruments as an instrument engineer, was the clincher.  He was employed by Chief Engineer Arthur Baird and was employee number 50 at the time.  

QANTAS had five DH86s back then, which allowed them to fly over water. George began his career working on single-engine aircraft made of wood, but with QANTAS now venturing overseas, his talent would be in demand. In 1938, he would be transferred to Rose Bay in Sydney with QANTAS opening a flying base where George would work on instruments and electronics in the Empire class flying boats, along with his brother Norman, who had also joined the company. With the start of World War 2, he would be in greater demand servicing and repairing instruments for the RAAF and USAF, working on an estimated 143,000 instruments. At this time, he would settle in Blake Street, Dover Heights. At the end of the war, George and his brother Norman would be at Rose Bay awaiting the arrival of Australian POWs who were flown home for urgent medical reasons. 

In 1954, George became an active member of the newly founded Veteran Car Club of NSW, owning a 1914 Calthorpe and an early T Model Ford. He was responsible for organising, with other members, the annual Blue Mountains Rally, along with many other tours and rallies. George and his brother Norman also participated in the annual REDEX round Australia trials. George was the Assistant Director of the 1970 Australian Bicentennial International Rally for Veteran and Vintage Cars. 

In 1970, George retired from QANTAS and concentrated his energy on his memberships with the Veteran Car Club and Vintage Sports Car Club. He also spent time flying around in QANTAS aircraft, establishing a museum and archive of the history of QANTAS for the next 38 years. In 2003, George was awarded an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for his services to both Aviation and Veteran and Vintage Motoring. 

George Roberts died in St Vincents Hospital on August 24, 2009, he was 99 years old and just a few months short of his 100th birthday.

Past Winners