The Porsche Club of Victoria is the largest Porsche club in the southern hemisphere. Like many of its counterparts around the world, this passionate community has grown considerably over the last 50 years, conducting its first meeting with 40 members in August 1975 and today boasting more than 2,200 members.
To celebrate its half century, the club conducted three separate events in 2025, attended by more than 1,200 members.
Celebrating 50 years of passion and community
The club began its celebrations with its 50th Anniversary Club Night in Port Melbourne in late August. The evening began with champagne and a jazz trio before a special Q&A session with Michael Stillwell, the first PCV President, and Kerry Reynolds, the initial club secretary and fourth Club President. Michael and Kerry shared with guests the club’s origins and how its emergence was partly the result of a combined Porsche Club of Australia and New Zealand not getting off the ground during the 1960s.
The event’s visual highlight was a 12-minute video compilation titled 50 Years in Motion. Featuring AI-enhanced animation, this vivid, fast-moving production brought to life five decades of club history and was carefully assembled over 50 hours by Ron Widdison, editor of the Club’s Porsche Parade magazine.
Special commemorative plaques were presented to all surviving Porsche Club Presidents. Of the 27 passionate people who have held this position over the last half century, 15 were in attendance.
“At the heart of Porsche is the passion and shared community of club members.” Daniel Schmollinger, CEO and Managing Director of Porsche Cars Australia
150 Porsche cars on the Surf Coast
Mt Duneed Estate, just out of Geelong, hosted the next round of celebrations in early October. Around 400 members enjoyed a mix of overnight stays on the surf coast and rural drives in a glistening array of more than 150 Porsche cars, including some rare examples. A 911 GT2 RS and a clutch of GT3 RS headlined the race-bred sports cars. A rare Type-993 911 Targa and the Club President’s immaculate black 924 Carrera GT were crowd favourites. And an array of Boxster, Cayman, Panamera and Macan were joined by a 944 Turbo and a 968 Club Sport, highlighting the variety of models that make the Porsche Club of Victoria so popular.
The venue’s high-roofed Barrel Hall Restaurant hosted lunch, after which Club President Russell Sturzaker gave a fascinating talk about the history, successes and events conducted by Porsche clubs around the world, of which there are now 700, with 145,000 members.
“Our club continues to grow and we will keep growing thanks to the dedication and enthusiasm of our committee members, volunteers and members,” he said.
Porsche Cars Australia CEO and Managing Director, Daniel Schmollinger, joined Russell to congratulate the club on its special anniversary.
“The Porsche Club of Victoria has played an important role in the success of Porsche in Australia for 50 years,” he said. “At the heart of Porsche is the passion and shared community of club members.”
Gala event
Porsche club of Victoria conducted its largest single event in 20 years when 240 members joined special guests from Porsche Cars Australia and Penske Automotive for the club’s Gala Dinner and Awards Night at Zinc, in Melbourne’s Federation Square.
ARIA Award-winning and GRAMMY®-nominated violinist Patrick Roberts performed for guests before the club’s awards were presented, which included the Hall of Fame, Club Member of the Year, men’s and women’s Motorsport Club Champions, and the Life Member Award, most deservingly won by Mark Horton Andrews.
All guests were presented with gifts, including a commemorative car badge and a Porsche crested key ring stamped in gold with the 50th Anniversary badge.
Club President Russell Sturzaker: “The Porsche Club of Victoria’s 50th Anniversary celebrations shared an inspiring story of heritage, friendship and of shared love for performance and style. They’ve been the driving forces behind our club’s success for the last 50 years, and we’re ready for the road ahead in the next 50.”
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