Jan Mitchell’s Car Rally Picnickers bollards take us back to a time when driving a motor car was a rare and exciting adventure.

The figures represent wealthy early motorists of the pre-WWI years, long before the Great Ocean Road or Eastern Beach promenade existed. They commemorate the lightly competitive motoring rallies that once started and finished along the Geelong seafront.

With service stations, mechanics, and petrol bowsers scarce along the way, these drivers had to be entirely self-sufficient. Mitchell’s carefully detailed couple is bundled against the unpredictable weather in their open-topped tourer, complete with a picnic hamper for sustenance and a trusty toolbox to tackle any roadside repairs.

Full of charm and historical detail, the Car Rally Picnickers celebrate the adventurous spirit of Geelong’s early motoring enthusiasts.