The Muster

Castlemaine, Victoria 27-30th March 2026

Time for a ’round-up’ of our 9th Australian Lambretta Jamboree. Hosted by The Lambretta Club of Australia and renamed ‘Muster’ by our organiser, Colin, and the Victorian members he corralled in as extra hands, the event this year was in Castlemaine, Victoria—Australia’s Hot Rod Capital and, for one weekend, the epicentre of questionable navigation skills and scooter antics.

This was the first time that Victoria had played host since the 2021 Portland Jamboree, so spirits were high.  The majority of attendees were expected to be our Victorian members, however, we also had many others riding, driving and flying in from other States, including as far as Queensland and WA.

Attendance and Venue

We think it must have been a record turnout, with 98 tickets sold and over 60 Lambrettas participating in the ride-outs. This was despite the concerns about fuel shortages, which led to a few last-minute interstate attendees dropping out.

The Muster’s HQ was the BIG4 Castlemaine Gardens Holiday Park. Accommodation ranged from luxury glamping tents and villas to cabins and tent sites for those brave enough to sleep under the stars. Nearby, the Northern Arts Hotel beckoned with its eclectic charm and convenient location—a mere 10-minute stroll away. There were also a few other motels in this beautiful Art Deco town, offering a comfortable bed away from the sounds of two-stroke.

Friday: Arrival and Gathering

Most people arrived on Friday afternoon, ready for a night of mingling with old friends. The informal meet & greet location was at The Bridge Hotel’s beer garden across the road from the holiday park, although most didn’t make it past the bar inside the front doors. Good food and many drinks were enjoyed with great company – much laughter echoed until closing.

Saturday: Ride Out and Activities

Saturday kicked off with sunshine, coffee and, for some, a quick dash to the servo, because nothing says “group ride” like a scramble for petrol – there’s always a few! The first ride out through the Victorian countryside was to the Old Gaol, making for a great photo op, followed by lunch at a country pub, Five Flags Hotel Campbells Creek. On the way back, a few riders starred in their own epic adventure by getting lost, thanks to a rider who thought they knew a better route. Meanwhile, others opted to skip the ride out, staying behind for a late breakfast, exploring the town and the Mill precinct, including its incredibly expansive vintage market.

At 2pm, Chris Merrifield, aka Evil Kinevil, orchestrated a gymkhana at the Sunken Oval, at the entrance to the holiday park. After Chris’ demonstration of the course, an enthusiastic number of willing participants came forward this year, with an impressive level of skill displayed. There was only one minor tumble, and after several reviews of the VAR, we decided it could only have been an intentional professional foul.  The competition ended in a three-way tie between Brant, James, and Amir, resolved by a thrilling face-off that crowned Brant the ultimate winner. A slow ride followed with almost 20 Lammies crawling to the finish line, proving once and for all that speed isn’t everything.

Thanks to Colonel Col’s military punctuality, the 4pm Show ‘n Shine commenced right on schedule. Congregating inside the holiday park we admired the Lambrettas in all their glory, voted and chatted.  The cocktail van showed up to wet our palettes, though judging by the long line moving slowly, it tested some patience, with the odd admonishment overheard: “how about a bit less talking and more mixing”. Once the voting concluded, we waited for the trophy presentation, delayed slightly as the vote tallying was a bit more complex than anticipated – huge thanks to the volunteers who kindly stepped in to assist Tony. Winners of the trophies (hopefully recalled accurately – let us know if any corrections are needed):

• Best in Show (sponsored by Scooter Meccanica): Chris von Scooterhead’s chopper
• Best Series 1 (sponsored by Lambretta Obsessions): Rob McClelland
• Best Series 2 (sponsored by Lambretta Obsessions): Mohammad Muktar (Tau Roses)
• Best Series 3 (sponsored by Vespa House): Graeme Allbon
• Best GP (sponsored by Vespa House): Nevil Cope
• Best Non-Italian (sponsored by LCoSA): Pete Lopes
• Best Small frame / Shaft driven (sponsored by Vespa Wizard): Rolf Graunke’s newly restored Vega
• Best Rat (sponsored by United Pest Control):  Adam White
• Il Dipartimento Di Lambretta’s Best Milan Rat: Colin Thomas
• Gymkhana winner (sponsored by Scooter Meccanica): Brant Cumming
• Furthest ridden (sponsored by GN Classic Scooter): Chris Johnson, ridden from Canberra, ACT

Saturday Evening: Entertainment

Saturday night was back at the Bridge Hotel with pub bands and DJ antics. DJs Von S Head (Chris) and Dave Slater kept the decks spinning, in between bands The Electric Relfs and The Predawn Civilisation providing live music, keeping the crowd entertained well into the evening. Once the music stopped, we continued chatting and drinking until after midnight when the exhausted bar staff had to push us out the door to empty the tills and restock the cellar. I’m sure they weren’t complaining, though, and that their takings over the past 2 nights were more than worth it.

Sunday: Countryside Ride and Closing

On Sunday morning another ride-out was scheduled. A few less scooters turned out than the previous day, but as a massive bonus, there was a gathering of hot rods and custom American muscle in the sunken oval, which Colin must have organised without telling anyone – cheers Col!

The ride out group cruised through the Victorian countryside to Daylesford, where everyone then gathered at the Royal Hotel’s sunny beer garden. It was a cracking day. The weather was perfect: warm, sunny, and just right for basking in the glow of Lambretta camaraderie and bad jokes.

The afternoon was free, and a few chose to leave early (including Steve and myself), reducing mileage for our return journey. Others stayed behind for a fantastic dinner at the Holiday Park, courtesy of Lambretta Malaya Sydney members. We heard it was so good, the leftovers were fought over—but we’ll never know, since we missed it. Jealous much? Absolutely.

A massive thanks and congratulations to Colin, Tony, Adam, Martyn, Chris(es) and anyone else I’ve omitted to mention, for all your hard work and effort in making this event another huge success. Everyone had a fantastic time!

Next year will be in NSW – and we can’t wait!

Author: Tash Diffey

Photo credits: Tash Diffey, Scooter Sunny and Azam Kecik