If you saw smoke billowing from the Octagon this morning, keep calm - the Dunedin CBD wasn't on fire.
Some of New Zealand’s oldest motor vehicles were firing up for the southern hemisphere’s oldest veteran car rally, the Dunedin to Brighton Veteran Vehicle Run.
Rally convener Colin Winter said the event, run by the Otago branch of the Vintage Car Club, had run continuously for 63 years, and this year’s event was expected to attract 25 cars, two fire engines, seven motorcycles and one truck.
Veteran cars are those built before 1919, and most cars in the rally are more than 100 years old.
There were various makes and models, including De Dion-Bouton, Darracq, Delage, Alldays & Onions, Renault, Sunbeam and a locally-owned 1907 Sizaire et Naudin, he said.
The plan was for rally drivers and navigators to gather in the Octagon from about 10am, many dressed in costumes to match the era of their car.
"This is assuming everyone gets there. These cars can be a little cantankerous. You can never be sure they’ll start on any given day," Mr Winter said.
The first car departed at 11am, bound for Brighton via Rattray St, Serpentine Ave, Hawthorne Ave, Jubilee St, Stone St, Kaikorai Valley Rd, and then through Burnside, Green Island/Sunnyvale and Waldronville before parking at the domain.
The 21st Brighton Gala Day will be held at the domain on Sunday.
