Published on Tuesday, 25 November 2025 at 11:15:15 AM
Happy #TimeWarpTuesday! Today’s ode to history is in the form of the other of our Equal 1st Prize winning entries into the 2025 Local History Awards.
Original Poetry or Performance Work
Display Cover Page for Pat’s poem ‘101 Car Yards in Vic Park’
“101 Car Yards in Victoria Park” by Pat Saunders
in their floodlit compounds
insects whirring ‘round and ‘round
headlights stare at the highway
bumpers gleaming grin
deserted, no passing traffic now
from the footpath
occasionally a duck beneath the chain
or scissor legs
browsing, shuffling
unashamedly window shopping
after dark
car yard style
fingers slide the length of new ones
trailing through the very best polish
boots kicking tyres of used ones
hands pressing panels
that may or may not have been damaged
and/or repaired at some stage
fluro windscreens scream
LOW KMS
ONE OWNER
FINANCE AVAILABLE
uninvited curious faces
fogging clinically clean glass
admiring immaculately detailed interiors
manual or auto?
k’s?
does that match the card on the dash?
different during daylight hours
sunlit sweaty, smarmy salesmen
you wouldn’t purchase
a game boy from
let alone a four-wheel drive
they see you coming
looking the ladies up and down
a pre-purchase inspection?
suit and tie ones
sir this, madam that
in-betweeners
where everyone’s their mate
keen to see you in the driver’s seat knowing
a test-drive will seal the deal
close of business, down the pub
regaling the day’s successes, excesses
the best sell
the one they thought they’d never shift
at home, family time
perhaps, even, already in bed
these people these places
not for me
interested only in A to B
take your stylish, zippy
cool summer colour
give me something
that gets me where I wanna go
on a journey
down the highway
a changing landscape
past cafés, hotels, bars
all language eateries
ever smaller in my rear view mirror
i’m leaving Vic Park’s 101 car yards behind
'101 Car yards in Vic Park’ by Pat Saunders as displayed in the 2025 Local History Awards Exhibition
One of our judges for the awards described the poem thus: “A piece in free verse about the myriad of car yards in Vic Park and after dark ‘occasionally ducking beneath the chain’ to more closely explore what they held. Different perceptions in daylight hours with ‘sunlit sweaty, smarmy salesmen’. Personally just wants something to get from A to B and gets ‘me where I wanna go’. Driving down the highway describes the changing landscape of hotels, eateries, cafes, bars, growing smaller in his rear view mirror, ‘leaving Vic Park’s 101 car yards behind.’ An evocative piece that captures the flavour of Vic Park when it seemed to have endless car yards.”
Have you got an idea for a poem or research into a topic related to the history of our community? I hope you are feeling encouraged to make a start on something that you might like to enter into the 2027 Local History Awards. Check out the ‘Past Awards’ page on the Local History section of the Library’s website for inspiration and ideas. Please also feel free to reach out to our Local History Coordinator if you want to find out more about entering, what’s involved or to brainstorm research ideas. We Need You to help preserve our local history, so please consider how you can get involved…
Don’t hesitate to get in touch with us via telephone: 08 9373 5500, email: vicparklibrary@vicpark.wa.gov.au, by mail: PO Box 1109, East Victoria Park WA 6981 or in person at 27 Sussex Street, East Victoria Park.
#LoveVicPark
PH00341-13 View of the 2025 Local History Awards Exhibition – Main Gallery
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