General News
1 August, 2025
‘Bubsie’ goes back 100 years
AUSTRALIA’S oldest road-tripping car, ‘Bubsie’ the 1923 Citroën 5CV, will roll into Cairns this Saturday, continuing its 100th anniversary journey retracing the first-ever car trip around Australia.
The tiny red two-seater, known for its modest five horsepower and open-top design, has already captured hearts across Western Australia, the Northern Territory and Far North Queensland, drawing crowds across the Atherton Tablelands earlier this week.
Lovingly restored to its original specifications, Bubsie is retracing the same 18,000km journey first completed in 1925 by two determined young drivers named Nevill Westwood and Greg Davies.
Without modern maps, sealed roads or even a roof, their feat became a national symbol of resilience and adventurous spirit.
This centenary tribute, titled ‘Bubsie – Right Around Australia’, began on June 22 at Carmel College in Perth, the same school where the original journey was conceived 100 years ago.
Since then, the car has stopped at more than 50 communities, offering vintage car lovers, school groups and regional history buffs a chance to connect with a rare piece of living history.
“...the Citroën 5CV was built for Parisian streets – not tropical heat, river crossings and Outback tracks. Yet in 1925, it made it through. And now, 100 years later, it’s doing it again,” organisers said.
More than 300 towns are included in the re-creation route, which features displays, storytelling and historical materials collected from Mr Westwood’s and Mr Davies’ original trip.
The Queensland leg of the journey celebrates, not only the car’s mechanical tenacity, but also the spirit of regional Australia.
Bubsie will arrive in Cairns tomorrow, August 2, after having passed through Gordonvale today (Friday).
On Saturday, locals can catch the iconic vehicle at Cairns Seventh-day Adventist Church on Gatton St in Manunda from 9.30am to 12.30pm.
