The History of Wire & Gas

 

VASA has hosted successful conventions around Australia and New Zealand since 1994. The conventions and trade shows, branded as VASA Conventions, rotated between Gold Coast, Melbourne, Adelaide and Sydney annually through to 2000, when it was held in Auckland.

The VASA Convention returned to Sydney in 2001, but the following year, reflecting the pending merge with the Australian Association of Automotive Electricians, the Convention was rebranded as Wire & Gas, and the first and much bigger event under this banner was held at the Brisbane Convention Centre in June 2002. This convention set the pattern for those which followed, and which were to be held every two years. At the Brisbane Convention centre, as a trial, three vehicles were moved onto an outdoor podium, and equipment suppliers conducted the first on-vehicle training sessions.

The 2004 event was re-branded further to highlight the training component - the Wire & Gas Training Convention and Trade Show - and this was held at the Gold Coast International Hotel. A structured series of training sessions, on vehicles, was organised on the hotel tennis court, with more independent trainers, many supplied by OEMs and wholesalers.  This was the beginning of the move towards more and more training sessions, which the delegates welcomed.

The convention grew and in 2006 with an increased amount of interest in the convention and particularly the training, we reached the limit of exhibitors and trainers able to be catered for by the Gold Coast International and we were forced to seek another venue.  By 2008 Convention, held at the new and spacious Gold Coast Exhibition and Convention Centre, the training component had grown to ten trainers on eight vehicles, including trucks and hybrids.

The organisers of the 2010 Convention intend matching this number again, as well as bringing in trainers to cover heat exchange technologies and auto electrics, as well as the  traditional air conditioning. More time will be allocated to training, and better facilities including full seating for each session, will be organised.

Follow the links above to see details of past events .