Kay Dundass, a long time Oturehua community member, played a central role in the organisation of the Brass Monkey Motorcycle Rally at the Idaburn Dam. The interview captures Kay’s vivid memories of how a small rural community hosted one of the coldest and most famous motorcycle rallies in the world.
Kay talks about the origins of the Brass Monkey Rally in 1981, when members of the Otago Motorcycle Club partnered with the Oturehua Winter Sports Club to create a South Island counterpart to the North Island’s Cold Kiwi rally. She describes how the event grew from a few hundred riders to several thousand, and how feeding them all became a major community effort involving local suppliers, volunteers, and generations of cooks. Soup, bread, mince, bacon-and-egg pies and the famous canteen all feature, alongside the practical challenges of cold temperatures, power, toilets, safety, and compliance.
The interview also explores the character of the rally itself: the camaraderie around the bonfire, the good behaviour of the riders, the international visitors who travelled from around the world, and the colourful personalities who returned year after year. Kay reflects on how the rally brought income, energy, and connection to Oturehua. The 40th and final Brass Monkey Rally was held in June 2021.
Interviewer: Wendy Browne
Interview Dates: December 2022 & March 2023
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