1959 Skoda Octavia
Dec/Jan 2026
SAM CHARLWOOD
Photographs Tony Sheffield
WHEN IT WAS NEW Price: £949 | Engine: 1.1-litre four-cylinder petrol | 0–100km/h: 24 seconds | Top speed: 110km/h
FORGET HEIRLOOMS – for Mittagong’s Tracy Nickl, this gorgeous 1959 Skoda Octavia is so entwined in the ancestral tree, you’d consider it a member of the family. It helps explain why Tracy spared no expense on a full nut-and-bolt restoration of the timeless saloon five years ago, transforming it from “a backyard relic” to the complete eye-catching piece you see today.
“My grandparents migrated to Australia from Hungary after the first World War in 1926. They lived in Sydney and never owned a car while they were here,” says Tracy, who has run Highlands pastry institution Gumnut Patisserie with his wife, Vicki, for 30 years.
“That makes this car really significant, because in 1960 my father Peter became the first person in the family to purchase a vehicle – and this was it. Naturally, it was something Eastern European. It was a [Czech] Skoda – and he kept it his whole life.”
Tracy’s father Peter purchased the Skoda from a private seller in Sydney when he was just 17 years old. He was its second owner. Original receipts that still accompany the car reveal it was bought new from Fred Stone Skoda in Newtown.
“My dad was one of those guys who could do anything, fix anything. All of my family were tool makers. I’m the first one not to be a tool maker,” says Tracy. “Dad was from that generation where they made things and they were naturally gifted with their hands, and with steel in general – a classic tool maker. For that reason, this car was meticulously cared for.”
The Octavia first appeared in Skoda’s line-up in 1959. Its name borrows from the Latin word ‘octavia’ for good reason: it was the eighth model launched by Skoda following the Second World War, and the eighth to feature independent suspension on all four wheels.
Employing an industrious 1.1-litre four-cylinder engine and a four-speed gearbox, the Octavia was originally marketed as a “full-sized, full powered family car” in Australia; a European alternative to more popular Ford and Holden models of the time.
This example was a constant backdrop in Tracy’s childhood. He remembers rugged road trips between Sydney and the Blue Mountains, where he, his three siblings and parents would pile into its petite two-door body.
“My parents honeymooned in this car,” Tracy says. “My family saw so much of Australia in it – they were adventurous people.”
Although company cars eventually took the Skoda’s place as daily driver, it remained in the Nickl family. However, when Peter relocated from Sydney to Yerrinbool, there was no space to garage the Skoda, meaning it was left outside for 10 years.
“It went from being a neat daily driver to a rust bucket,” says Tracy. “It was a relic when we began the restoration, which was really sad because Dad was so proud of the car.
“Dad had big plans to restore it when he retired but that never came to fruition; Dad got cancer when he retired. When he got cancer I said to him, ‘Dad we’ve really got to do your car. You’ve been waiting 20 years’. We started the project but unfortunately Dad only lasted six months.”
Starting with a rusted shell and “two truckloads worth of parts”, the Nickl family commissioned Northern Beaches-based O&S Sports Car Restoration to conduct the overhaul, which took three years. Tracy believes the finished car is better now than when it left the factory floor in Mladá Boleslav, Czech Republic, 66 years ago.
“The restorers usually take on six cars at a time, but because Dad was sick, they took everyone off the other vehicles and put them on to Dad’s car, until he passed,” Tracy reflects. “Dad would get a photo every day on the progress; while he was still alive, they were able to totally strip the car back, acid-dip it and start on the chassis.”
The Skoda’s transformation quickly exceeded the initial budget, “with the full support of my wife”, Tracy jokes. But it didn’t matter.
“Only people who have family cars would bother doing what we did,” says Tracy. “My eldest son Josh got married in 2023, and we managed to have the car at the wedding. That was fitting because Dad couldn’t be there. That was really cool.”
Today, the Skoda presents immaculately, adorned in a charming blue hue complemented by a white roof. “Dad really wanted the two-tone colour from new but he couldn’t afford it at the time,” says Tracy.
Chrome highlights accentuate its curved body, while inside, a trio of analogue gauges present symmetrically behind the two-spoke steering wheel. A column-mounted shifter liberates more space for front seat passengers. The car is completely as it left the production line with the exception of seatbelts, which were installed on Tracy’s request.
Regular drives in the Skoda include trips to Robertson, Bundanoon or Berrima for the monthly Cars and Coffee meet. But Tracy has plans to use it more regularly.
“I love manual cars, but a column-shift manual is something different,” laughs Tracy. “You’re double-clutching everywhere, and I’ve got size 13 feet, so I have to drive it barefoot because my boots don’t fit.
“That said, it cruises along at highway speeds like a dream. It will do it all day, but getting it into first gear is a nightmare.
“The long-term plan is for me to drive the car every day. Every time I drive I think of my Dad. I know he would love it.”
Back Issue December / January 2026 (PDF Download)
Relive the beauty of the Southern Highlands with this digital back issue of Highlife.
Welcome home
An 1886 house in a rambling five acre setting instantly appealed to Collette Dinnigan, who has since transformed her Bowral property into an enchanting country retreat that’s perfect for entertaining.
Go to goats
We meet three small-scale goat owners who keep them for meat, milk and their special talent for weed control. All sing their praises, apart from their aptitude for escaping.
Estate of bliss
Frances Simons visits Silverdale Farm, a boutique thoroughbred broodmare property at Avoca, to discover the planning and plant combinations behind its stunning grounds and gardens.
Seasonal stars
Few things bring as much satisfaction as picking and cooking home-grown vegetables and fruit, say Jane and Jimmy Barnes, who share recipes from their new cookbook.
Peachy keen
Growing your own peaches is easy, although you will need to thwart birds and other creatures who love them as much as humans do. Kirstine McKay shares six favourite peach recipes..
Wet and wild
Waterfall lovers have plenty to tempt them in the Southern Highlands and surrounds. We visit seven waterfalls, including two that offer the rarer opportunity of being seen from below.
Booked up for summer
Our reviews of novels and non-fiction, including cookbooks and garden books, will provide plenty of inspiration for Christmas gifts or your own wish list.
Classic car: 1959 Skoda Octavia
Tracy Nickl, owner of the renowned Gumnut Patisserie, has another love in his life: a now restored 1959 Skoda that his father Peter bought in 1960 and kept his whole life.
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