Around 300 Kenworth trucks have piled into the ASB Baypark to celebrate 50 years of Kenworth trucks being imported into New Zealand.

On top of the 300 Kenworth trucks, there are also 80 trucks of mixed brands which come under the Northern Classic Commercials umbrella.

The oldest Kenworth truck on display at the show today was made in 1964. Photos: Tracy Hardy.

Southpac Trucks sales general manager Richard Smart says those trucks have just associated themselves with us for the day.

'The main headline is about 300 Kenworth trucks with an estimated value of about $70 million.

'We have everything from milk tankers, a large contingency of logging trucks, there are some old classic trucks, some freight trucks, tipping trucks and more.”

Richard says they have operators from as far south as Invercargill.

'We have local operations, guys from Auckland, and we have a strong South Island contingency.

'Pretty much every bonnet is from a different part of the country.”

A 1964 Kenworth truck was also at the display today and is one of the first imported into New Zealand.

'We have brand new trucks that haven't made it into service yet.

This is a one off event and Richard says there are two reason why they choose Tauranga.

'One being that we have a gala dinner tonight and we needed a site where we going do both the day part of the aspect and then entertain about 600 people tonight.

'We also wanted a place that had a hard standing, because with trucks they tend to sink into the ground and especially with this weather being in a paddock wouldn't have been good as we have had been who have spent the better part of a week restoring and polishing their trucks.”

The event will be open to the public until about 4.30pm.

'We've catered for about 3500 general public but the security guards tell me we've had more through than that.”