107-year-old Bob Moorfield went missing driving from Te Kauwhata to Turangi but turned up in Turangi motel. Photo / Supplied
107-year-old Bob Moorfield went missing driving from Te Kauwhata to Turangi but turned up in Turangi motel. Photo / Supplied
A man thought to be New Zealand's oldest driver sparked a frantic search tonight after setting off on a 250km solo car journey to visit family in Turangi and not turning up.
But the story has a happy ending.
Robert "Bob" Moorfield left Te Kauwhata at 8am today in his white Suzuki Baleno bound for Turangi to visit his daughter-in-law.
The journey takes about three hours but great-granddaughter Shyla Moorfield told the Herald the centenarian did not arrive.
"Has not got to his destination and we are very worried. Just wondering if you'd be able to share a photo around of him to see if anyone has seen him or his car."
"They found him! Shyla Moorfield said. "He was found in a motel in Turangi."
A 2012 story in the Hamilton News said Bob Moorfield was most probably the oldest Subaru driver in New Zealand.
At the time, the Te Kauwhata retired farmer was one of only 11 centenarian licensed drivers in the country.
To celebrate his impending 100th birthday, Moorfield took delivery of a new AWD Forester.
It was his third Subaru after he first bought into the brand when he purchased a new Leone 4WD station wagon, from Winger Subaru in Hamilton in 1984.
"Its main attraction was we could drive it across the paddocks when we went duck shooting," he recalled. "It was also a much easier option than the heavy 4WDs I'd had until then."
It seems Moorfield has switched car brands but not lost his love of driving.
