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Post by JBJ on Mar 6, 2009 7:03:30 GMT 10
Hi All,
Time to start thinking about & planning this one.
We've had a run around late August, Early September in previous years, so may as well keep it happening.
One thing we have always tried to do is spread the locations about, to try to reduce the traffic & travelling involved.
When we drove up to Maroochydore, we spent 6 hours in pretty constant heavy traffic from Tweed Heads all the way to the Caravan Park, & a little less on the return trip, but in similar traffic condiytions on 2 very hot days. It took a lot of fun out of the trip.
Thats always a problem with a widely spread group, & its unavoidable that some will ALWAYS have to travel a lot further than others. Thats accepted. But its easier for a few to travel, than try to get the majority to go a long way.
We also are approaching a problem we never had previously, & that is the ability to find available caravan parks in acceptable locations, capable of handling the numbers of vans we are starting to attract.
I'm well aware that Maroochydore numbers were high probably because of the great location, & the availibility of plenty of sites. It also helped that there seems to be enormous number of old vans in the Northern end of the Brisbane area. Maybe because lots of mexicans have migrated there over the years, & taken their vans with them.
What we need is some ideas of places you would like to go, that will have a park of adequate capacity for say 35 extra vans, have something in the area for those attending to look at/do, & preferably with adequate numbers of powered sites & amenities. It would be nice to find Dog friendly site, as heaps of us have pooches.
Theres no big deal to organising. No reflections meant on Rod ( who did a great job), but we've never had the need to call anyone a co ordinator before, & I believe should not use any terminology that sets one person on a different level ( albeit imaginaryor perceived) than the rest.
Its worked for us in the past. Lets go with it again.
Again I think the location should be central to Bribane area, maybe as far down as the Gold Coast, or inland to the foothills. But thats just my thoughts. Lets hear yours.
What have you got in mind???
JBJ (& Boots & Izzy)
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Post by Daggsey on Mar 6, 2009 9:25:14 GMT 10
G'day JBJ (and Boots & Izzy),
Just a suggestion from a gypsy........get hold of a "Camps 4" book (Camps 5 is supposed to be out this month).........it has suggested free camps as well as cheaper caravan parks and generally shows all the facilities (dog friendly etc). The NRMA Caravan Park booklet also shows caravan parks (Australia wide) with facilities available and fees.
Besides, you'll need Camps 5 when you and Boots hit the road ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
Daggsey
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Post by RollyDog on Mar 6, 2009 14:53:01 GMT 10
JBJ I think a little south of the tourist strip of the Gold Coast would be good as the bypass road makes it easy now. I am sure there are a few decent parks there. I remember a trip to Mt Warning years ago that was good too.
In relation to the term "co ordinator" perceived or imaginary. I will send you a PM as i don't want to debate this on an open forum but basically I am sure you will understand that when things do get this big correspondence to media and other bodies need to have an identified 'co ordinator' for liaison purposes. The only time the term co ordinator was mentioned on the forums was for the open thanks to all those who attended and supported the event because at that time I was the contact person for all parties concerned. Any problems with this PM me direct.
Rod G.
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Post by JBJ on Mar 6, 2009 16:56:29 GMT 10
Hi Rod,
I've replied to your PM.
I think Daggsey's comment about the book to research parks could help.
Mt Warning is National Park = NO DOGS.
I think the next one should be dog friendly, or alse we'll never see Ray & Jack again.
After I say that the workload could very easily have been shared with others, the Discussion over the term Co ordinator is over on my part.
BUT I'm not towing 6 hours each way again in heavy traffic for a long time. Its non stop from Tweed Heads to past Maroochydore, & will only get worse.
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Post by smiles on Mar 7, 2009 21:46:00 GMT 10
There should be a lot of caravan parks between the border and Brisbane. What about Bribie Island? Burleigh Heads? Tallebudgera?
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Post by dosse on Mar 8, 2009 5:58:34 GMT 10
G'day Rob & Cathie Now Tallebudgera...........thats a good suggestion.....park would be big enough to accommodate our group and is in a great spot beside the large creek and ocean. Only down side would be is no pets.....but I can live with that. Regards dosse. PS Hows the red laminex.
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Post by peteandtrish on Mar 8, 2009 18:01:53 GMT 10
How do JBJ
Trish and I would be more than keen to venture south. We would however be relying on your local knowledge so to speak. I think it would be good if us SEQLD's could travel down together as a group.
Regards
PeteandTrish
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halps
Full Member
Get out and enjoy your van man!
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Post by halps on Mar 8, 2009 20:27:40 GMT 10
Don't care, dogs vs no dogs, bush vs beach, the HALPSIES will be there in their "new" old van. Venturing South sounds pretty cool at that time of year.
HALPS Brisbane
OH..."cool" as in good/excellent/rad etc...not as in cold.
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Post by smiles on Mar 8, 2009 21:50:32 GMT 10
Hi Dosse The red laminex is just lovely. Currently it's legless but still standing (in a corner of the shed that is). Before we attempt anything radical I think I'd better start a new thread about any clues for cutting into old laminex. Look forward to meeting you all, hopefully at the 12th get together. Unfortunately the end May "get together" clashes with our farm schedule. And our resto is pretty slowwwww going. It's taken me a year to make the cushion covers!
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Post by earlee on Mar 9, 2009 7:57:10 GMT 10
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Post by JBJ on Mar 9, 2009 8:43:06 GMT 10
hi earlee,
its a small park, full of aged pensioners permanents mainly, with no facilities & not many overnight van sites. I'd rate it less than 5 out of 10 for our needs.
The same with Byron Bay & Ballina, most parks dont have many casual van sites that I've come across. Unless some one has better knowledge than I have ( which probably wouldnt be that hard to find)
There is a park at Evans Head, about 15 minutes south of Ballina. its OK, nice little town, but its as far for the northern group as we travelled to Maroochydore
I like the thought of the tweed /gold coast area personally, or somewhere on the bay .
firstly we need to make a tentative date, & get likely numbers.
JBJ
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 9, 2009 10:21:20 GMT 10
Boyds Bay Caravan park is 5 mins south of Tweed on the tweed. Nice park.. Just dont go there in the summer.. Midgies/sandflys are a real killer.
Reddo
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Post by Roehm3108 on Mar 9, 2009 15:57:31 GMT 10
Hi JBJ When I went to Munmorah get-together last May, I stayed at the Storm King Dam Recreation Park. A huge area, right on the dam, good facilities and within easy reach of Stanthorpe and surrounding wineries. Has plenty of powered sites there, and is pet freindly too.
Would be a great central location for all, I would think.
Ray
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Post by sutcac on Mar 9, 2009 16:03:11 GMT 10
Hi All ........part of the success of the S E QLD get togethers , I feel , has been the diversity and variety of the locations that have been chosen in the past .......another part of the success has been the congeniality of the participants.............mostly everyone is happy to travel anywhere (within reason) in S E Qld / Northern N S W to participate in the comradarie, fellowship and friendship that we share with like minded Vintage Vanners So far we we have had......( if Brisbane is considered the hub)....5 southern get togethers....namely... Fingal , Tweed River , Kirra(Wintersun) , Pottsville South , and Canungra..... ..................4 nothern get togethers.....Bribie , Alex headland , Maroochy ,and Nereum Ck........and 2 western....Esk and Rock Stop( Ipswich) It is very difficult, if nigh impossible to get all desirable features in the one location....ie... dog friendly....swimming pool/ creek......open fires....enough powered sites....quiet location.....good amenities......natural attractions/ things to do....shopping....all parked together....large covered communal area...etc etc............. ...to my mind,Canungra has come the closest so far in meeting all these criteria, ...and if ever we decided to have an annual 'State' run , as has been mooted recently,then i would suggest that Canungra Showgrounds would be hard to beat. ..........I personally prefer to try to go to a 'new' location each time, rather than revisit somewhere that we 've already been ........however, we're not going to be able to get ALL the features that we consider desirable at every location ! .........................some prefer 'bush' to 'beach' and vice versa .......................some aren't concerned about "pet friendly"......................some won't attend without their pet ! ........................some like to swim.......some don't ,.......................some can't survive without 240 v ........some can! .....................BUUUUUUUUTTTTT...............we ALL love to have a DRINK........and a YARN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D I agree that LOOSE organization is best............as in the past.........however , some organization and COORDINATION is required among us ,and this can usually be done by communicating through this forum or by PM 's or phone. .............our two largest get togethers, Canungra and Maroochy had considerable " behind the scenes" organization by various participants, in many different and varied ways........which resulted in very successful and enjoyable events.............these things don't just 'happen' by themselves. ............ a few suggestions for our next get together............................... ..............Murwillumbah...........Green hills C P...dog friendly.........combine with Banana Festival ? ...........Queen Mary Falls via Rathdowney.....Dog friendly......wild life .......open fires.........clean facilities ...............Boyds Bay........Tweed ......large park ....have heard good reports...no dogs ...............Nimbin.........just "roll up " ...............Chindera Lake .......pets.........any one been there? ps..................would it make too much sense to have our 'swimming' locations in summer and our 'open fire' (non swimming) locations in winter?........... ...........maybe we should be looking to have an open fire location for our next get together if we're aiming for Aug / Sept Cheers , Sutcacs
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Post by sutcac on Mar 9, 2009 16:18:45 GMT 10
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Post by Roehm3108 on Mar 9, 2009 16:26:27 GMT 10
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Post by dosse on Mar 9, 2009 19:25:37 GMT 10
G'day all. Thanks Ray for the link......looks like a great spot. Reminds me of a place called Logan's camp on lake Wivenhoe....no dogs or power but a great spot. Today I made some inquiry's at the Tallebudgera Creek Tourist Park....this park is top-shelf with great amenities.....heated pool....BBQ....play ground for the kids and lots more. Now they can get a lot of us all-together but would need to book with-in the week.....we can have sites 119..120..121..122..123..124..125..126..127..128..129 and maybe more......the date would be 28-29-30 August...here is the link. www.totaltravel.com.au/link.asp?fid=609354Regards dosse.
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Post by smiles on Mar 9, 2009 21:58:23 GMT 10
Hi all I googled dog friendly parks Gold Coast hinterland. There's 2 on the road to Mt Tamborine...Thunderbird Park, & Mt Tamborine Caravan Park. I can't imagine towing caravans up the road to the top of Mt Tamborine (and you'd be having a death wish to take a van up Henri Roberts Drive from the other side) so I guess they must be near the bottom somewhere on the way in from the highway near Beenleigh. Sound nice for bush breaks, creeks, rock pools, wood fires at 1 of them. Does anyone know about either of these?
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Post by Roehm3108 on Mar 10, 2009 11:08:10 GMT 10
I'm going to Thunderbird Park on the weekend of the 21/22 March, so can report back after that. Don't know much about the other park.
Ray
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Post by peteandtrish on Mar 11, 2009 19:38:51 GMT 10
Hey Dennis, I like Dosse's suggestion of Tallebudgera Creek Tourist Park. Count Pete & I in if that's where we are headed in August.
Although the suggestion of storm king dam sounds like fun too! Especially in winter - warm fires, doona wrestling mmmmmm! On the other hand I am sure we girls will find garage sales/markets and other fun ways of spending money anywhere you boys want to take us! ;D
Trish
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Post by dosse on Mar 12, 2009 5:49:53 GMT 10
G'day all Ray I'd be curious to hear your report on Thunderbird Park......stayed many years ago....a bit ordinary at the time....was about twenty years ago, May have improved since then. dosse.
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Post by dosse on Mar 12, 2009 6:04:11 GMT 10
G'day Trish I think we may need more than a good doona up Stanthorpe way in winter.....was up there one time and the water would not come out of the tap....frozen. dosse.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 12, 2009 6:54:46 GMT 10
Yo Dosse wrote: "was up there one time and the water would not come out of the tap....frozen. dosse. " Aaaaaaaaaaaahhh... Queensland... beautiful one day .. perfect the next... Perfect for what??.. Ice skating !!! Aaaaaaaaaaaahhh Maroochydore .. perfect one day..Flattened by Cyclone Hamish the next. How lucky where we to get away with that great weekend up there. Bugger all to do with me but ............"Tullebudgera" is a grouse place with river and beach frontages. So is back to basics camping in a forest park with a good campfire ticking over warming a big camp oven full of stew or a pot roast with vegies on the go.....and that cool clean mountain air. . I would hate to be making the call on the 12th S.E QLD getogether. Seen all the comments about where and when. Cant help but think that you guys could still have a weekend where you gather at "The sacred site" once a year. It works for us New South Welshmen" at Coledale each year... Never get tired of sitting looking at the surf and relaxing by the sea. I know travel is an issue for some but if ya plan far enough ahead and allow a few days either side of the chosen weekend to get there and home .. well its just an extension of the whole vintage caravanning experience I'll shut up now Reddo
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boots
Full Member
scootin' along the highway of life
Posts: 139
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Post by boots on Mar 12, 2009 14:07:21 GMT 10
Hi all from a female point of view I think Tallebudgera sounds ideal. Fishing, swimming, Rain forest walks . And surf on the other side. Cannot beat that for variety of activities. Plus easy travelling for all. Boots.
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Post by John and Lynne on Mar 12, 2009 15:51:09 GMT 10
Hi all, i think Tallebudger would be a great place to go. This is our cold time of year,and by the beach should be nice and warm compaired to inland. This will give those NSW PEOPLE a chance to have a short trip. cheers John and lyn.
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