OK.... I can't really come up with a good excuse as to why I didn't take many photos of caravans at the forums 10th anniversary and the fifth Nationals event at Broken Hill but there you go.......maybe it was because there was so much to see around the camp and around Broken Hill (much more that I had previously known about) or maybe it was because everywhere I went I saw this young lady taking better photos of everything than I could ever hope to capture.
Looking forward to the DVD Lil, thank you for putting so much time and effort into the project
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Anyway... that photo was taken at the Thursday night dinner at the “Musicians Club” , more about that later.
We met up with the Mexican mob at the Mildura 'Apex Caravan Park' on Thursday 24th ...BBQ dinner then sat around the camp fire that many who were at the 2010 nationals will have fond memories of.
Friday was Anzac day, we went to the march, some went to the Dawn Service... some photos and comment about Anzac day are on
THIS THREAD Most of us went to the Bowling Club for dinner that night.
Saturday we set off like brown's cows for Broken Hill ( so we didn't all arrive at once and send the staff into a flap ) stopped at Coombah road house for a bite to eat and juice for them who needed it and arrived at the caravan park that afternoon.
Many of us were disappointed we were not on a site close to friends as had been requested, and that a section of the park was not allocated exclusively for vintage vans, result being, there were many 'white boxes' spoiling the scenery
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Anyway... we were all set up and ready for the local Veteran Vintage & Classic car Clubs visit on the Sunday.
The caravan park management kept an area clear for them to park their cars inside the grounds so we could admire them and they were free to roam around inspecting our vans and talking to the owners.
Sorry about that... two for the price of one,
After lunch we went to the Information centre to make some inquiries (even though an 'info bag' had been waiting for us on arrival at the caravan park ) had lunch there then wandered over to the 'Miners Memorial'
Sad to see how many young miners died in the old days in what must have been horrible working conditions.
A view from the memorial overlooking whatever it is ….slag
and part of the town.
We then paid our first visit to 'Bells 1950s Milk Bar' for a beaut 'Vanilla Malted Milk Shake'
They had an interesting display of 50s 'n 60s milk bar type memorabilia out the back.
After that we visited the 'Albert Kerstan Mining and Minerals Museum' and then the 'Silver City Mint and Arts Centre'.... sorry no photos, got back to the C P in time for a 5:00 pm 'meet and greet' session...... good to see that then, and for most of the week, lots of people wore their name tags.
Monday was 'Royal Flying Doctor Base' day, guided tour by a lady who new her onions, lots of interesting facts and figures and she showed us where the souvenir shop was
and …. the museum, with John Flynn's original, slightly modified, desk in it.
The hangar, three planes were there with room for another one.
In the museum this pretend young farmers wife was interacting with the RFDS base regarding injuries her husband had suffered.... it was very realistic and interesting to hear how the situation was handled.
Then back to Bell's for coffee (not as good as the milk shake)
Monday Night Auction.... conducted by Errol from SA with a few helpers. I don't know how the young lady collecting the money kept up with who bought what and how much they owed but.... she did.
All monies went to the RFDS, I heard rumours how much it raised but I'll leave it for an official announcement to be made …. suffice to say, I think some folk paid what they knew was above the market value for items knowing the money was going to a worthy cause
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A couple of blokes from the 'Time to Roam Magazine' spent two and a bit days taking photos and talking to owners and donated a two year subscription to the Mag. to be auctioned off, and also paid a goodly price for at least one item I noticed.
Auction crowd
Tuesday was 'School of the Air' day and 'Two-up' night at the 'Palace hotel'
As it was first day back at school for the kids we were only treated to interaction between the staff teachers and the parents and tutors at the other end of the air waves, would have much preferred listening to the kids talking about their holidays.
The 'Palace Hotel' for dinner and Two-up was interesting. The walls and ceilings have been decorated with murals painted by an aboriginal artist named Gordon Waye over a ten year period, we were told. Many of the murals featured in ' Priscilla Queen of the Desert '...I was told
I know somebody else got good photos of some of the murals... this is my miserable effort.
Wednesday called in to see a really interesting museum on the way our to Silverton.
'Whites Mineral Art and Mining Museum'.... 'Mineral Art' because the bloke uses crushed rocks of different colours instead of paint in his art works.
Works of art for certain sure. He was a miner for thirty something years but it was his wife who gave us the conducted tour through the art gallery and museum. If you're anti union I don't think I'd say so in her presence, she knows what conditions were like and what the union men fought hard to change, and she's quite passionate about her support for the union in those days.
She makes dolls.
This is just one small corner of a room full of dolls, she makes the ceramic faces and all..... so we were told.
I can't find my photos of the museum part of the establishment but...... if you go to Broken Hill it's worth a visit.
Then we jumped in the car and went to Silverton, had lunch at the pub in one of the nice new covered areas they have on each side of the main building.
The old pub has a bit of character, and a nice ice chest
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After lunch and roaming around Silverton we went out to view the Mundi Mundi plains which look beautiful at sunset, but not so spectacular mid afternoon, still looked OK when the area is nice and green, as it was this year.
Went to the Silverton Gaol, much better than you would maybe expect.
Can't say why I bothered to take this photo, probably because nobody else would.
To late for a tour of the 'Day Dream' mine but we went for a drive out there anyway.
I'm pleased we did the drive.
Wednesday night the park set up a big screen so that DVDs could be shown. They also bunged on a free breakfast for all vintage vanners one morning.... so they tried to make us happy.
During the week items were stolen from two caravans ( a common occurrence in that park apparently) the owner posted a $2000 reward for information leading to an arrest.
Thursday morning Alan austin 125 organised a popular outing to a mate of his who lives in Broken Hill and gets his kicks from restoring old cars.... boy what a collection he has.
Again, lousy photos, with better luck somebody might be able to post better ones and know something about the cars.
This is the current project.
Future projects.
Just one of the finished projects, I don't know how many there were in the shed, about twenty maybe ? .. somebody help me please ?
In the afternoon we went here and there and finished up at the 'Railway and Historical Museum' .
You might be thinking we saw a lot of museums, and so we did, Broken Hill seems to have access to a lot of old stuff and is proud of it's history, each museum is different and worth exploring for folk who like old stuff..... that's us aye ?
The 'Silver City Comet'
THURSDAY NIGHT. Tenth Anniversary Dinner at the Musicians Club.
Bit of a shame the club recently went into receivership... so the food and service was not great, but that didn't stop us from having a great night.
The female entertainer was hot, and got quite a few of the more energetic people up on the floor jumping up and down
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After they had worn themselves out they sat down and listened to our excellent M.C. Richard Don Richardo give a brief history of the web site and forum and generally extol its virtues.
He then called on me (as the oldest, longest serving member of the forum) to present Mark with a “Forum 10th Anniversary plaque” expressing our “Recognition and appreciation for his vision in establishing the vintagecaravans.com website and online forum to preserve Australia's Touring Heritage”.
Mark then responded by mentioning (amongst many other things) something that we should not forget....... we enjoy all the benefits the forum offers FOR FREE !
Then came the important part of the evening
, the drawing of the raffle for the beautiful hand made double bed size quilt made by Gay (Mrs Firefighter ) with all proceeds from the raffle going to the Royal Flying Doctor Service (Broken Hill Branch )
I think, correct me if I'm wrong f/f but I heard the quilt alone raised around $900 of the total $2,575.00 presented to the RFDS.... not bad aye ?
Very pleased to say my wife Yvonne won the quilt, which was very convenient as I had not yet left the stage after making the presentation to Mark......NO! I did not draw the ticket, two lovely young girls were brought up from the audience to do that, and a fine job they did too
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A couple of photos taken at the Musicians Club.
very fuzzy photo fortunately
Photographer extraordinaire, she was everywhere all at the same time
The quilt in the 'Swamp Van'
Friday was a 'free day' some packed up ready to leave the park, we went out to see the Sculptures which again look beautiful at sunset....it was raining when we got there, just goes to prove, you can't win 'em all.
That's it from me.
Can't thank the organisers of this event enough, big job looking after over 200 people and attending to the smaller details right down to the fabulous place mats on the tables, the pennants, the stickers, etc. etc. etc
Without the Administrator and highly payed moderators this forum would fall in a heap.... thanks fellas
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Cobber.