Mildura 2010 (Third Nationals)

[willyn]

Virgin Guest
Who on earth would do something like that ;D ;D
Thats really weird ;D ;D ;D ;D

[scootman]

Hmmm Not a bad idea. But I was there a couple of years ago. Water hard to get, Lots of sites for vans though. Oh and there is a pub. Nothing else there, but I guess there is a pub. Hmmm maybe it is a good spot!

roehm3108 said:

Taking up Sccotman's suggestion (and stretching it a trifle) how does the Corner Store near Cameron Corner sound to you all? Sort of on the corner to everywhere and nowhere ;D ;D ;D
Ray

[JBJ]

Thanks Reddo,


I dont want or need an apology for anything from anyone.
I dont intend to comment on anything that happened during the event, other than to post some pix we took, when I get a round tuit.
The event was great, & I'd be a different person than I am if I was upset too badly by someone with an axe to grind.

Jailbarjuice

[Impala]

"Mrs Impala" is not the "Red Head" we are two separate people. Thank you Will for your gracious account of the subject. I think that nothing more needs to be said about it on y part.

[Deleted]

Hi Impala.
Its all good . Sorry for any confusion and sour grapes on my behalf. Look forward to sharing a couple of beers with you next time.
Reddo

[Impala]

Thankx Reddo, I agree, its all good, and we will get together at the next event we are all at, and share in our common interest.

[Redheads]

So whos first with the redhead jokes ;D ;D ;D

It was sunny during the day over there......... ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[tinnie]

Geeez Louize,
are we done yet???

Reddo, I hope we can look forward to your so called 'stuff up' trophy event at 2010 nationals. Your input and efforts are appreciated as are those of others such as Geoff'n'Jude and Will'n'Lyn, whose efforts made for a great experience.
I am not one to stomach coach tours and the like, I hate itineraries and would hate to see an 'event schedule'.

Very much looking forward to 2010 Nationals whereever they are.

I must say that we had a great trip, met a lot of great people and are very keen to go again on any future trips (time, work, family etc permitting).

I agree completely that we need a location for 2010 who will make a solid commitment to place us in one area, with only VVs there. Socially this would be much better too, partiularly for those of us with kids who don't want to wonder far from the van once their in bed.
In terms of cars, I for one would be happy to park my 'plastic crap' modern car out of sight, if it can be done safely and securely. Although my intention is to have a real towcar by 2010.

Cheers,

Happy vintvanning,

Gristy

[firefighter]

Hey Gristy

your statement....my intention is to have a real tow car by 2010
does...... that means you are buying a " CHEV "
f/f ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[tinnie]

YEH BABY - A CHEVY!!!!
Actually, I don't think my budget will stretch that far I would love a chev, but like most collectable cars, they have escalated in $ in recent years.

Looking at how much we have spent so far on the Mount trip, probably be a morris or vanguard ;D

Seriously, hope to be looking by the end of the year for a car, late 50s/early sixties and preferably a wagon.

Cheers,
Gristy

[marjie2]

Count us in for the 2010 nationals.
Mildura sounds good but we will go wherever.
After Easter sounds good too.

Letting people know what's "not" organized at the meets - how about a whiteboard nailed to a tree where everyone can check up on what's going to happen that day/evening - anyone can write on it. Hope that's not looking too organized cos we like the way things are done at now.

Robyn & Ian

[tinnie]

Hi robyn and ian,
Was great to meet you both and have you for neighbours, I trust the Bedford and Franklin? are going strong.

I like your idea, but think it would be better if the white board got moved everytime it was updated, perhaps whoever updated it could put it at the front of their van, add some 'disorganisation' and everyone would be walking around camp even more!
Cheers,
Gristy

[Don Ricardo]

margie2 said:

Letting people know what's "not" organized at the meets - how about a whiteboard nailed to a tree where everyone can check up on what's going to happen that day/evening - anyone can write on it. Hope that's not looking too organized cos we like the way things are done at now.

Robyn & Ian

Hi Robyn and Ian,

The whiteboard is a good idea - clever thinking.

The simple facts are that as the number of people attending a V V event increase, the more sub-groups there will be, and the longer it will take for news to get around the grapevine. While the spontaneity of the V V get togethers is what we all value and love, we may have to be a bit more deliberate about our spontaneity (if that makes sense)!

This year at Mount Gambier, because we were spread out (nobody's fault, just the way it ended up), by the time the news of some of the activities reached the outer suburbs where I was camping it was sometimes too late to participate. Again nobody's fault, and I am not complaining - I had more fun than you can fit in an icebox! But if people had a 'community' whiteboard to put up ideas for activities, etc, there would be a place to check what's going on. Naturally, the whiteboard would be for everybody to use without reference to any big chief, otherwise we would be in danger of becoming a 'club' (wash my mouth out with soap). ;D ;D ;D

A long winded endorsement of a simple idea.

Don Ricardo

[willyn]

Hi everyone concerned about our no club rules and regulation thinking
well regardless of what everyone thinks we do have rules and regulations and it starts right on this site
if it didnt then there would most certainly be mass kaos

I do think that as this group grows there will be no alternative to having something as big as we had this time at least partly organised

no disrespect to Mark but if the caravan park had been booked out when we all arrived it would have been worse than just being seperated in the park we could have been seperated through other parks in Mt Gambier as well

In town at Mt Gambier over easter there was the panel van club of Australia
fb fc club the dodge club of australia and us the Vintage van group
leaving things to chance when you have large numbers of people travelling mega miles is just plain crazy
combined we would have travelled in the order of 40 vans by and average of around 1500 to 2000 kilometres over 80.000 kilometers
my personal cost to get there and home was around $4000 dollars and no doubt not including preparation
multiply that by 40 vans and cars and we unfortunately boys and girls we are in the big league $160.000 plus
if we all stayed home and created an investment group after ten years we could have a tidy sum and retire

what im saying is lets not let the no rule thing go to our heads
it could be the reason it initially worked for us but it could also be the downfall as well

the next one we have in two years concievably could host 80 vans
as much as I like what has happened so far why blow away genuine contenders through lack of organisation
my thoughts are as follows

each state has a lead figure
and each state generally group together or around the same areas in the caravan park

when a trip is struck who ever that figure may be can either accept or reject the call

Western Australia Mark Will or Snail
NSW Reddo Geoff humpty
Queensland Jailbar clyde
Vic kaybees Fire fighter
SA Retro1
this is just an example

in fact at reddos trophy night we did have a state representitive say some words

so on and so on whoever fronts up
the ideas can be discussed on the net or by PM or phone in the lead up to the national


that means there ar only five people who are asked to attend one meeting at the site and check to see if there group are booked into the caravan park and there groups plans are catered for
the plans are placed on the whiteboard every night

what could be simpler

the Job is accepted by the individual and no one is under pressure
a white board is good but who organises what goes on to the whiteboard
I have no doubt that Reddo will always do the trophies

and Lyn and Will do the entertaining if required or wanted
other fomats may be introduced by anyone posting there ideas on the page dedicated to the run

In the early days I put up a post regarding having a Caravan register
and man I was shot down in one fowl swoop
what have we got now
yep your right
a Caravan register that is a cherished part of our unorganised group

Why because two guys have taken the job on there shoulders
without whinging favour or ego

I respect the fact we are not a club and a part of the reason I enjoy the group is because we dont have to attend regular meetings to vote and listen to the same boring club crap
no purple circle and no brown nosers

and I guess that is why most others are here as well

but when it comes to committing your self to travelling thousands of kilometers on a whim and a prayer we have to have some basic values in place to give our group members some value for the time and effort they extend to get there

If Im wrong about this then by all means shoot me down

but if I am right and eighty vans rock up and people go home without meeting other site regulars as I did with Don Ricardo which was my dissapointment not meeting him

and people stick in there little groups without some organisation
we can do that in our own states

why waste each others time ?

Why go there in the first place ?


Will and Lyn

ps
for those people in this group that think we have no organisation
ask yourselves how the West Coast and east coast tours come about
I have been on four totally organised west coast and east coast tours that have been absolutey fantastic
thanks to Snail and Reddo

[Geoff & Jude]

this post is not in defense of mark nor is it having a go at will in any way.

jude and i spoke to the manager of the van park on a number of occasions about the booking arrangements at mount gambier and each time he insisted that there would be no need to allocate sites to individual vans because he intended to keep a 'block' of sites aside for our purpose.

we told him this seemed unusual but he 'stood his ground' and it was left at that.

the scattering at the park occurred because the manager went on his honeymoon without making the owner (who was left to manage) aware of the arrangements that were made between himself and the v.v. group.

as the old chinese saying goes - "s*/t happens"

sometimes things happen that we have no control over and we respond as best we can at the time - which as a group we did.

hindsight can be a good thing and often reduces the chances of chinese proverbs repeating themselves, but lets not start 'pointing the bone' at each other.

2010 will be a success, planning is good but beware of becoming too officious.

geoff 'n jude

[willyn]

Let me Clear this straight away
Mark explained to us all the fact the manager went away
when he came to the mount and that certainly is no fault of his
this we are all aware of
which is exactly what happened !!!!!
there is no bone pointing in fact this post is in defense of Mark
but the reason this has worked up to date is because of what we are doing now its called communication
the only criticisim we had about the whole week was regarding internal communication at the mount


my post is all about communication on future mass get togethers
as for criticizing Mark nothing can be farther from the truth
Mark and I have been on around 15 runs together and I really dont think he is that thin skinned
but if we are heading towards 60 to eighty vans for the next nationals
as on the 7 day spring tours I can tell you that they dont just happen
go to reddos spring tour site and see the amount of communication and planning that went into both of those runs
I dont think it is a fair ask to lay that kind of resposibilitry on one person and that is why I put forward my thoughts for the next one

Will

[tonyh]

Hi All,
2010 Hey - gives me a date to aim for and have everything finished to show it off.
Your right again Reddo (don't ya just hate that!!! ) I also have been through the "club" scene, been on committees and won my share of trophies but this forum is fun and entertaining without all the Bulls#%t. Some people seem to be one eyed or have blinkers on when it comes to their choice of hobby and can't appreciate other interests but I love looking at anything that has had time and effort spent returning it to it's former glory whether it is a van, a car or whatever. So all you guys and gals keep doing what you are doing and continue to have fun and enjoy the scene and the laid back people in it because it is a refreshing change from the "normal" club scene. I am looking forward to 2010 or before (if I get my act together) to get to meet more VVers and relax a little.
Yours in Vanning, ;D
TonyH.

[Geoff & Jude]

hey will

don't get me wrong.

judy and i fully appreciate (as do, i'm sure, all the other v.v.ers) the time and effort you and lyn put into planning the ball, the bus tours and the river cruise.

they were 'very good times' in a period when we were having 'very bad times'.

geoff 'n jude

[Deleted]

Ok
Perhaps i am mellowing in my old age..
But i feel what Will is eluding to has some merit

To coin a phrase :
WE NEED TO GET OUR SHIT TOGETHER... NOT THROW IT AT EACH OTHER!!"
I see that we can no longer just turn up and let things happen ( what a pity).
Some people get upset when things "Just happen" some are happy to "Just let things happen".

Here is an extract from one of my posts just after we got home from the mount. Its a collection of observations at Blue Lakes Van park and thoughts while travelling the 1000 miles home by myself.

Quote:

"I can think of no easier way of dumping water over a bit of fun than to be critical of those that take the time and effort to try and please others.
Ok .. Someone has two years to get it right at the 2010 Nats. If anyone is keen to do the organising and book sites, keep in constant contact with the van park manager to ensure that any relieving staff at the time of the nats are aware that we are coming and our booking requirements, organise numbers and book tours, write up itenarys, run "expressions of interest threads on this forum in one event or another" , make stickers, memrobilla, trophies, etc, etc.. then speak up now. Otherwise the status quo will prevail and
***the same percieved "stuff ups " will happen in 2010..****.
"Jeez Loiuse" is that starting to sound like a club or what??
Its a perfect opportunity for new members to step up to the plate and organise things for us."

end quote


There is a few valid points in there .. well when you read all the replys there is a few things that show up as root causes of problems ( percieved or otherwise) experienced at the mount this year.
Number one rule from the old "Club Days"
. If ya dump shit on the dooers ,the dooers will stop doing and nothing will be done... Fact!!!

. Van park managers need to be TOLD what we expect because after all we are lining thier pockets with thousands of bucks while we stay in the park. If we book EVERY site from 1 to 80 then thats what we get 1 to 80. If they plan on going away for a "dirty Weekend or whatever....there should be notes on the computer that states " VINTAGE VANNERS All TOGETHER" .
(I stood and watched the manager at Belmont Pines van park block out 10 sites on her computer and stick my name and "www.vintagecaravans.com" for this years "Adventure before Dementia Spring Tour" .Its Peace of mind knowing that all will be sweet when we get there in October))"
I dont expect people to turn up in Mildura next week and thump the counter and strangle the manager like a scene from Faulty Towers demanding that 80 sites be booked for 2010. but it would be good if the person charged with doing the bookings over the phone was vigilante and really drove home to the park manager just how big the next nats will be and how important it is to get it right and have all the VINTAGE CARAVANS 8-)in the same block..

. New members with the slightest organising skills should step in and have a go at organising things. do a bit of research on say .. Mildura or Barossa and report back with van park ratings and deals etc.. Screw the managers for good deals on 5 nights and 80 powered sites.
Maybe sound out the wineries for tour deals and cheap plonk deals... especially port ;D , Check on other local attractions with the tourist info joint. . I dont give a rats rectum if we end up with 30 pages under the one "2010 nats preparation " thread. If thats what it takes to keep the crows from "ark arking" then lets do it.

I dont wanna sound like i am making mountains out of mole hills but if we dont come up with a handfull of people that everyone is happy to leave the organising to for 2010 vint van nats .
Then what i predicted earlier will happen ... read the fourth last line form my earlier quote.

I can see where Will is coming from and i will be happy to help out in some way.. but i would dearly love to see some new blood take up the challenge . I will support them and applaud any effort made .

But i certainly wont be a crow on the fence and ark, ark ark about things if they dont get it right in 2010.

Take a breath .....and consider the alternative ....
Likewise if stuff all is organised and we all rock into Mildura. i will be just as content to end up in someones annexe with a deck chair and a carton full of cold VB P!ss in my esky singing Like Doris Day .. "Kae Sera sera.. whatever will be will be... the future not ours you see... kae serah serah". ;D ;D ;D ;D skews the spelloon waznt much good at it at skool and i really 'avent impruvved muctch.. i kin sing it bud i knt spelt it.

ark, ark ark... i can hear em already

Reddo

[fcdriver]

Hi All,
Maybe it is a good time to remember and appreciate the effort put in by your good self (Jude) Re your help and unsean work you did at Coledale each Year.
The trouble you & Jeoff had to & from Mt Gambier makes our smached windsrean on the way to Mt Gamboer look very trivial.
Also...the last east Coast Tour didn,t just happen either.
We may not be a club...but....for some reason it works. ;D
Bruce & Jan

[tinnie]

Reddo - I hear what you are saying, not putting my hand up yet tho! I believe that Will, Lyn, Geoff, Jude, Mark T and others did an excellent job of organising various components of the 'event'. I saw no stuff ups at all, just a lack of communication between the owners and managers of the park - not any of our fault, but there is a lesson in that (as you said above) we need to figure a way to ensure it doesn't occur in 2010. (for the record I too was told be the manager when I booked that he was taking numbers and would reserve one area for us).

Will - some good points, but I think I missed one of your points or misunderstood it?
Were you suggesting that VVers from vic camp together, vvers from SA camp together and so-on?? If so, then we really might as well stay in our own states.
I really enjoyed meeting you and Lyn, not to mention Reddo, Chippy dave, Urkel, Chris & lorraine, Pymies, Clyde and Barb, Spyder.........and the list goes on and on - none of 'em from Mexico. (I did also enjoy meeting my fellow Mexicans too!!).

If I missed your point I apologise.

I do agreewith you that it makes sense to have a nominated "rep" from each state (a head of state ;D ;D ) to organise/facilitate travel to and from Nationals (or assist with organising a "meander" through their state). But we need to be sensible with this; Geoff & Jude did a fantastic job of organising the Meander, which was joined by people from 3 states, and they simply called on local knowledge for travel routes/accomodation etc.

I agree that someone needs to step up to the plate to liaise with the caravan park, and I firmly agree we should be expecting discount rates from them. I also think that if someone is 'local' to either Mildura or the Barossa (or wherever 2010 will be) it would make sense if that person would volunteer, they could perhaps deal with the park manager 'in person'. Just a thought.....

Maybe we should select a park that only has about 100 tourist sites available??? Again just a thought.

Cheers,

Gristy

[willyn]

Gidday gristy

on our first national we only had around fifteen to 18 Vans and around 40 Vin Vanners
and the first few days people stayed basically in there groups

because it was our first National and I guess also none of us had ever met before so it was all new territory

We heard about an amazing 1936 REO and fifth wheeler
when we took a run out to see it

The interaction between interstate members started to take place right there and then on the spot
It was like a turning point

we were all talking and interacting as a whole group together long term friendships were made right there and then

that is when it clicked with Lyn and I that we had been sitting around for a few days with our own group and until this spontaneously organized tour was happened that we ourselves realized that this group outing accelerated the friendships and interactions by having us all mixing freely together outside of our travel groups

then we lined up the pub got some music happening and found some common ground with a 7pm to 3 am fun night (the publican wanted to sing most of the night) and wouldn't let us go home
he opened the bar at 11 pm top shelf Free of charge

The very same thing everyone interacted and laughed a lot and had good clean fun that again accelerated the mixing and meeting of new faces


we then took boat trips up the Murray in mixed groups
the park manger arranged that for us and after that we took of in all directions and scoured the little towns around Morgan


my point was that some people who may be shy or not used to the group may isolate themselves through no real fault of there own
In my case not meeting Don Ricardo
I was so busy meeting old acquaintances from previous runs and group activities I selfishly over indulged myself in my own world doing what we do and overlooked several of the new Vin Vanners
some people dont mix as well as others and interaction can only fully happen by us all being aware that some of these new members may be introverted or slow to mix in
and in general people feel more comfortable sitting and socializing in there own travel group which is fair and understandable
it is up to the people that have had that prior Vin Van experience to welcome and interact openly
and secondly the few activities that were carried out helped to bring all of the traveling groups together were designed to welcome those people to our Vin van National meeting

if anyone has any suggestions for making an improvement on what we have achieved in our last two Nationals lets talk about it

if we didnt make an effort to create these activities the possibility of overlooking valued new members such as Mr and Mrs Impala and in my own case Don Ricardo may deny us the opportunity of another valued long term friendship
the full point being if there was no organised interactive activities there is a succinct possibility that the groups may not get to socialize with all the personalities that make up our group

By communicating through people like Geoff and Jude who did and absolutely fantastic job of organizing and executing there part of the Nationals
without fanfare and other personalities that organized different aspects in there own right communicating to there groups
total success can and will be achieved making these events stand out in peoples memories forever

I personally think that we have the greatest group in Australia and everyone that took the time to travel to a far of place to meet
with each other are all special people and they will always remain that to Lyn and I

[Deleted]

Hi Will

Well said.
However the logistics of reserving the right number of sites for each state to be "together" at the nats would be a bit of a nightmare.
Caravanning and camping is a lifestyle common to many Aussies . people travel all over Australia as individuals, couples, and in groups. In doing so they leave a lot of close friends behind. They also meet a lot of people who become new lifetime friends.

I dont know if its just me but i have no trouble saying "G'day" to my neighbors in van parks and it doesn't take long to strike up a conversation with them.. especially if you are towing and old van with an old car. They tend to want to talk to you/me. Drinking the same flavour of beer tends to break the ice too

You have stated the truth about what has happened in the past at Morgan and Mt G. I can think of no better way of making new friends and mingling with other vanners than to shuffle all the states in together,. I say Shuffle things around so you don't get states in thier owner groups. That way you wont have people wanting to retire to their own little groups.. They will have the same interaction in the van park as we did at the pub nights, cruises and bus trips.

I dont mean this to sound like i am some sort of camp nazi and proposing to deliberately mix interstaters . Just saying its far better to let people roll in and camp where they feel comfortable with thier surroundings and neighbors.... Hopefully their neighbour will be from another state ( or in my case from another planet ;D) and new friendships can be formed without any organisation.

I am still dirty on the Park manager at Mt G for not taking us seriuosly and putting us all in the same area.... if we had been , i reckon there would have been much more interaction and hence a happier bunch of caravanners with a whole stack of new friends.

Reddo

[cobber]

You're right Al,

I balk at parking my '55 FJ alongside 'Ol 36. but what else can a poor boy do, I would prefer to have a 1936 Humber.... or Vauxhall.... or ??.

Cobber.

[Geoff & Jude]

hey cobber

i have a partly restored '36 fargo i could let you have "at the right price".

geoff