Mt Gambier Rally Report

Another 1000 motorhomes Rally is over with the 20th Birthday of our Club being celebrated in true CMCA style at Mount Gambier.

It was wonderful to have many of the foundation Members including ‘the’ founders Don and Erica Whitworth on site to share the jubilation of several events including the Foundation Members Luncheon, our Official Opening where three new Chapters were presented with their banners, and the cutting of our huge birthday cake. A special presentation was made to Don and Erica of volunteers’ shirts with a difference. The words “It’s my fault” were embroidered on the opposite side to the Rally logo. Don and Erica wore these shirts with pride around the grounds for the whole Rally.

Every birthday party needs entertainment, and for this party we had the cream of the cream. The Costa Brothers, poet Bob Magor, master musician Peter Horan, Tamworth Golden Guitar winner Troy Cassar-Daley and the old rock’n roller Jade Hurley, (with arguably the best night’s entertainment ever seen at a Rally), keeping the majority of Members up past their usual bedtime. It seems records were set each night as more and more Members delayed bedtime in favour of enjoying the entertainment offered. Almost every night’s entertainment finished with all seats occupied. Our own talent was showcased in our skit night, once again to the delight of fellow Members. The choir and band performed a variety of items from the Australian Anthem to hymns. Our opening night featuring the Cruisers Rock and Roll band saw many up dancing and enjoying themselves. It was good to see everyone wearing their funny pointed birthday hats including the special guests, one a state politician and the other the Mount Gambier Mayor. It’s good to see we have influence in high places!

On the Monday, entry day, the boys and girls from our siting, meet and greet, hosts, with assistance from the safety squad, excelled with over 750 motorhomes on site in 7 hours. An incredibly well organised effort! And maybe a Rally record for a first day – over 100 per hour!

Tours around the Mount Gambier area were well attended and many Members enjoyed delights ranging from caves to vineyards and everything in between. This kept the information centre a-buzz.

A new innovation of a photographic competition, with sections for both digital and “old faithful” film style cameras, was very well supported with over 120 entries. The Members voted for their favourite photo and the winners received a refund of their Rally fees. We are hoping that this will become a regular feature of future Rallies. Seminars ranging from GPS to cooking, from Insurance to Digital Set top boxes, and from Water Filters to Satellite TV and more hit the spot. Quite a number of traders gave seminars and gained a resultant benefit of sales to interested parties. A Staff member from one of our retailers (and sponsors) Harvey Norman, was heard to comment that he didn’t realise “the oldies” would be as au fait with technology. Another was surprised that they obviously do their research before making a purchase, often coming back a couple of times to check out their proposed article. So the younger set learnt being oldies doesn’t mean we stop learning or experiencing the benefits of things like computers, digital cameras, satellite TV, GPS or digital set top boxes just to name a few of the articles procured by our Members. Rumour has it that almost 200 motorhomes left the Rally sporting new Digital Set Top Boxes or Satellite Systems. Proof that the Rallies do indeed support the trades. A few of the more technical of our Members spent many happy hours helping technophobes set up their new equipment.

The ladies weren’t forgotten with an array of subjects; in some cases there were more people (yes we did have a few men as well) interested in topics than we had places in class, necessitating extra tutorage. And while speaking of the ladies, a big thank you must go to all those who helped in making the 200+ knee rugs for local charities. Thank you. Well done. As always, action in the Disc Bowls arena was extremely competitive with 32 ladies triples, 48 men’s triples and 48 mixed doubles teams keeping the courts a mass of colour and activity.

Our ever-reliable smiley buses carried Members around the grounds and into town on occasions but with the flatness of the Mount Gambier site it was good to see so many people getting their daily exercise by walking from venue to venue. With temperatures in the high 30’s the week prior to the Rally and well into the 30’s the week after the Rally we were indeed fortunate to have generally fine and cool weather for the Rally itself.

The infrastructure that goes into making a Rally is quite something else. The “Cream” (Catering, Repairs, Equipment and Maintenance) team kept everyone on power and water, fixed and fed, while the cleaning team made sure the paper necessities of life were always available. To all the co-ordinators and volunteers from all who attended the Rally, sincere thanks for a job well done. We couldn’t have done it without you!

Chrissy Eustace, Q23798 and Bruce Treloar, V17634.