Being there
 

What a good thing Rod, You'll have a wonderful time. Definitely need to do an interview too. :thup:

As for the MLU group photo - that's an excellent idea too Jan!

So what duties are you going to be assigning to yourself back in Tronnah, Jif :confused;)

Updating the Corowa 30 website, perhaps ;) :)

I'll be there, but without a truck. My Range Rover is a shade of green though, if that counts!

green Ranga
 

No Rob it wont do, change your plans as I know you have plenty of other green things in that shed of yours. :nono:

Green THings in a Shed
 

Yes Rob put that load of tyres in the back of the green thing not towed behind a, what was it, Range Rover? you know thats Brittish built and probally want make the Distance; :thup2: take a Chev instead.

Any Canucks heading down?
 

Anyone from Canada going this year? If so, mail me...

Rusty I think I might take the ute for a run, is that better, and follow these blokes to make sure they make it
Max

Just 2 weeks to go now so I have the latest program of events for you all. If you haven't sent your entry in please contact me and I will send you an entry form.

29th Annual GPA Swim-In & Ex-Military Vehicle Rally
Programme of activities:
Monday 10th March: No set activities.

Tuesday 11th March:
• 10.00am onwards: View the Bandiana Army Museum and the 8th/13th Victorian Mounted Rifles Museum

Wednesday 12th March:
• 10.00am to 12.00pm: Display of Vehicles for the elderly at Karinya Apartments, Guy St Corowa
• 10.00am onwards: View the Bandiana Army Museum and 8th/13th Victorian Mounted Rifles Museum
• 8.30pm: Talk by Lang & Bev Kidby on Fiat 500 – Around the world expedition

Thursday 13th March:
• 9.00am: Armoured Vehicle rally departing from Corowa Airport
• Movie evening at Ball Park Caravan Park

Friday 14th March:
• 8.30am: Leave for Yackandanda. At 10.00am a talk will be given on the history of the area. After having lunch and a look around the town we will plan to arrive at El Dorado at 1.30pm where we will be able to look at the Museum and Historic Dredge.
• 6.00pm: Compulsory Driver’s Briefing at the Information Caravan at Ball Park Caravan Park.
• 8.30pm:Talk on Armoured Vehicles and Tanks by Major Paul Handel at Corowa Airport

Saturday 15th March:
• 7.30am: Armoured Vehicles to leave Corowa Airport in convoy and line up at the entrance to Ball Park Caravan Park.
• 8.00am: Line up under the bridge for the Parade out to the airport. The tanks will be in the first packet of vehicles followed with a 5 minute gap by the Carriers and the third packet will consist of all other vehicles and will leave 5 minutes after the Carrier packet
• 8.30am: Final Compulsory Drivers Briefing at the start of the parade.

• 9.00am sharp: Parade departs Ball Park for Corowa Airport. You will be shown where to park your vehicles upon your arrival at the Corowa Airport.

• 9.45am: Swap Meet at the Airport run by the Corowa Rotary Club with a sausage sizzle lunch. Cost $5 per stall holder. Buyers/lookers free. Stall holders will be admitted after 8am into the airport grounds.

• 12.30pm: All members of MLU Forum (Maple Leaf Up Forum) to meet for a group photo in front of the vehicle display at Corowa Airport.

• Afternoon - vehicle activities.

• 7.00pm: Presentations and Auction at the BBQ area near the oval.

Donations for the Auction would be appreciated.

Sunday 16th March:
• Vehicle activities throughout the day and farewell to new and old friends.
• 8.00pm: Wind down 3 course Carvery Meal at the Corowa RSL Club, 30 Betterment Pde Corowa. $17.00 for Adults $8.50 for children under the age of 12. [Put your name on the list at the Site Office if you would like to attend.]

It should be another big year.

If anyone has photos, slides, video or reports on Corowa since 1980 Keith Webb and I would like to speak with you at Corowa. If you can bring along what you have got. There have been some great contributions so far and you will be able to see some of these on the Notice Board near the Site Office Caravan.

Canada & Corowa 2009
 

Ozian weirdos
 

Hey! I resemble that! :kangaroo

Seriously though what an excellent idea - I'm sure we'd all love to catch up with our mates from OS - we could also arrange some pertinent side trips to various museums - I'm thinking of places like Bandiana and Puckapunyal Army museums to start, then of course we could plan to take in a Temora Aviation Museum airshow too - there will probably be one around the week after the Corowa event.

Go for it, Jif & Co. :thup2:

Except that I think they might need special permits to talk to the likes of you and Ian and so on... and of course we'd have to arrange a special briefing we might tentatively entitle "How to Avoid Salesman Bob" or "Evading the Infamous South Australian Border Raiders"... anyway, I'm sure with preparation this can all be worked out.

:sheep:

[QUOTE=Max Hedges;94190]My mobile oil slick is coming up from tassie, so they cant be too bad :p :p

Keefy, it occurs to me that in no way, shape or form do you actually resemble my Lara, so give it up while you're ahead! :smoker:

Sorry mate, have one on me...

:drunk:

Jif you have set your sights a bit low if you going for Lara. maybe you should up the ante and try for a something better like Sarah-Jane King [Chiko Roll girl ] or Elle Mcpherson etc ,etc .

Visitors
 

Excellent idea, Jiffy!
I'll help where possible in any way I can! Bring it ON!
HH :thup2:

The event in 2009 will commence on Monday 9th March and will finish on Sunday 15th March. It will be the 30th Year of the event and the 29th Anniversary. It will definitely be a big year and the themes will be 'Year of the Amphibian' and 'Year of he Blitz 2'.

History of the GPA Swim-In and Military Vehicle Rally

Annually a group of ex-Military Vehicle Collectors gather at Ball Park Caravan Park at Corowa on the beautiful Murray River to display their lovingly restored military vehicles, conduct a parade, swap meet and have a ‘swim-in’ with amphibious vehicles.

The event was initially organised by Ian Grieve [Qld] and Alan Newton [SA] and was for Amphibious Jeeps [Ford Model G.P.A. ¼ -Ton 4X4 Amphibian] but with so much interest amongst military vehicle enthusiasts it became a large-scale gathering not only with GPA’s but also other historic military vehicles.

People have asked “Why was Corowa chosen as the venue of this event?” Corowa, on the Murray River, just west of Albury is a fairly central location. It has fresh water, with easy river access and is an historic town. The collectors enjoy the wrecking yards and disposal stores in Albury and Wodonga. There are a variety of shops, wineries and antique shops to make this a family orientated event. The townsfolk of Corowa have always welcomed our presence and we look forward to returning each year to enjoy their hospitality and support.

The event now attracts collectors from throughout Australia and the world.

In 1999 we achieved recognition by the Guinness Book of World Records for “the largest gathering of Ford GPA amphibious vehicles since the Second World War”. This number being 16 including the famous Amphibious Jeep “Half-Safe” which circumnavigated the world during the 1950’s and has been donated to the Guildford Grammar School in Perth. In March 2002 we achieved recognition by the Guinness Book of World Records for “the greatest gathering of privately owned Ford and Chev Blitz trucks since 1945”. In 2003 the theme was to get as many WW2 Studebaker trucks together. We had 21. In 2004 the Theme was ‘Year of the Dodge’. We had 34 Dodge’s and a total of 120 ex-military vehicles in attendance. In 2005 our theme was WW2 Pattern Carriers. We had 21 Carriers. The theme for 2006 was Armoured Cars and we had a variety of rare types of vehicles.
In 2007 the themes were Year of the Cycle and Year of the Staff Car. The total number of vehicles was 166. We had a number of vehicles in each theme category and we were really impressed with the large number of motor cycles.


You are guaranteed to have a great time.

Wow ... you folks could well all be Canuckistunned in 2009. Are you Aussies all ready for that? :D

BTW ... I keep visiting the Corowa Swim-in site for this years event and the Corowa30 site and see nothing new in either :( I know I won't be attending this year and very unlikey to for 2009, but am still really interested in keeping up with the events and sites :) Any news on if and when the sites, especially the SwimIn one will be updated? Just wondering ...

Hey, the habit of topping Guiness records ... do it again, I say :D :cheers:

I can't believe the time has flown and it's already only 2 weeks to Corowa!!! Wow.


:cheers:

You know I've been busy with other things in the last month, MLU amongst them... I'll get both sites updated as time allows. :teach:

C30 & Swim-In
 

Geoff, that's great news. I have had numerous people asking me about the sites and I keep saying to hold on and just keep checking occasionally.

I thank you for your work and efforts Geoff, & I know you appreciate that time is fast running out.

Excuse Me!!
 

Here I am sitting quietly browsing MLU and finding myself in both Keefy's and Ball-Spinnington-Jif- Geoff's cross hairs. WHAT DID I DO WRONG? Anyway I have learned to cope with mere mortals.

However the idea of a Cannuk invasion is marvelous and Camp Moseley will be available for anyone wanting to stay in our fair state. Also if you need a hand with any logistical problems, just ask and I know that the other Oz MLUers will offer the same.

SALESMAN BOB

Yes, I know you've been verra busy Master Sunray all over the place these days :D :p

(Thanks for some update comments re the sites :cheers: )

You'll all be talking Canuckislingo after that invasion!!! :D

2009
 

Good to hear that a group could be visiting for 2009. I was playing with the 2 Pounder today, it is mounted on my Ford Blitz so trying to get ready for 2009 even though 2008 is still not 100% finished at the moment.
The Stuart has not been washed but has been run.
It is quite positive the amount of people that have commented on the event poster at work and for more details closer to the event are going to check the web. I have just checked for the convoy orders, but I gather that the sites are a little behind schedule.

Tim

Actually, the sites are fine, it's their handler who's a bit behind schedule... :D Pressing prior commitments and all that, including as I mentioned above a great deal to do with upgrading MLU (that work isn't finished). There are only so many hours in the day... :rolleyes

Geoff,

I can see no reason why the overseas people can not be farmed out among MLU members and start from various points to drive military vehicles to Corowa.

I know some people are precious about others driving their vehicles (they only had 15,000 drivers before the current owner got it!) but the majority of people would not mind, and even enjoy, a Canuk, Yank or even, if pushed, a Pom sharing the travel trip. It would be a great opportunity for everyone to see the country at a leisurely pace.

I should imagine a reciprocal visit by Australians at some later date might find them given the opportunity to drive a military vehicle in North America or Europe.

I volunteer my Dodge Carryall plus another vehicle coming on line for 2009 as mounts for any international MLU members to get the ball rolling - includes a bed and another cup of water in the soup at my place in Brisbane before departure.

Who else will take the wanderers on?

Lang

Absolutely
 

Great idea and it worked well for Jif last year. We are a very hospitable international group - I've stayed at Jiff's and Brian Gough's in Canada and I was even met at the airport... so even though the accommodation might be a little basic here we'd love to foster the Canucks. I'm sure I speak for many others here who have been equally hospitable to me around Australia too, having stayed with the likes of Max, Tony, the Thompsons and others. The nights are always late - there are so many things to show and talk about. The time really flies!:thup2:

Thanks Richard! I need all the back up I can get with these Yass blokes hasslin me!

Aye, it did at that! As a matter of fact, a month wasn't nearly enough time down there, but then again, I'm a bit, er.. unusual... (there, I saved you having to say it!)... anyway, your idea's plausible, Lang & co and I thank you for it! Certain of our lot probably shouldn't go to certain places though - you blokes don't know the meaning of 'border raiding'! :D :p

Re Vehicles
 

I have a number of vehicles that could be driven specificially the Blitz Portee, I am 300kms from Corowa so would only take about 7 or so hours and a nice amount of fuel, also the command car or the jeep. Mind you I am a little out of the way, but you guys would be most welcome.

Tim

[QUOTE=Geoff Winnington-Ball
We would fly out of North America to leave enough time to get acclimatised to the Australian climate and way of life before moving down to Corowa as a group for the duration of the show.
[/QUOTE]

Why, is it cold in Australia in March? Would I need to bring to bring a jacket? :p Sorry, I'm being facetious Jefe, we hit 88 yesterday in Texas.

Hmmm. Y'know, a trip to Oz sounds pretty darn good. My wife has always wanted to visit Australia so I know I'd have her support. I have been in the planning stage for a trip to Normandy in June of 2009 which is in conflict with participating in other events/family plans. My wife wants us to take our boy to Europe as a graduation gift in the Spring of 2010 and I've been asked to volunteer with support and logistics for the recreation of the 1919 Transcontinental Convoy from Washington D.C. to San Francisco. It's not too late to change my plans. Let me talk to the War Department and see what she thinks. Derek.