Corowa 2009 -'Year of the Amphibian & Year of the Blitz 2'

[Keith Webb]

Originally Posted by Jan Thompson

The dress will be smart casual or wear a tie if you choose. Normal RSL rules would apply.

I wonder how many people going to the swim-in in the past 30 years have actually packed a tie in their kit.

[Jan Thompson]

I don't know of anyone packing a tie. This might be a first if someone wears a tie to the Civic Reception. Some RSL's are stricter than others but at Corowa the important thing would be for people to be clean and tidy.

I am looking for people to help man the Site Office at Ball Park. It would be for a 2 hour block. The time allocations are 8.00am to 10.00am, 12.00 MD until 2pm or from 4.00pm until 6.00pm. A set of directions will be provided and you are guaranteed to meet some great people. Let me know if you can help.

[Jan Thompson]

Only 3 weeks to go until the event for 2009.
The current tally of pre-registered vehicles stands at 109. A number of people who aren't bringing vehicles this year have also sent in Entry Forms and money. They will receive all the extra memorabilia we have for this special year. We have been putting together the packs for these people and have just completed our information page of reminders and the updated itinery of events.


WELCOME TO OUR SWIM-IN PARTICIPANTS
Please read the following.

(1) Registration
You must fill out the Participant Register and sign the Visitors Book as a record of your attendance. (All persons must be included in the register, including children.)

(2) Vehicle Numbers
Place the Participant Number on your windscreen if possible. If you have no windscreen it can be put on your front bumper bar. We have tape or spray adhesive for you to use.

(3) 30th Birthday Dinner
The Corowa Rotary Club is providing the 30th Birthday Dinner on Saturday night. If you have pre-registered it will cost you only $10 per adult and $2 per child. For people who haven’t pre-registered it will cost $14.50 for adults and $7 for children. Please purchase your tickets ASAP so we can give firm numbers to the Rotary Club. This will be a 2 course meal served at 6pm. We would like to commence the Auction and Presentations at 7.30pm. This will be in the marquee.

(4) Civic Reception
The Corowa Shire Council is putting on a Civic Reception on Thursday evening from 6pm at the Corowa RSL Club. They will provide food and participants will buy their own drinks. Please put your name on the list so we can provide the RSL Club with approximate numbers of attendees.

(5) The Parade
The parade will depart from the parking area near Bangerang Park (Near the Bowling Club not near the entrance to Ball Park Caravan Park). Tracked vehicles will line up in Edwards St.

(6) Daily Activities
A whiteboard in front of the Information Caravan will advise of 'Today's and Tomorrow's Activities'. Please check this daily in case of time changes.

(7) Certificates
You will receive a certificate during the week to acknowledge your participation in this event. If you have pre-registered your pack should contain your vehicle certificate. Check to make sure it is correct. If any mistakes return the certificate to the Site Office and put a note on explaining what information needs correcting. It is your responsibility to come back the following day and collect the new certificate. If you have not pre-registered, a certificate will be written out over the next 24 hours. Please return to the Site Office to collect the following day.

(8) Site Office
Our Site Office is manned by volunteers. Your co-operation with completing the required forms and information would be greatly appreciated. Come and make yourself a free coffee or tea at the Site Office.

(9) Suggestion Box and Voting
We have a Jerry can at the Site Office where you can put your voting forms and make any suggestions. As you register your vehicle for the event a form will be given to you to complete to indicate ideas for future activities at Corowa, people who deserve awards or recognition, ideas for a theme in 2013. These must be submitted my 12 Midday on Saturday. KVE will have a stand at the Airport so last minute forms can be submitted.

(10) For Sale and Wanted
Write up For Sale and Wanted Advertisements and look at the noticeboards to see articles on past events.

(11) Newsletter Articles
If you have any newsletter articles on past Swim-In events please speak to Jan.

(12) Auction Items
Please give any donations for the Auction to someone at the Site Office. Dave Mottram will be cataloguing all the items.

(13) Meeting fellow collectors
At the Site Office and at the Airport we will have a board for participants to put their contact details if they want to meet another participant who they know is attending the event. It is advisable to put a mobile number as a contact on the board and clearly write the person’s name. People now belong to a number of different Forums and clubs and you always find out after the event that a particular person you have wanted to meet was at the event. Now, with so many people around it can be difficult to meet. You may not even know what the person looks like. Perhaps you might like to put a photo of yourself on the board too.

(14) Corowa Airport
We are using the airport as a second location for this event. Please abide by their rules. The main one is STRICTLY NO DOGS. These rules apply at all airports.

(15) Sunday Night Dinner
If you are staying Sunday night, place your names on the list for the 3 course Carvery at 8pm so we can give firm numbers to the Corowa RSL Club. We usually organise a courtesy bus to collect us and we will advise you of the time.

(16) Volunteers Required
Please advise someone at the Site Office if you can help during the week with any of these tasks or other tasks that may arise. We require volunteers to assist with:

The Site Office at Ball Park Caravan Park
Setting up the vehicle arena at Corowa Airport
Taking down the vehicle arena at Corowa Airport
The Parade on Saturday
Marshalls for the Parade on Saturday
Speakers for the Wednesday school display
For the Parade we will categorise the vehicle into groups and will require a person to be in charge of each group. Place your name and your MOBILE PHONE number on the list provided at the Site Office.

(17) Group Photo
A group photo will be taken at 7.30pm Saturday 14th March of people who were at the first Corowa Swim-In in 1980.
Please complete the form at the site office asking for the years you attended (if you can remember).

(18) Entry Form 2010
This form is in your participant pack. You may complete and hand back to the site Office during the week. With the Theme – Year of the Jeep, we anticipate a huge roll up of theme vehicles. It is advisable to pre-book your accommodation, including powered tent sites.

(19) Membership to KVE Inc
KVE is the organisation formed to run the Swim-In. Membership is open to participants who would like to be involved.

(20) Mailing List
If you would like to be included on our mailing list please put your name on the Mailing List form at the Site Office. It is recommended that you provide us with an email so you can be informed when the next newsletter is coming out.

(21) Meeting fellow collectors
At the Site Office and at the Airport we will have a board for participants to put their contact details if they want to meet another participant who they know is attending the event. It is advisable to put a mobile number as a contact on the board and clearly write the person’s name. People now belong to a number of different Forums and clubs and you always find out after the event that a particular person you have wanted to meet was at the event. Now, with so many people around it can be difficult to meet. You may not even know what the person looks like. Perhaps you might like to put a photo of yourself on the board too.

(22) Tooles Disposals Warehouse
Tooles Disposals will be opening their Warehouse for the last time to our participants from 10.00am until 1.00pm on Tuesday, 10.00-12 midday on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. The address is Tooles Rd. Bandiana off the Kiewa Valley Highway.


MOST OF ALL, HAVE FUN!


Program of events – updated information
Tuesday 10th March: Visit to Bandiana
Visit the Tooles Disposals Warehouse from 10.00am until 1.00pm
1.00pm: Visit the Army Museum Bandiana

Wednesday 11th March: School visit. The convoy will depart Ball Park at 9.45am
We are looking for a selection of vehicles to take to the Corowa Primary School at 10am. We have offered to give the children a chance to have a look at and hear some information from owners about your vehicles. There is a list placed at the Site Office for participants to put their vehicle and name on so we get a selection of vehicles attend this event. If possible prepare a 5 minute talk on your vehicle and its use in the war.

10.00am until 12.00 midday: Visit the Tooles Disposals Warehouse.

Thursday 12th March: Trip to Maurice Wilson’s property
We have been invited again to Maurice Wilson’s property on the outskirts of Corowa. This would be an ideal location if the amphibious vehicles were able to do a trip down the river. The road run will depart from Corowa Airport at 10am. Feel free to pack some lunch. Demonstration and talk on the Ozamphibian Platypus. Take a look at the website www.ozamphibian.com

10.00am until 12.00 midday: Visit the Tooles Disposals Warehouse.

Friday 13th March: Trip to Milawa:
The current agenda is as follows:
• 8.00-8.30 Depart Corowa
• 9.00-9.30 Arrive Milawa
• 9.30 Small parade through Milawa to primary school
• 10.00 Visit Milawa primary school – activities and answer children’s questions
• 11.30 Cheese factory/art gallery - cheese tasting and grab a bite to eat
• 12.30 Mustard shop – taste different kinds of mustards
• 13.00 EV olives – taste olives and olive oils and bring a container to fill up if you
want to buy some olive oil
• 14.00 Brown Brothers
• 15.30 Depart Milawa

10.00am until 12.00 midday: Visit the Tooles Disposals Warehouse.



Friday 13th March: Talk by Major Graham Docksey at Corowa Airport
Commencing now at 7.00pm instead of 5.30pm.
Graham will provide participants with information on various topics including:
• Practical Demonstration: with tac signs etc
• Information on the Army History Unit Australia
• Information on the Army Museum at Bandiana
• Information on Graham’s Tours of Gallipoli

Saturday 14th March: Parade, Swap Meet and other activities
Due to the number of vehicles we may have to ensure that you start lining up early. Take note of the groups of vehicles and listen to the person at the start of your group.
Parade departs from near Bangerang Park at 9am sharp.
After the parade, follow directions for parking your vehicle so we can obtain a group photo of the vehicles. We hope to have a number of marshals assisting us with this task. If you are able to help please let me know.
The Corowa Rotary Club will be running the Swap Meet again in 2009. Please abide by their regulations and do not start selling until 9.45am, once the parade vehicles have been displayed. It will cost $5 per site and they will have lots of food available. It is advisable to bring along some shade if you are having a stall at the Swap Meet. KVE will have a site at the Swap Meet and this will be your last opportunity to complete your Voting Forms where you can nominate people for awards and make suggestions for the Theme for 2013 and the Friday trip in 2010.
The arena will be set up again near the airport for vehicle activities.

Saturday 14th March: Dinner, Auction and Presentations
Come and support the Dinner, Auction and presentations on Saturday evening. The Corowa Rotary Club will be providing a 2 course meal from 6pm. If you are booked in please turn up at the correct time. The Auction and Presentations will commence at 7.30pm. There is bound to be a combination of items of interest.

Sunday 15th March:

10.00am: KVE General Meeting
Vehicle activities throughout the day.

7.00pm: Courtesy bus to depart Ball Park. Make sure you are at the Main Ball Park Office if you require transport to the RSL club.
8.00pm: Carvery meal at the Corowa RSL Club is always a great night. A booking has already been made but we need confirmation of numbers. Put your name on the list ASAP. The cost at the moment is $18 per adult and $7.50 per child.

[Jan Thompson]

We now have over 120 vehicles pre-registered for Corowa. They vary from Blitzs & Jeeps (by the dozens), Dodges, Land Rovers, Buffalo, Kaiser Wrecker, motor cycles, Studebakers, staff cars, White Scout Cars, GPA's, DUKW, LP4 Armoured Car, Pontiac utility, Haflinger, Mortar Carrier, Bren Gun Carriers, Alvis Sabre, White Half Track, AM General Prime Mover, CVRT Striker, Centurion Tank, Fargo, Unimog, HUMVEE, Moke, Kubelwagon and various others.

With only 2 weeks to go I am happy to accept people's pre-registration for the event up until Friday 6th March. For $10 Entry you will receive more than $10 value. Pre-registering enables your vehicle certificates to be completed prior to your attendance.

There is lots of work going on in the background. Some of us have been working fulltime and then spending many hours after work to ensure the event is the most sucessful yet. We are still after some volunteers to help with various jobs throughout the week and at this stage very few people have offered. I would like to hear from anyone who an spare a few minutes or a couple of hours during the week.

[phoenix]

Jan, I don't suppose you could e-mail me an account number that I could transfer the $10 directly into? I see greg;s registration for his Sabre went through then, he is rather looking forward to it !

Oh, and what was the record number of vehicles at corowa to date? I wonder if we will beat that this year?

[Jan Thompson]

You can pay us when you arrive at Corowa. I will let you know the account number shortly. Just had 11 entries in the mail today and it sounds like Puckapunual will be attending again this year.

[phoenix]

Good to hear pucka is coming

I'll get my form done and e-mail it to you then