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

[Jan Thompson]

Corowa 2008 - Year of the Tracked Vehicle was a huge success. It was an impressive turn out of vehicles and people. In 2009 we are celebrating 30 Years of the GPA Swim-In and Ex-Military Vehicle Rally. It is anticipated that this event will be the largest gathering of vehicles and people associated with Military Vehicles in Australia. At this stage it is difficult to predict numbers however over 200 vehicles are expected. Camping will be available at Ball Park Caravan Park and Corowa Airport. There will be more toilets and showers at the Airport if Tabitha and Tim have more idea of expected numbers of people attending. It is important that you prebook your accommodation as it is becoming more difficult each year to obtain motels, cabins and powered sites. If you decide to attend at the last minute then the Corowa Tourist Information Centre has a list of accomodation that is still available that week.

The KVE Committee and members are now focused on the 2009 event and participants have already started entering their vehicles. Let us know your thoughts and ask any questions either on this forum or via PM's or emails to people on our Committee.
President: Ian Pullen
Vice President: Hugh Davis
Secretary: Jan Thompson
Treasurer: Maureen Bell
Committee members: Barbara Thompson, Euan McDonald & Alex McPherson

The Committee would like to ask people to preregister as early as possible. This enables us to get more of an idea of the expected number of vehicles and people. The town of Corowa is celebrating 150 years next year and they would like to assist us more in 2009. We are currently looking at the program of events and our next meeting will be at Corowa in July. Representatives from the town are now looking at what they would like to do for our event.

We are looking for participants who would like to assist with the organisation of the event in the future. If you are able to help us please let us know. In the past at Corowa we have had offers of help for marshalling the parade, helping at the site office, leading a trip to a nearby town, selling raffle tickets etc. We appreciate those people who are now offering to assist with design, printing, promotion etc. There is a lot of work that has to be done between now and March 2009. If you have any talent or interest please let us know. Help share the load. As the event gets closer we may ask for people to help with particular areas of the event. We will post it on this thread and hope we are inundated with replies.

It looks like there has been some interest from people overseas. If you are planning to come let us know. There are people all over Australia who would like to see you have a great time. You may want accommodation in a particular area prior to or after the event. There are many people on the Forum from all parts of the country that may like to assist you in your travels. They may also have a vehicle that you could drive to the event.

We will announce our program on here and on the website www.corowaswim-in.org

Looking forward to receiving your preregistration forms along with your opinions and plans for Corowa 2009.

[Ian Pullen]

Ladies and Gentlemen, on behalf of the committee and myself I would like to thank ALL who attended Corowa this year and especially those who assisted in any way. It was fantastic having the assistance of club members actively participting in the administration and logistics of the largest event of this type held in the country. Again thanks.

I ask if there is anyone who is prepared assist the committee by donating a small amount of time helping us to make this event happen for you, please let Jan know as soon as possible. She can let you know what jobs we need help with and what times may fit in with you.

As Jan has stated in her post, the 09 event will be even bigger. I strongly suggest that a quick 5 minute call to either Tabitha at the Corowa Jump Shak or the crew at the Van Park (or where ever you plan on staying) now will save a bit of personal angst in the weeks before the event. As stated, the 30th year of this event will be rather large to say the least. We are expecting 200 entries. Place on that an average of 3 people per vehicle entry and that equates to a lot of people wanting accommodation. Remember, this year co-incides with the 150 celebrations for the town so accommodation is expected to be at a premium.

Please book early, and if you are going to spend 5 minutes on the phone to places in Corowa looking for somewhere to stay, you may as well spend an extra 5 minutes filling out your entry & sending it to Jan.

Get it over with....

There will probably be a few changes again this coming year. As I mentioned in an earlier post, the roads and entry into the Van Park where we normally start, may not exist next year. Do not get wrapped around the axles with this. Let the committee sort it out. We have plans already under way in case this eventuates.

For those who have already registered for next year, (& there are some), thank you.

For those interested, we already have a number of armoured vehicles attending next year in addition to some (other) rather interesting entries. You will just have to come and see for yourselves.

For those who are planning on setting up a stall for the swapmeet, I suggest you bring a folding gazebo or beach umbrella. Hopefully the heat won't be so extreme next year or it may do something to our visiting Canucks........

In summary, there will be even more going on next year. Therefore I suggest that ten minutes now sorting out accommodation and sending off your entry, will save a lot of time closer to the actual event.

[Rusty]

Yes that was rather blunt but that’s how I feel about the place when it comes to supporting the swap meet and camping. If we want this event and the military vehicle preservation movement to grow we need the support of our wives and children who will become the next generation of collectors. Lets make this event more than just men and their toys.

Bamarang park offers a playground, grass underfoot and shelter from the sun it also allows partners who are less than smitten with your shopping activity to walk back to camp or up to the shops. This is a much more family oriented venue, in years past Corowa locals also used to wander thru the vehicles parked over the road for a looksee.

The airport has none of these facilities; stalls were set up on gravel roadways were a number of cars drove thru the crowd why was the area not sealed off? cars and shoppers don’t mix.

I can fully understand the need for using the airport to support the tracked vehicles it would also make a great parking bay for those that bring prime movers to support there kit. BUT why split the event to two locations if there is no heavy tracked stuff or a big increase in numbers?

There are two types of people who attend Corowa, those who attend every year and those that turn every few years. The regulars all camp on their little patch of turf with a vehicle of choice others are influenced by the Year of Theme; but after attending for the last 8 years growth has been steady but not exponential . I have read that we will have 200 attend next year but this is just an estimate and I can see no metrics presented that leads to this conclusion.

In summary Ball park can probably accommodate a lot more, I have never booked and always got a site, in fact unless it’s a Cabin you want the manager advises just turn up. With a little thoughtfulness by attendee’s, prime movers and support trailers could be parked at the airport freeing a large amount of grassed areas.

Lets keep the event together at Ball Park but have contingency in place in case of an overflow.

[alexmacca30]

The committee are fully aware that the airport is not exactly family friendly. However, you are talking about one small part of the entire event, being the swap meeting.

To explain an issue that was brought up from past events was the problem of people racing back from the photo shoot to Bangerang Park. One year this did create many safety concerns with the Year of the Carrier. There were vehicles going everywhere.

So to alleviate these issues, the swap meeting was moved to the Airport site as a trial. From what I heard this worked well (I was busy dismantling a Traffic Management Plan so was not there for the end of the photo shoot).

With tracked vehicles attending next year the airport will be in use again.

I had my family there who basically didn't see me due to the arrangements I had to make to organise the parade and vehicle management. It was very difficult to split myself into two places at once. With the Saturday being the main day and yes a lot of the action was happening at the airport in the heat, it is only one day and attending the activities there is optional.

This coming event there will be as much happening at both locations (water levels being kinder we hope).

We need to remain more safety conscious in todays society and having the swap meet at the airport has alleviated this issue.

[Rusty]

To explain an issue that was brought up from past events was the problem of people racing back from the photo shoot to Bangerang Park. One year this did create many safety concerns with the Year of the Carrier. There were vehicles going everywhere.

There could be other ways and options to be looked at to accommodate families and alleviate a rush to Bamarang Park, heres one suggestion I am sure there could be others with more ideas. 2009 is still a little way off so it may be good for the event to open a new page and consider ideas that are offered.

Heres one

Form up at the airport in the large space afforded there, take photos and then move off in order of parade to Bamarang Park. The space afforded by the airport should put things into a decent order unlike the crowding and jumble that takes place outside of the bridge crossing.

[alexmacca30]

We're always open to suggestions however, there are a few issues with that suggestion.
Firstly, we need council approval. It is one thing to form up at the bridge and create a traffic jam going into the airport, doing it in reverse is out of the question as it disrupts the shop trade. There is also the added costs of the staff member from Australian Traffic control, the staff from VRA and the extra traffic management plan that requires approval. There are far more logistics than just running a convoy back the other way.

Not a happening thing.

Alex

[Rusty]

Gee you seem to have spat the dummy at that suggestion Alex

Not a happening thing.

To me a one way trip in either direction through Corowa would take the same resources and have a similar effect, do people in Corowa only shop on the right hand side of the street on Saturdays?

I suggest Alex that your answer does not really convey any discernable picture of the problems involved that others may wish to help you with. But it’s just a little rant of authority and inflexibility to a suggestion.

Not a happening thing.