Paddle again? May 2019!

It’s many years since we all went paddling along southern river systems. Who was your other half in that dreaded canoe, and have you been in contact lately?

Meanwhile, looking forward rather than back, Mari writes:

Seven of us – the Pearson, the MacCarthys, the Porms and Gloria have coordinated diaries and travel wishes for next year.

The plan is to be together in Mildura from Tuesday May 14 to Friday, May 17.  This is a couple of weeks after Easter and the School holidays and before the weather turns cold.  (The weather is fine for those accustomed to a frigid climate, but some of us hot-house flowers want a bit of warmth before heading into southern winter.)

This is the core get-together period, leaving time for people to extend their stay in either direction.

Mari

Further program information will be posted.

Her research has discovered the following suggested accommodation (links go direct to the home page of the hotel/motel, or book via your favourite agency):

• Hotel Grand Mildura (traditional hotel with up to date amenities)
• Karama Motor Inn and Seven Pines are traditional motels.
• Seven Pines, close to The Grand Hotel.

Thanks to Mari and her collaborators, and please respond by email to Course Horse and Mari with your intentions, or via the field below:

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Δ

Kangaroo ’18

Happy Christmas to all, from your webmaster on behalf of you all — so happies from all to all.

Thanks again to Wayne, Jane and all the Bathurst Bash for keeping the flame burning. As to 2018, here’s a suggestion from Mari, our seasoned co-leader of the EU4ia expedition in 2004:

I understand that some of the Reunionites want to visit Kangaroo Island as well as experiencing a paddleboat on the Murray, definitely one that is fully catered for.

Here is quite a good option>>>.  Pricey, but closer than Turkey and safer than the Middle East.  It is an eight day tour.  I suggest everyone books and is responsible for their own accommodation for the same dates that we determine.

Again, talking to Marg and Mary (and spouses), September and October are the preferred options and that would also suit Indrek and me.  Considering the AFL Grand Final is on September 29 next year.  There is no date set yet for the NRL and Union Grand Finals (though I can book tickets for both events!)  I suggest we look at the period October 3 to October 11.  Participants can make their own arrangements as to arrival and departure dates, as usual.

Please respond by email to the group as usual, or comment in the contact field below.

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Best wishes to all at the festive season; to Neil who has been poorly and to any others suffering difficult times with personal or family arisings.

Here’s to a great holiday break with family and friends, and a wonderful 2018.

BnH

PS: Regret that Webmaster will be overseas at the time of Mari’s proposed trip.

Bathurst wrap-up

For those who missed this splendid gathering, occupied as they were with previous engagements and other lamentable excuses, the reunion celebrating 55 years since we gathered at Point Cook in January 1962, went off acceptably well, or even better according to some reports.

The weather was as ordered, fine and sunny, and not too hot.

• Monday evening was hosted by Jane (more) and Wayne (less), and all 15 survived the recounting of old stories, and the invention of new.
• Tuesday, some went to golf, and the rest toured the back country with a trip to Hill End for coffee (and a geocache), lunch at Sofala, and then dinner back at the pub.
• Wednesday was again golf for some, shopping and exploring Bathurst for others, and then lunch at the quaint country town of Millthorpe.
• Wednesday evening dinner was in the grand hall of the beautifully restored Abercrombie House, 11 kms from Bathurst centre.
• Thursday morning, some had breakfast together, and all went their separate ways.

There was some disappointment that after three years of development, the TARDIS was still not ready for joy flights, but as the test pilot onboard shows, there is still some work to do getting the transitions right.

 

Everyone went home with a bottle of commemorative wine, well actually, a red and a white, but so far, no-one has reported any ill effects.

Thank you to all who visited our home and shared your friendship, we had a wonderful time and look forward to the next reunion.

— Wayne & Jane Talbot

And a hearty vote of thanks to Wayne and Jane for initiating, planning and hosting this excellent gathering.

Thank you!

Participants and absentees; add your comments below.

—  Course Horse.

Bathurst plan evolves

Abercrombie House. Image: Wikipedia

From Wayne, here is the latest on the RAAF Academy Reunion in Bathurst, NSW 16-19^th October, 2017

Invitees: Member of 14, 15, and 16 Courses, RAAF Academy, and partners, friends, or whosever company you enjoy.

RSVP: Please respond to W&J by Friday, 8^th September, stating:

• names of those attending
• if you wish to be in the Rydge’s group (individual bookings)
• your visit or other preferences.

Proposed Program

As the group is expected to be small(ish), we have the opportunity to customise the reunion based on the preferences of those attending. Thus, here is the program we propose:

• Monday evening: Arrive Bathurst, meet-n-greet, with casual dinner, hosted by Wayne & Jane at our home, just a few minutes from the centre of town.
• Tuesday: Group tour(s): please see Places of Interest (below) and vote on the options.
• Tuesday evening: Dinner venue to be later chosen depending on numbers attending.
• Wednesday morning: Golf for those interested, otherwise individual or group tours to Places of Interest below, or more local options. We have brochures from the Bathurst Visitor Centre for people to peruse on Monday and Tuesday.
• Wednesday afternoon, around 1500 hrs: We have the opportunity to visit 328 Sqn, Air Force Cadet training centre, perhaps the best I have ever seen, should anyone be interested.
• Wednesday evening, 1730 hrs: Group dinner at Abercrombie House, expected cost $65 per head plus drinks. The venue is 9 kms from the centre of town, and depending on numbers, I shall investigate transport options for those who choose to not drive. A tour of this historic house in included.
• Thursday: breakfast, at a local venue, again depending on numbers. Depart for home or stay around as preferred. The National Cool Climate Wine Show starts on Friday, 20^th October, for those who may like to stay an extra day or two.

Getting There

By car, train, bus, or aeroplane. For those travelling other than by car, your hosts have two cars (VW Tiguans) and can pick up visitors from the airport or train station, and provide transportation throughout their stay.

Accommodation

Rydges Mount Panorama Bathurst – (02) 6338 1888 For group booking, 10% discount on best available rate at time of booking, expected to be around $240

There are numerous other motels in Bathurst at half the price of Rydges, and all within a short distance of the city centre.

Places of Interest in Bathurst

• Abercrombie House,
• Mount Panorama Circuit & Museum,
• Golf Club, Bathurst – available to visitors all day Wednesdays.

Other attractions, numerous; see VisitNSW.com and the following places of interest in the local area; Distances and times are from Bathurst:

• Leura Gardens, Leura (105 kms, 95 mins)
• Katoomba (100 kms, 90 mins) Where Wayne spent 8 years in a Catholic Boys Boarding School
• Echo Point, Scenic Railway, Scenic Skyway, Carrington Hotel, details>
• Hydro Majestic, Medlow Bath (93 kms, 80 mins)
• Lithgow Small Arms Factory Museum (62 kms, 45 mins)
• Blue Mountains Botanic Garden, Bells Line of Road, Mt Tomah (100 kms, 90 mins)
• Mayfield Gardens, Oberon (42 kms, 42 mins) Spring Festival 14^th – 29^th October, 2017. Complete 160 acres including Private Garden open for this festival; at other times the Private Garden is not open but there is plenty more to see.
• Mutton Falls Historic 1840’s Homestead (38 kms, 35 mins)
• Jenolan Caves, (60-90 mins). There are two routes, the shorter one (76 kms) being preferable, especially on weekends to avoid the periodic one-way traffic rules on Jenolan Caves Rd (95 kms).

With best wishes from your hosts:  Wayne & Jane Talbot

Address available from hosts; 02 6331 5410, wtalbot[at]bigpond.net.au — or from webmaster via email or contact page.

Netherlands bike tour – vacancy

Nev and Helen Conn have had to pull out of the bike tour from Amsterdam to Amsterdam, north and south around the Netherlands over two weeks, on the good ship Elodie from 23 April to 7 May 2017. This is tulip time.

Please contact Nev, Jack Hayden or me if you can take up this twin cabin vacancy at a discounted price. We enjoyed the Bruges to Paris trip on this barge immensely and look forward to this next one.

The ‘Elodie‘ tour shown heads south of Amsterdam in the first week of two, then north

Hope you can join us!

Meanwhile back in Oz, the votes so far for our next reunion are spread fairly evenly between Bathurst, Murray River, Pilbara and ‘other’, ranging from late 2017 through 2018. Bathurst is slightly ahead by a couple of votes. This is probably not firm enough to call a general reunion for 2017 — but maybe a Bathurst mini?

Next reunion

 

Members who have not  voted, please do so in the next day or so, after checking the ‘Next‘ page for an evolving summary of options.

 

Noosa update

Thanks to Alf for this update:

The following program gives us plenty of time together, but enough time to look around as individuals or in smaller groups. If you have any suggestions, or questions, please let us know.

Arrive Monday, 12th September 2016

Golf: 12th September

For those that may be interested, the Noosa Golf Club is open to social golfers on Mondays after 1000 hrs. at $50.00 per 18 holes, and $40 for cart hire. Bookings can be made online.

Welcome gathering: 1800 hrs at the Noosa Surf Club

The welcome dinner has been planned at the Noosa Surf Club, which should be a relaxed environment. We will be seated together in the restaurant area, and meals and drinks can be purchased as required from the Club’s menu.

Tuesday 13th September 2016: 1200 hrs. Lunch on the Noosa Queen.

Lunch has been planned on the Noosa Queen departing from the Woods Bay Jetty at 1200 hrs. The boat is reserved for us, so we do need a minimum number. The lunch is a smorgasbord, with drinks purchased from the on board bar.

The cost of lunch is $50 per head, and we regret that we will have to ask for that to be paid in advance closer to the time of the reunion. During lunch, the boat will tour the Noosa River, the canals and everglades of the Noosa River system.

Wednesday, 14th September 2016 : Eumundi Markets

For those who are interested, the Eumundi Markets are a major local attraction. The Markets open at 0800 to 1330 on the Wednesday, and it takes about 30 Minutes to get there from Noosa Heads.

We believe that we can find enough space in cars for those without transport, but we will check this closer to the date:  Lunch is available at various small cafes in the main street of Eumundi.

Dinner: 1800 hrs. at Sails Restaurant

Once again, an early start for dinner.

The meal here is a group booking, for $57.00 per head for main and desert, and once again we have to arrange payment in advance. We pay individually for what we use at the bar.

Thursday, 15th September 2016: 0730 Breakfast at Boardwalk Bistro

Boardwalk Bistro, 49 Hastings Street for breakfast; so that we can make plans for next year, and say our farewells for another year. Time is negotiable depending one everyone’ s needs. This will also be individual order and service, but we plan to be seated together.

Notes

You will notice that evening dinner times are early, however this fits in with the Sunshine Coast speed of living, which requires an early dinner, early to bed, and early to rise. It helps explain one reason why daylight saving is not of any interest up here. However we have managed to organise a dispensation against the “early to bed, and early to rise” clauses.

The venues we have chosen are all within easy walking distance from the Mantra French Quarter, and more importantly, to get back again.

Lunch on the Noosa Queen, and the dinner at Sails Restaurant, have to be arranged in advance, and it will be easier if we collect the money for those before the event. Consequently, we will be requesting that you pay for these about three weeks before the reunion so that numbers can be confirmed, and payment made to these two venues. All other activities can be paid for at the time.

As we get closer to the date, we will send out more detailed information, including a map to show the venues.

Summary

There is plenty of scope to increase numbers, and we would appreciate it if you let us know as soon as possible if you decide to join those who have already nominated. We believe that accommodation deals are still available at the Mantra French Quarter.

It should be a relaxed gathering, and we look forward to seeing you all again.

Regards to you all,

Alf

Noosa – a rough plot

Further to the recent post on our Noosa Reunion 12-15 Sep 2016, here’s the first cut of a program based on intel from our local Secret Agents in Noosa:

• Monday 12. Arrive, afternoon check in. Evening: Welcome, casual dinner
• Tuesday 13. Lunch cruise on MV Noosa Queen, $50 per head, purchase own drinks (need about 30 people). Relaxed dinner
• Wednesday 14. Eumundi markets including lunch, or Hinterland tour. The Reunion Dinner at local venue
• Thursday 15th. Farewell breakfast

Other options for activities: golf, bowls, National Parks walks, Eco-tour of ‘Everglades’. Further advice to follow on detail; and comments welcome.

Note: for excursions such as to the Eumundi markets in beautiful surrounds we will need wheels — BYO, hire or share.

Accommodation

Our spies reveal that the best value is the Mantra French Quarter, situated on the Eastern end of Hastings street.

This is 4 star accommodation, with resort style units built around a central pool. It is close to the beach, the national park, and a short walk down the street to shops etc. Their rates were the best value. The rooms have kitchen facilities, but several cafes nearby cater for breakfast, lunch etc.

Rates are as shown below for arriving 12 Sep and departing 15 Sep 2016, that is for 3 nights — which seems to be the go at that time of year. These are sale prices for a group booking, so we should not dally too long.

Note: cost for staying only 2 nights, checking out Sep 14, is in brackets after package rate. 

1.  Standard – $567.00 AUD for 3 nights, ($510 for 2 nights) accommodates 2 people.
2. Deluxe – $702.00 AUD for 3 nights, ($630) accommodates 2 people

If you wish to arrange shared accommodation with another couple the rates were:

1. Standard – $789.00 AUD for 3 nights, ($710)  accommodates 4 people
2. Deluxe – $924.00 AUD for 3 nights, ($830), accommodates 4 people

Note: non-refundable deposit of $200 per booking; prices and unit types are subject to availability at time of booking. Keep an eye out for further sale prices.

Alf and Marcia (darn, now I’ve blown their cover) found various alternatives, including cheaper but more distant — and fancier but more expensive such as On the beach Noosa and The Sebel Noosa.

Respond please

Thanks to all nine who responded with ‘Yes’ to the first poll in Cheers, the Noosa Reunion post in January. Armed with this new draft plan, could you all please respond (again or anew) by the Ides of March using the form below (message will go to both Secret Agents and Webmaster). 

Name(required)

Select intentions from drop down menu:(required)

Yes for two people Yes for one Hope to be there Regrets

Comment

Submit

Δ

 Ack. Images: maditsmadfunny.wikia.com; mantra.com.au/

Cheers

A happy new year to you all.

Coming up

The next reunion, as you are aware from close study of this blog, will be in the Noosa area starting on Monday 12 September 2016. It’s a while away but save the dates 12 to 14 Sep. Time flies, tempus fugit, carpe diem, and so on.

If Noosa and environs are near your home patch, please send any suggestions and hints for the gathering to Alf and Marcia. As we approach the event, watch these pages for updates regarding the program, accommodation options or other information.

Some admin

Members: Follow the blog for info, if not already doing so — see field above right. If you are receiving multiple email notifications, it is because you are double-subscribed, either as a WordPress member as well as email, or I see there a couple of you with two email addresses registered separately. Just delete one of the email subs.

Plans. Let us know what you have in store for 2016 in terms of projects, particular interests, plans and aspirations; your Hon. Webmaster will share by blog or attachment. Include a photograph or two, preferably not huge hi-res files direct from your fancy digital SLR. Files of 100 or 200 KB usually look fine on the web. Your email app will probably allow you to set the size if it’s too dense. Not that we are running out of space (6% of allowance used) but fat ones take a while to load.

Stats. Being a special-interests site intended for a small group of members, web-site statistics are not particularly important. For interest though, there are 70 followers including 20 of our members; and more than 2000 (‘two thousand over’ we would have heard in the Butterworth days) views during last calendar year, a sprinkling of viewers showing up from around the world but, as you would expect, most readers being in Australia. There have now been 93 posts since this site took over from the old 15/50 pages, which ran from 2010 to 2012, 50 years after joining up.

Travels. Many of the posts on this blog tend to report travels, which is fine; and indeed when big tours were in prospect, this interesting subject also got its own page for the information of your erstwhile fellow voyagers to Cape Schanck. This page is now largely historical but following the successes of these excursions, you may wish to propose new destinations for us.

But wait… there are other things in life that those stalwart sand-hill runners and paddlers would find of interest. Most of you are engaged in fascinating tasks or experiences that would easily warrant a short report and a supporting image or two.

Your activities and achievements or those of your family are of course important. However, this site is not intended to supplant Facebook, so do not feel you have to send daily updates on the coffee in your favourite local spot, or the progress of your undoubtedly brilliant grand-children — although now that I think of it, the rate of contributions to date suggests there’s no risk of being inundated there.

Your sixpence

You can suppress, if not completely silence, this flow of boring administrative and technical detail by sending me your bulletin for the coming year, be it retrospective, aspirational or whatever takes your fancy. Scribble away…

Celebrating 50 years and beyond

How appropriate! We stood together under this old-timer in the Museum of Australia on Reunion Day, Wednesday morning 18 November, dutifully listening to our enthusiastic guide. I suspect we were deliberately and defiantly ignoring the symbolism; did this old windmill somehow represent the state of our aviation careers 50 years on?

Never! Every aircraft type we flew in or maintained may well be in a museum somewhere — but the merry band that gathered for our 50th Anniversary of Graduation is as cheerful and optimistic as ever.

The Museum provided plenty of interesting angles on the history of Australia and our own experience of the last half decade. We live in a great country.  After the tour we were privileged to repair to the Friends’ lounge for tea. Thanks to Terry for organising this excellent Museum visit.

Interesting architecture at the Arboretum

The focus of activity moved to lunch in the magnificent setting of the Arboretum, high on the hill to the west of Canberra. Several members and partners joined us there to connect with friends and share news.

The highlight of the Reunion was the ‘official’ dinner at the Boathouse the same evening. That merry and optimistic spirit was much in evidence:

• BJ not only organised an excellent dinner (I take back my previous derogatory caption>) but also welcomed guests on the night and acknowledged apologies and absent friends.
• The commemorative wine organised by Neil was sampled and found most acceptable.
• Remarks for the occasion presented by Staff, reflecting on the nature of the symbollic swift and other matters, were universally acclaimed as amusing, apposite and highly appreciated. Full text here>The Swift StaffJames
• This brilliant  and thoughtful contribution was followed by an interesting update on the Air Force of today by Air Marshal Brown AO,
• A spousal view was courageously and delightfully offered by Gail, recent addition to the Partners’ Club but founding member of the First Girlfriends’ Club (talk about popular acclaim!)

A huge thank you to all contributors. It was a memorable night.

Before and after

What else happened? The main event was preceded by a warm-up BBQ at Hon. Webmaster’s place to catch up with events and reconnect with people, especially those who had not been part of the push for either of the major 2015 cruises, in Turkey and Flanders.

Some time ago at Bowral, the 50th reunion of our entrance into those hallowed halls, we enjoyed a review of songs of the hit parade of 1962 (more>). It seemed obligatory that we should update that to the top 40 of 1965. What fun — gathered around the piano just like old times! It’s amazing how these songs, if not all the performers’ names (more>), have stayed in the memory.

A Brunch on Thursday finalised proceedings. Al and Marg, assisted by many enthusiastic helpers and, dare I say expert chefs Panch and Macca, provided for our every need. Thanks also to members of other courses who joined us at different events.

NEXT

Before people went their ways, various small groups were seen to be gathering in corners to discuss what to do next. Of one such group of ladies, Helen reports:

A wonderful time was had by all those who attended the follow-up brunch on Thursday. (Who could forget those delicious scrambled eggs, Pancho?)

Such was the enthusiasm for the reunion this year that it was proposed that – time marching on – we should get together more often, perhaps each year.

Northern visitors suggested a reunion in the Noosa area. Now one would normally say ‘to cut a long story short …’ but in this case it was a very short story…

They are betting on September 2016. So, now go to The Future>Next page to read more of this discussion and ADD YOUR COMMENTS.

 

 

Reunion all set

If the wine has arrived it must be happening. The NODBAL counter at lower right (may not be visible on mobile devices) is now showing days, not months. Air Marshal Geoff Brown AO has kindly agreed to be the guest speaker for our Reunion Dinner at the Boathouse.

The program has been updated again with the latest information, including an insiders’ National Museum tour, so keep an eye on that amended sticky blog post (here>).

If you need a copy just cut and paste the table onto a document and file or print. Wait until just before you leave home for sunny Canberra to ensure you get the latest.

Plus and minus

Rowan has had to withdraw for family commitments; and Wayne and Jane are regrettably detained by urgent medical treatment. They all send regrets and best wishes to you all, which we return with kind regards.

A few grads from other courses will join us for either the Museum tour or the brunch on Thursday. An added attraction at this latter event will be one of our stalwarts arriving in this magnificent old-timer. Now who would that be, I wonder?

Your wine order will be available for collection at the first gathering chez nous on Tuesday 17th. Note the advice to park at 90 degrees to the road on arrival to optimise use of space available. We shall sample this vintage drop, tasted and selected by Neil and Victorian contingent, on Wednesday evening.

Barry writes:

In my unpacking after my move to Tweed Heads, I found some wine labels dating from when home-bottling parties were in vogue. 

I have attached one, although I think there is a spelling mistake in the name of the wine:  I think it should be Dedulla ’69 (loosely meaning from the ullage, i.e. the dregs). 

I trust that the wine chosen by the experts does not fit the description on the label.

By the way, Course Horse and Helen have belatedly returned to Australia after touring with Indrek and Mari on the 14 Course barge-bike trip from Bruges to Paris.

You have seen pics and reporting of this epic event in recent blog posts; additional photos (mainly of the people) assembled for our 14 Course friends are available, if you are interested, here:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/9kttf1figjkdh87/AABcfLmqUuBJ9UOzrCXxsVeHa?dl=0

Reunion label

 

A fine Italian Red

There’s a move afoot to strike a commemorative wine label for the Graduation Anniversary Reunion 17 to 19 November 2015. (more>)

Of course, the label would have to be attached to something, so Neil is currently checking out a supplier of fine red who can provide wine, bottles, labels, cases, the lot.

Details are still being decided but it will be a good quality wine, to be chosen; price will come in at $15 to 20 per bottle.

Can we have an indication of those interested in buying some Reunion Reds?

By the way, do you remember the pic above? It was featured for the previous 50th anniversary reunion, that of our entry into the Hallowed Halls, on the old 15/50 web-site.

Grad reunion 18 Nov

The dates for the next main reunion, the fiftieth anniversary of our graduation, still stand at

18 to 22 November 2015.

Page from the Grad Ceremony program

These dates have been offered on the Grad 50 page for year or so, and no comments or alternatives have been suggested. This period has now therefore been formally registered by letter to the Chief of Air Force.

Today I received a call from the Office of CAF to confirm that the period has been registered in the calendar for the new chief. No confirmation is yet possible as the present CAF, Air Marshal Geoff Brown AO, is now on an extension that expires mid-year, when the new chief will be named. Further discussions will then be held with OCAF to clarify whether the new chief himself can attend the official dinner of the reunion as guest of honour.

Meanwhile, tell your children to stop having babies and cancel all cruise plans so that you can be there. The vote poll on the Grad 50 page is at present showing 19 members keen to attend if possible. No-one has declared against.

Please assist in spreading the word to any members who you are in touch with. Many do not receive (or read) this blog, and several (including three graduates) do not respond to any form of communication.