Dear members,  

Spring is nearly here, and we have had some amazing sunny and warm days. Soon we will be looking forward to the return of our twilight drives, which I can’t wait for! I just don’t know where the weeks and months go, being such a busy club has a lot to do with that, I guess. There always seems to be something on to join in with all our friends and enjoy the Club’s activities.

The month that was

On 6 August we started with our joint members meeting at new Club Sponsors, Doncaster BMW, which was a huge success.  We invited our friends from BMW Motorcycle Club Victoria to join us there too and we had a great turn out.  It was so nice of Phill, Lydia and all the staff, to stay behind and put on such an amazing night.  If you are in the area, be sure to pop in and say hi and let them know you are a BMW Drivers Club Melbourne member. They will be sure to look after you.

On 11 August we were at Sandown for Round 5 of the Traction Tyres/Yokohama Drivers Championship.  The weather was brilliant and not long after the gates opened all the cars flooded in and we had an at capacity event.  Thank you again to all the helpers on the day and VFT for their flag marshals and officials who do a brilliant job.  We had some very experienced drivers there with their sons too - welcoming Steve Richards, Clay Richards, John Blanchard and Harrison Blanchard.  It was great to see the interaction between these well know drivers and their up-and-coming sons on the day.  We also have a lot of our members who are parent and child teams, and this is a great thing to see at these events. We really like to see the next generation of drivers coming to our events and continuing their family traditions.

We also had our Racer Industries parade laps at Sandown, which attracted a large group and there were only smiles on the faces of all who participated in this event.  Thank you to our sponsor, Racer Industries, for the loan of the course car, this always looks great on the day and attracts a lot of attention.  If you need anything for the track, be sure to mention you are a member to obtain your club discount at Racer Industries.

23-25 August was Round 3 of E30 Racing Championship at Sandown.  Again,  we saw a great turn out of cars and members both participating and supporting the category.  Thank you to all the members who joined us all over the weekend to cheer on the teams. BMW Drivers Club Melbourne are sponsoring the Driver of the Round this year for E30 Racing.  The winners so far this year are:

• Round 1 at Winton: Benjamin Munro 
• Round 2 at Phillip Island: Martin Taylor. 
• Round 3 at Sandown: You'll have to wait and see when we get to round 4 at Phillip Island on 4-6 October!

If you are thinking of heading down to Phillip Island to watch and would like to stay for the weekend, be sure to call Walter and his crew at Kaloha Resort, Cowes to get a great deal.  Be sure to mention you are a BMWDCM member. 

On 25 August some of our members headed up to Broadford for Round 6 of our Traction Tyres/Yokohama Drivers Championship.  Our members love this track, and it was great to see them out there having such a great time.

26 August was a special Zoom link to meet and learn from one of BMW's Visionaries.  Wow what a brilliant night.  It was so great to see so many of our members log in and enjoy Sydney born Dr Stella Clarke, talk us through so much.  What an amazing woman.

On 31 August we all met to start the day at the Pancake Parlour in Fountain Gate for a hearty breakfast, before enjoying one of Peter Williams’ fantastic drives through the countryside to Wahalla.  Some of us joined the train ride which went for just on an hour, while others did the tour of the Mining tunnels.  This is a beautiful old town, almost standing still from the effects from time.  A real little gem and some of the roads to get there are awesome for our cars and drivers to enjoy.

Next months events.

On 8 September we have been invited to join our friends from BMW Drivers Club NSW at the NSW SuperFest. This is looking like a fantastic event with quite a few of our members already registered.  Registrations are still open, so it is not too late to enjoy the fun of the Sydney Motorsport Complex.

On 17 September we join our long-standing sponsors for our September members meeting at Zagame Auto Body.  This is a fabulous state of the art facility, and we will get a private guided tour throughout their workshops and display areas.  Registration for this event is essential as you will need to put your car registration number on your booking form to be able to gain access to the venue.  Don’t miss out this should be a brilliant night.

On 21 September we have our Black Rock Paranormal Investigation evening, which is nearly sold out.  As I am typing this there is only 2 spots left for the 8.30 group.  Lots of fun will be had on the night with two groups going through this beautiful historic building to enjoy the history of what is know as the second most haunted building in Melbourne with the old Goal being the first.

Date to remembers and put in your diary.

• 29 October - 7 November Tasmania Driving Tour.  This is going to be a fun filled event with some great driving roads but also some time for you to explore the wonders of the Apple Isle.  Registrations close on 7 September, so don’t miss out as once the ferry is full, you wont be able to register.
• 9 November - Sandown Historics Car Display.
• 14 November - BMW Drivers Club Melbourne Annual General Meeting – German Tivoli Club.
• 21-24 November - Challenge Bathurst (Officials needed).
• 21 November - Motors and Masterpieces.
• 23-24 November - Challenge Bathurst Regularity – 16 spots left.
• 8 December – Christmas Show and Shine – Family Fun Picnic.
• 30 January 30 – 3 February – Bathurst 12 Hour - only 4 spots left.

Check out the calendar for our full list of events and to register for those listed above.

2025 Clubs Australia Nationals

On 24-27 April 2025 we are hosting the 2025 BMW Clubs Australia Nationals. The website is now live for you to register at www.bmwclubnationals.com.au.

Be sure to get your bookings in soon at WestWaters, Caroline Springs as rooms are selling fast. This is going to be a fantastic event with so much for all to enjoy and take part in. If you haven’t been to a Nationals event before, this is one you need to get to and see what the Nationals is all about.

We will be needing helpers and officials throughout the Nationals, as well as in the lead up to it, so please register your interest with Simon via officials@bmwdcm.com.au and let him know what rolls and days you will be available to volunteer or help out.

Other news

It is simply amazing to see the membership still growing, currently over 820, and even with the current economic climate, members are still staying so loyal to our Club, this makes me so proud.  Welcome to all the new members, I look forward to seeing you out an about at an event real soon, I hope you enjoy what the Club has to offer, and you grow to love it as we do.

Don’t forget that if you are interacting with any of our sponsors or supporters, let them know you are a member of the Club, and that their support is very much appreciated. Also keep an eye on the Club partners page, so you can make the most of your membership and give back those who support our Club. We truly appreciate the support we have from our Sponsors, and we try and give them value for their support, so please do use them for any of the products or services they provide.

We are also trialling an exciting new app for our drives at the moment, once we have finished evaluating it and we take it up, it will take our drives to another level. Very excited to be at the forefront of using technology to make our events better, easier and safer for all involved. Watch this space. It will be a huge benefit to all that come on our drives.

Our welfare team is working away in the background, helping out where needed. Remember we are here for you if you need a friend, a shoulder to lean on or an ear to listen. We are very proud of our Team and the support they have, and continue to, give. Thank you to the Team. If you need anything, please reach out.

Lawrence and Shaaron have now headed off on a well-earned vacation for the next few months, so if you have any club permit renewals be sure to email them to cpsrenewals@bmwdcm.com.au or post them to 4/244 Marine Parade, Hastings VIC 3915 with a stamped, self-addressed envelope and we will process them and get them back to you as soon as we can. Do not post them to Lawrence’s address, as he won’t see them for some months!

I am not normally one to talk about myself, but some of you may have already heard that I am facing some health challenges at the moment. This may impact Jo and my ability to get to some of the club events over the coming months, but hopefully everything will be sorted out and we’ll be back at as many events as we are normally at in good time. Thank you for all the kind words and calls I have already received, the love and support you all offer is much appreciated and makes the journey much easier. Thank you all.

Take care out there and I look forward to seeing you at an event somewhere soon.

BMW Drivers Club Melbourne Inc.

PO Box 81, Tyabb VIC 3913
Incorporated in Victoria #A0102695G
BMW Drivers Club Melbourne Inc is a member of: BMW Clubs Australia and the BMW Clubs International Council
Motorsport Australia Affiliated Motorsport Club