August has been another huge month for BMW Drivers Club Melbourne, filled with great drives, great company, and plenty of memorable moments. Thank you to everyone who joined us, your enthusiasm is what keeps this club strong.

We started the month on 1st August with our Northern Loop Drive.   We had a terrific turnout, the weather was perfect, and the route was interesting, safe, and enjoyable with our Tour Boss guiding us throughout the day. As always, the company made it even better.

On 16th August, we were back at Braybrook for Go Karting at Karting Madness,     and once again it lived up to its name. This event is always a favourite, lots of laughs, friendly competition, and great fun had by all.

On 23rd August, some of our members headed to Broadford for the Traction Tyres Yokohama Drivers Championship. Broadford never disappoints, it’s always a great day out, whether you’re competing or simply enjoying the motorsport atmosphere.

Also on 23rd August, we were blessed with a sunny, wind‑free morning for an early start at the 100 Steps of Federation, followed by a private guided tour of the RAAF Museum  What an incredible experience, so much history in one place. We will definitely be going back for those who missed it; it’s well worth the visit. We finished the day with lunch at the Phoenix Restaurant. This outing was made even more special by being joined by our motorcycle friends from BMWMCCV, and we’re delighted they enjoyed the day as much as we did.

On 26th August, we held our Coffee & Chat Drop‑In, which continues to grow in popularity. It’s becoming a regular catch‑up for members who simply want to talk about all things, not just cars, and it’s wonderful to see these friendships strengthening.

Then on 30th August, we had two events in one day at Calder Park. Our Come & Try Driver Training Day had a fantastic turnout, including a strong showing from E30 Racing with many of their cars on track, either taking people for rides or showing people lines. A huge thank you to all our volunteer coaches, we are incredibly proud of our Motorsport Australia‑affiliated members who give their time and expertise to help others learn. We also ran course car lead parade laps of the Thunderdome, which is always a favourite. The huge smiles told the story; it was an absolute blast. Thank you to VFT for your volunteers; without you, these days simply wouldn’t happen. And thank you to all our members who came out to help. And of course, thank you to Jo, who is the glue behind these events and keeps everything running smoothly. Again, it was a fantastic day and a credit to the Club and all our members that came and helped run the day. The weather definitely helped too, it was a superb Melbourne day and the promise of what we expect in Spring.

We’ve been very lucky with our events and the days we have run them through Winter, each one has been a perfect sunny day. So looking forward to Spring arriving in September and the longer days and warmer temperatures make for lots more fantastic events.

Coming Up in September

• 9th September – Melbourne Coffee & Chat Drop‑In at Shannons, Heatherton Our first one at this venue and registrations already look great. AS an extra bonus we have the use of Shannon’s car size photo booth. Come along, get a great photo o your car, check out the other cars, and enjoy a relaxed morning with fellow members.
• 13th September – Dowell Museum This is a private collection of interesting cars, so you MUST register. Numbers are limited.
• 19th September – BMW Südschleife Gippsland Weekend Away This is shaping up to be a fantastic weekend. Registrations are essential and please book your accommodation early.
• 30th September – Coffee & Chat, Geelong

Other Updates in the Club

Jo and I will be away for the first week of September celebrating my 65th birthday, we’ll be at Uluru for the week, so don’t pop down to Hastings expecting us to be there. Back next week!

Merchandise Sales are going well, and we still have a few winter specials available, make sure you take advantage of the sale pricing. Check out our on-line store.

Membership remains steady and continues to grow, which is wonderful to see.

A New Addition to the Bell Family. We are thrilled to welcome Matilda Rose, born on 8/8/26, all eights, and if you add the last two numbers together, another eight. A very lucky day for her to arrive. She is our little angel, and I’m sure you’ll see her around the track and at events in the future. Congratulations Chris and Katie.

Welfare Team Our welfare team continues to work hard supporting our members. Our team have been doing a lot behind the scenes for several members and friends. Please remember that our welfare team sometimes needs support too. Jo has been struggling a little these past few months with the fallout from my treatment and general exhaustion. If she looks down, please give her a hug or a kind word, kindness costs nothing, and it means a lot.

Jo’s Breast Cancer Walk Jo has been raising funds by walking for breast cancer throughout August. She was originally supposed to do 58 km but chose to do 168 km and has exceeded that. Her fundraising total has gone well beyond her expectations, first $1,500, then $3,000 an incredible effort. Well done, Jo, so proud of you.

She is also doing a huge amount of work for our Pink Ribbon event in October, so please come along and dig deep. She has secured some amazing raffle prizes and I’m sure everyone will go home with something special. Thank you to all the businesses who have donated something, your generosity is truly appreciated. Still time to contact Jo and donate if you have anything you think might be of interest.

Men’s Health – November Event We will also be supporting men’s health in November with our Racing Against Cancer event at Pro Racing Simulators in Hastings. All proceeds will go to prostate cancer research. Mark it in your diaries and bring as many friends as you can, raffle prizes on the day and a great prize for the winner.  Also remember Movember and get those moustaches growing.

My Health Update

A quick update on my own health, each day I’m getting better. I’ve started an exercise physiology program at the hospital and it’s really helping me regain strength and feel more like my old self. It’s great to be out again, seeing you all and chatting about life.

Thank you all for your ongoing support. I look forward to seeing you at our upcoming events.

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