As we close out another remarkable year at BMW Drivers Club Melbourne, I want to take a moment to reflect on the wonderful spirit, generosity, and camaraderie that define our community.
We, personally, have had some challenges the last year and it is our friends and family in this community that keep stepping up to help when needed and offering the support we all need from time to time. For all of you that have called or messaged or dropped in to see how we are, you have no idea how great that feels. So thank you, from the bottom of our hearts. It reaffirms how wonderful our club is, and you are all a part of it.
December brought us one of the most enjoyable events of the year – our Christmas Show & Shine and family picnic on the 7th. We were treated to a fantastic turnout, with an impressive array of cars gleaming in the sunshine and creating a display that truly showcased the pride and passion of our members. Even more importantly, together we raised a much needed $1350 for Prostate Cancer Research, a cause close to many hearts.
The atmosphere on the day was simply brilliant. Nearly everyone walked away with a prize from this year’s raffle, and the smiles, laughter, and festive cheer made it a day to remember. My heartfelt thanks go to every volunteer who helped the event run so smoothly. Your time, effort, and willingness to pitch in are what make days like this possible.
As we head into the New Year, Jo and I want to wish each of you a very happy and safe New Year. We look forward to seeing you all soon, though it may be a little later than usual for us. My treatment for throat cancer begins on the 5th of January, so for the first few months of the year we may not be as present at events as we would like. We appreciate your understanding and support during this time, and we will be around whenever we can.
For those with CPS vehicles, please remember that while Jo and I may be less available in person, renewals will continue as normal. You can renew via email, download and complete (but do not sign!) the Club Endorsement Form and email to cpsrenewals@bmwdcm.com.au , or, if electronic is a challenge post the CPS renewal form as received from VicRoads along with a stamped self-addressed envelope to 11 Jean Place, Grovedale, VIC 3216 and we will ensure they are processed promptly.
A sincere thank you to our generous sponsors throughout 2025. Your support means the world to us, and we look forward to welcoming you back in 2026 as we continue building a strong, vibrant, and inclusive club community.
Our online merchandise stocks are fully up to date, so if you’re looking for new items over the break, feel free to place an order through our online store. We’ll have your items posted out as quickly as possible.
As many of you enjoy some well‑earned downtime with family and friends, please take care on the roads and drive safely. For those who continue working through the holiday period, thank you for keeping the wheels turning – quite literally.
Thank you all for your friendship, your enthusiasm, and your unwavering support throughout the year. Being part of this club is a privilege, and Jo and I are grateful for each and every one of you.
Take care, enjoy the break, and we look forward to seeing you in 2026.
Warmest regards,
Graeme Bell | President
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
Many Thanks to Lawrence for organising tonights Coffee & Chat in Geelong. A great group of Enthusiasts. Lots of discussion, most of it car orientated. And several very interesting cars to look at.
Reinhold Schutz #701
Absolutely perfect day for our end of year Show and Shine and Xmas get together.Sun is shining, lots of cars and people coming in to share in the day.
Winners of the Show and Shine were : Under 120,000 kms Paul Caruso 1982 BMW E21 Alipna C1 2.3 Over 120,000 kms Simon Wilkins 2001 BMW E39 5 Series Non-BMW Matthew White 1935 Singer Bantan Special People's Choice award Matt Kenny BMW 840 Ci Our thanks to the Show and Shine Jdges Igor Kay, Luke Devlin, Jess Palmer, Daniel Roberts, Steve Garth, Russell Eastaway.
Thank you for another wonderful year of our amazing club. Look forward to seeing you again in 2026.
As part of BMW's "Neue Klasse" (New Class) step change in its product portfolio they have introduced a new BMW "Roundel" logo.
You have too look hard to tell the differences but the main change is to strip out the "chrome", which is line with the overall design language which is cleaner and uses much less fussy detail.
The badge differs from the logo used in letterheads, media etc.
You can read the history of the logo here and, no, it never was a propeller!
November was a month full of adventure, camaraderie, and memorable moments for our club. As we head into summer we look forward to longer days and sunny days. Perfect for getting out and enjoying our cars and our get togethers.
Canberra Adventure
We kicked things off in November with a large group of intrepid travellers heading off on a 10 day adventure to Canberra. Along the way, we detoured through the Snowy Mountains, where the Alpine Coaster at Thredbo gave us all a thrill and plenty of laughs. There was even some snow still on the hills up there. Canberra itself proved once again to be a fantastic city, with some truly amazing driving roads to enjoy. It was wonderful to have a friend from the NSW club join us for part of the trip, and equally special to catch up with our Canberra mate from E30 Racing. You can read more about the fun we had here.
Sandown Historic Racing & Calder E30 Round
While we were away in ACT, a group of our enthusiasts proudly represented the club with a display at Sandown Historic Racing. A big thank you to Simon Wilkins for picking up the banners and flags and flying the club colours while we were gone. Meanwhile, on the other side of town, our members were racing at Calder for the final round of E30 Racing. We managed to watch the races on Blend line TV and Jo provided lively commentary as we drove home through some spectacular roads, making the experience even more enjoyable. Read the report here.
Challenge Bathurst
As the month drew to a close, members travelled to Bathurst to take part in Challenge Bathurst. I’m proud to say we had entries joining our group from across the east coast and South Australia, and equally proud of the volunteers who gave up their time to help run this iconic event. Without officials and volunteers, none of these events would be possible, so thank you to each and every one of you. Especially since our medical issues prevented Jo and I heading up again. I was very disappointed not to be up there again this year. This is a fantastic event and about the only way any of us normal people can get to drive one of the best racetracks in the world, as fast as you like. For information on how to get on track at Bathurst feel free to chat to Jo or myself. But here is what happened.
Midweek & Twilight Drives
With the weather warming up and the days growing longer, midweek drives returned to the calendar. A great group headed off to Lorne for a mid-week evening drive, enjoying fantastic cars, great company, and a beautiful night. Our final drive for the month was a Twilight Drive to Panton Hill, which sold out quickly and proved to be a huge success. These later drives are clearly becoming more popular, and we’ll look at adding more of them in the future as the weather warms up and the evenings get longer.
Traction Tyres/Yokohama Drivers Championship
November wrapped up with Round 8 of our Traction Tyres/Yokohama Drivers Championship. It was a pleasure to be out there supporting potential new racers, and I even had the chance to conduct a couple of OLTs (Observed Licence Tests) on the day.
A Personal Note
As I mentioned earlier, sadly, Jo and I were unable to attend Challenge Bathurst this year. Jo was rushed into hospital the week before with kidney stones and required emergency surgery. She has two more surgeries scheduled over the next month, so her journey isn’t over yet. Before heading to Canberra, I also discovered a lump in my throat, which was later diagnosed as cancer of the left tonsil. With this news, we had to make the difficult but necessary decision to put our health first. Knowing that Lawrence and the team were officiating at Bathurst gave us peace of mind that everything would be well looked after.
I have spent a few days at various hospitals over the last two weeks, having pan-endoscopy, biopsies, PET and CT scans and talking to specialists, next week we meet with them again to set the plan of attack to treat the cancer and move forward. Looking like Chemo and Radiology, so I might be out of action for a few weeks.
We are both determined to face these challenges head on, and while there may be times when we’re out of action, we’ll continue to support the club as much as we can. The strength of our community and the generosity of our volunteers remind us why this club is so special. Thank you all for your emails, calls and texts of support, it really is comforting to know we have so many friends in our corner.
Looking Ahead – December & Beyond
December brings a quieter schedule as we head into Christmas. Our annual Christmas Show & Shine at Cruden Farm is just around the corner, and we’d love to see as many members as possible there. Helpers are still needed, so please put your hand up if you can assist—it’s not too late to register and bring the whole family along.
We’ll finish the year with a relaxed Coffee & Chat (used to be called donuts!) night in Geelong, the perfect way to wind down after a busy season.
Events to Diary in 2026
Final Thoughts
As 2025 draws to a close, I can’t help but reflect on what an incredible year it has been. From epic road trips to thrilling race days, BMW’s 1-2 at the Bathurst 12 Hour, from casual coffee catch ups to twilight drives, we’ve shared so many experiences that embody the spirit of our club.
Last but not least our fantastic BMW Clubs Australia Nationals that was one to remember.
I had hoped to finish the year with good health news, but life has given Jo and I another journey to navigate. Even so, we remain grateful—grateful for the support of our members, the dedication of our volunteers, and the friendships that make this club feel like family.
Please remember to check that your CPS registrations and membership renewals are paid up. With the silly season upon us, it’s easy to forget, and we’d hate for anyone to have their registration cancelled due to a missed payment. We are all volunteers and deserve some time off over Christmas, so if your Club Permit is coming due get it to us early rather than last minute for a signature as we may well be away over the break and you will then have to wait to get it signed.
Thank you all for being part of this wonderful community. Here’s to a joyful Christmas, a happy New Year, and an exciting 2026 ahead.
Don't be put off by the hints of rain in the above photograph. Thanks to the vagaries of Victoria's weather our drive was rain free, although some roads were damp and best treated with caution.
We did not totally escape the ironies of life as the start point Peter had changed us to, in order to avoid the crowds at the original location which failed to materialise, turned out to be very crowded thanks to an unforseen market/fair. However, we all made it out in a reasonably tight group.
The first leg took us to Yarra Glen along pleasant and interesting roads, as expected from a Peter Williams drive.
We had short "comfort" stop which seemed to include a fair bit of chat before the second leg to the Panton Hill Hotel. This leg included some more challenging, but still open enough, roads the best of which were along the slightly greasy Buttermans Track. Thanks to our use of the TourBoss app and radios, no one was pressured to go faster than was comfortable in a vain attempt to keep up.
The pub was very busy (always is apparently which is a good sign) but we had a deck all to ourselves so no shortage of space. The good was excellent and the company even better.
And, yes, the rain did catch up with us but only after a thoroughly enjoyable evening.
We were fortunate to enjoy a beautiful, bright, and sunny spring evening for our drive to Lorne.
This mid-week outing proved to be both exciting and demanding for BMW enthusiasts, featuring lots of twisty roads and breathtaking scenery—at least for those able to glance away from the wheel.
Once again, Lawrence expertly organized a fantastic drive, culminating at the Lorne Hotel along the Great Ocean Road, where we were treated to spectacular views, excellent company, and delicious food, making the event truly unforgettable.
Thank you Lawrence,
Cheers
Terry and Anne Lane #965 and #1112
Australia is a notoriously flat continent where any hill bigger than a pimple can be called a mount or mountain. Not so around Bathurst, lying in the remnents of the Blue Mountains which are part of the mighty if somewhat mis-named Great Dividing Range (not technically a range).
For here lies Mount Panorama, so named because of the spectacular views which caused the Bathurst City Council to construct a road up and across the mountain to take advantage of said views. This is no pimple but a proper mountain and the road is now world famous as the Bathurst Mount Panorama Motor Racing Circuit, iconic and one of the most challenging tracks in the world. So when an motorsport event primarily aimed at amateurs is organising here, the name Challenge Bathurst is both entirely apt and a bit of a warning.
Such a magical track, take a look at the photo - the track starts about level with where I stand and climbs steeply (far more so than it appears on TV) above and across the "Mount Panorama" cut into the hillside, and then plunges down again just as steeply. All using normal public roads (closed obviously and well surfaced but narrow). One of the few, maybe now the only, internationally certified tracks where the entire competition layout can be driven on public roads.
I spent the first two days (Thursday and Friday) flag marshaling, my first "proper" flag marshalling in over 50 years!
Day one was just past the exit of the dipper which is narrow and fast, we could almost touch the cars as they skimmed the wall at our feet. Tricky to pick an impending overtake (blue flag) but fortunately no incidents in our section (yellow flag). {Other flag colours are available for specific duties!}
Day two was at the end of Conrod Straight entering The Chase. Breathtaking speeds (300+ km/h or or 190 mph) in a "gentle" bend creating enough g-force to really tilt even stiffly sprung race sedans on their suspension, followed by hard hard braking. Tremendous. The closing speed between some competitors meant a blue flag well before an overtake and the sheer speed meant watching the next flag point down the track so as to mirror their yellow to provide enough time for the driver to react.
2 incidents, including a monster trip across the gravel trap shown here and the one on the other side of the track, ending in a roll over (no injuries), showed just how quickly things go wrong and the vital role of marshals in ensuring it does not get worse and is dealt with efficiently and safely.
And there is the communication back to race control - flag points are the eyes and ears on the track and vital to not only the safety of all but the efficient running of the event.
On our feet and on our toes all day, but what a great 2 days.
Saturday was spent in the pit garages with our group of 17 cars (out of a session of up to 55 cars). For reasons unknown the PA was not working in any of the garages and the paddock PA could just about be heard inside but not understood. Time passes quickly and missing the call to driver's briefing or dummy grid can be disasterous. I was able to help out a little by keeping an eye on the clock and stepping into the paddock to hear the PA. Apart from getting a car left over from Thurs/Fri evicted from one garage things went pretty smoothly and the rain stayed away.
I was very impressed by both the lap times and the comradeship of our group. As best as I could tell there was a lot of respect out on track even if that was not always reciprocated by others in the same session.
The Saturday and Sunday sessions were Regularity, one point for every 1/10 of a second slower than your nominated time, 2 points for every 1/10 faster. Chris Price, in his M140i, from BMW Car Club Queensland is to be congratulated as the winner of (at least) our session (Group D) with a mere 41 points in total from 4 20 minute sessions.
Our group was well represented in the top part of the results so good work all round.
Lawrence Glynn #3
We got off to a great start of our 10 day Canberra trip departing from Croyden and heading through Yarck to Whitfield for lunch and then some time exploring Beechworth before overnighting at Wodonga.
Once the early rain and traffic cleared we could enjoy the roads and the views. We met some riders from BMW Motorcycle Club Victoria at Whitfield. They were completing a 2,000 km tour. We encountered a splendid Ceylon Yellow M440i and its owner in Beechworth. He purchased it when a Mustang Dark Horse deal fell through!. He did not seem to be missing the Mustang.
Day two started off with a 9am briefing on a perfect sunny day in Wodonga and was followed by a stunning drive along the banks of the Murray River with sweeping bends and glorious sunshine. Heading in land and up hill changed that to majestic views of snow tinged mountains and tighter curves.
Lunch was at Corryong followed a bit of fun for some at the Thredbo Alpine Coaster and viewing the surrounds before Horizons in Jindabyne for excellent accommodation and a first class meal celebrating a 50th wedding anniversary Jill and Jeff Palmer (who survived the Alpine Coaster - just!).
After dinner, some snuck off for a whisky tasting session whilst the rest went off to bed.
Day three was a more relaxed start with a lovely breakfast at our Motel at Jindabyne with a fairly short leg to our first stop at the Snowy Hydro Discovery Centre at Cooma for morning tea.
An easy casual drive took us to the (relatively) recently upgraded Tharwa Bridge before arriving at the very interesting Tidbinbilla Deep Space Communication Station.
Our final destination was our accommodation for the next four nights at the Pavilion Hotel in Canberra.
A lovely dinner in house was enjoyed by all.
From here there was no fixed programme but each day a varying number joined in the main activities.
Day 4 took a group of us to Yass and then the Carey Caves at Wee Jasper.
What an amazing tour guide we all had. So much information and knowledge it was an honour to be in his presence. What was supposed to be an hour tour turned into a full afternoon, but no one complained, as he was so passionate and informative about the caves and his life long work looking after them.
So, 4 hours later and after what was the best cave tour we’ve ever been on, we headed back to Canberra via the Cotter Dam.
Such an amazing sight and again fantastic driving roads picked and plotted by Graeme.
The run of good weather had to end so best to heads inside on Day 5. Some headed off to the Australian War Memorial. Always an amazing place to visit, sadly the rear huge display is still being rebuilt, but the rest is still very much worth seeing. There is so much history here and some of it very confronting and moving. For anyone that has family serving in the military it is a must see when in Canberra.
Canberra is, of course, our Nation’s capital and is replete with embassies and consulates, many built in national style (the UK embassy being stereotypically boring!). As expected, the USA embassy looks the biggest and most palatial. As a former Canberra resident Lawrence had plotted a TourBoss route past the best of the embassies which also took us past the Royal Mint.
Unlike the Note Printing Works in Melbourne, they welcome visitors here and it was very interesting to see it all working. We even made our own $1 coins that are actually legal tender, real coins! Pretty cool! Put $3 in and watch a blank get stamped out and issued to you with a folder to put it in.
We continued our tour, with a detour up another look out viewing point then back to the motel before heading in to the city for dinner with the gang.
Some even tried to watch a certain horse race happening back home, but the pub had the TV on the wrong channel. So they watched a different race somewhere else.
Another awesome day out on Day 6 exploring the countryside surrounding Canberra, literally! We headed off on a shortish drive to our first stop at The Cascades at Lake Googong.
We needed a quick stop to check a tyre that was losing a bit of pressure, luckily Trent had a tyre pump on board to help out.
Lovely short walk to see the river below the dam, then back in our cars for a short drive to the dam wall viewing area. Lovely spot on such a lovely day.
Our next location involved a couple of kms of good gravel roads and it was great to see no one was too precious to not drive down to the car park at the Woolshed at London Bridge. It was a bit of a hike to this one and we were very proud that everyone made the 2km hike to London Bridge to see this natural limestone formation. There was so much else to see and enjoy too, we saw echidnas, kangaroos and even a big fat wombat came out to say hello.
Some went to Honeysuckle Creek, site of the former communication centre used by NASA during the space race and Apollo moon shot missions, sadly now abandoned but one of the dishes is at Tinbinbilla.
We headed back the long way to the splendid Mount Ainslie lookout with grand views over the Parliamentary Triangle and lake, so impressive the way the city was designed and laid out.
From here we each went our own ways for a couple of hours before our last full dinner together as a group, as some were due to head home the next day.
For our last full day in town (Day 7) we started off with breakfast with a most of the group, joined by one of our friends from E30 Racing that lives in Canberra. Great catching up and chatting about cars and life in general.
Some went to the National Library for a coffee and a look around and bought some books for the grand kids. Went for a walk around the lake front and enjoyed the sunshine on such a lovely day.
A visit to Canberra is incomplete without a visit to Parliament House where we wandered around and discovered parliament was actually in session. No photos inside the house, as you can’t take anything inside, no phones, cameras, even smart watches. After watching the kindergarten (sorry, Question Time) for a while we left to go up on the roof and take in the views. It really is a magnificent building. Well worth the visit.
Trent visited the Royal Australian Mint for a look see and managed to grab us some of the just released that day, gold and silver commemorative poppy coins marking 80 years after WW2. So very thankful to Trent, as we missed out in the pre release ballot for the limited edition coins, so thank you Trent.
We tried to go to Black Mountain Tower (best known as the Telecom Tower) to take some pics, but it is all closed up, forlorn and deserted looking, pretty sad really for such a prominent spot. You couldn’t see out much for the trees as even the lower area of the tower is all fenced off. Looks like it is only used as a drift park these days. Probably pretty lively at night with the local lads judging by the tyre marks in the car park.
An early start to Day 8 so we could be packed and loaded up ready to head off at 9 as we had a bit of driving to do today.
We said farewell to Canberra and headed for our first stop at Braidwood. NSW’s first heritage listed town. Lovely old town, we had a short stop for coffee and a comfort break, quick walk down the street then off to the coast.
We arrived in Bateman’s Bay (made accessible by forst a punt ferry and then a succession of 2 bridges) with time for a half hour wander around, look at the shops and the foreshore before taking the scenic route on to our lunch stop at Narooma Golf Club.
Lovely lunch, very picturesque location with delightful views along the coast and out to sea.
We left here around three and headed to our overnight stop at Merimbula.
Once checked in to the motel, some headed to the bowls club for dinner, some had something more simple.
After a lovely night in Merimbula Day 9 saw half the crew were up early to take a longer inland jaunt through the Snowy Mountains to tonight’s final stop at Lakes Entrance. The rest took the very scenic coast road with time for a leisurely wander around Merimbula before heading off
First stop on the coastal run was Eden, with a visit to the Whaling Museum and then a bit of a tour around town.
The Museum was very interesting, lots of memories of the old days of catching and carving up whales here. Brought back my own memories of a visit to the Whaling Station at Albany in WA, when I was a teenager, whilst it was still operating. If ever you have been there you will know why it sticks in your mind. I can still remember the smell and the blood and the sharks trying to climb the ramp to get scraps from the butchering. Most of all the smell though! Very happy they don’t do it any more!
From there we headed down the coast, back across the border into Victoria, then on to lunch at Mallacoota.
Awesome road into Mallacoota, by the way, and so great we got to do it again on the way out!
We chatted to some locals that run the cafe in town and the young bloke recommended we head down the coast a bit and stop at some of the lookouts, as there were still a few Whales coming past. So we did and managed to see some breeches in the distance. On our way back out we met the first rain we have had since Tuesday in Canberra. We have been blessed this whole trip with perfect weather, so a little rain whilst driving didn’t really upset anyone.
Our next stop along the coast, other than a couple of lookout stops, was at Marlo Pub for an afternoon coffee and sit in front of the fire. Perfect for a slightly wet afternoon!
Back on the road again for the final run to Lakes Entrance and by the time we got to the motel it had stopped raining so we could unload and rest up before dinner.
Our last dinner together as a group was just delicious! Perfect spot on the waterfront to end the last full day together.
The group presented Jo and I (and Peter) some lovely gifts and a thank you card that touched our hearts. So thank you all.
We still have a fair drive home tomorrow yet to come, and some great roads to enjoy and things to see, but this has been such a wonderful time away with a truly lovely bunch of people. We have loved every minute of it.
Thank you all for coming and we both hope you have all enjoyed it as much as we have.
But before departing on Day 10 there was time to explore Lakes Entrance a little and have a casual breakfast.
We found a lovely cafe for breakfast then wandered around and took a few pics and explored a lovely antique/brick-a-brack store for some bargains before heading back to the hotel to meet everyone for the trip home.
Our group has been shrinking almost each day, with some heading directly home from Canberra, one heading home last night and a couple staying in Lakes for an extra night.
So we are now down to 7 cars in convoy this morning. We headed to Bairnsdale, with a stop at the lookout over Lakes Entrance, then off the highway again to Heyfield for a lovely lunch in a family run cafe.
Again a couple left for home direct from here whilst the rest of us stopped by Cowwarr Weir for some pics and our last stop together. Lovely spot, lovely roads to get here too so we might have to come back again for a visit.
From here we started splintering off and finding our own way home.
It’s been an awesome time away, so many amazing roads to drive, sights to see, all with a great bunch of people.
Thank you all for coming and enjoying it as much as we have.
Thanks to Peter for all the organising of the original route and trip notes.
Most of all, thanks to Jo for all the planning, booking, checking, confirming, rebooking, hearding cats, endless calling of pot holes, tight corners, debris, oncoming vehicles, dips, jumps, mud, water on road, echidnas, wild brumbies, road kill, and commentary along the road. We’d be lost without you!
Thank you all for following us on tour too.
If you love our stories and pics, come and join in!
We have a lot of fun away on tour as we do on all our drives and events. Watch out for the next one!
Graeme Bell #1
In the absence of any committee members (Canberra trip) Simon Wilkins kindly agreed to lead this event - demonstrating what great members we have.
Sadly the event organistion was not quite up to the task and there was some confusion over our display space.
Nonetheless, we had a decent display with a grod cross-section of models, including Marcus Mimmo's superb WTCC/BTCC Super Touring replica, and enjoyed the classic racing which included an M3 in the Group C & A Tribute.
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