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BMW Drivers Club Melbourne

  • 1 Mar 2021 11:00 AM | Anonymous


    MONTH IN REVIEW 

    Dear members

    And so we farewell summer, if that's what you'd even call it.  But autumn is here and we love the autumn weather.

    February started with our monthly meeting with our new sponsor, Revolution Racegear.  Our members were given a presentation on how to prepare themselves and their car for a motorsport event and there were also some great discounts on products in store.  Any members who weren't able to attend can show their BMWDCM membership card any time they visit Revolution Racegear to receive a discount.

    Unfortunately due to our snap five day lockdown, the Torquay Great Ocean Road drive on 13 February was cancelled which was a big shame!

    ____________________

    On 19-21 February some of our members attended Sandown for the first round of the Garagistic E30 Racing championship.  Founding member Alex Jory made a great start to his championship, winning all races across the weekend and fellow member Simon Leach following him in second in each race.  Congratulations to you both and also to our other members who competed over the weekend.

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    On 23 February we then had what has become a monthly mid-week drive.  This time we began our night being hosted at Zagame Autobody with a tour of the facilities, followed by a drive up to Mount Macedon for the sunset.  Thanks to Zagame for hosting us and also to Essendon BMW for providing some beautiful M cars for the evening.

    ____________________

    We then finished our month with the first round of our 2021 Traction Tyres/Yokohama Drivers Championship, hosted by AROCA at Sandown.  It was great to see so many BMWs out on track and so many club members attending to support other members as pit crew, instructors or officials.  

    ____________________

    In other news, we've also updated some of our merchandise.  If you're looking to upgrade your wardrobe do head on over to our online store to check out our new items! 

    ____________________

    MEMBERSHIP UPDATE: 549 MEMBERS

    Welcome to our new members, Jordi Ceglar, Sam Nolte, Laurence Dell, Liam Magowan, Rohan Mayer, Alexander Wilson, Grady Patching, Barnabas Dean, Alby Sommer, Marcus Penev, Kevin Tran, Matthew Paterson, Ralph Guice, Alexander LoMoro, Elisa Hill, Olivia Mayworm, Marcus Colella, Abdel Farah and Lachlan Moore.  We look forward to seeing you at an event soon!

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    Don't forget to catch up with this month's update from our President, Graeme Bell here.

    THE MONTH AHEAD

    Here's what we've got planned in March:

    Tuesday, 2 March
    March Members Meeting at Berwick BMW
    Berwick BMW
    Join us at the very new Berwick BMW dealership for a relaxed event with a chance to look around the new showroom and meet all the staff.  You will also get a close look of the new M3 and M4.


    Sunday, 7 March
    2021 Traction Tyres/Yokohama Drivers Championship | Round 2
    Rob Roy Hill Climb

    Be sure to enter as soon as you can to avoid disappointment! 


    Monday, 8 March 
    Shannons International Womens Day Driver Training and Come & Try Day

    Broadford
    We are hosting the Race Chix Motorsport Come and Try Day as a part of the Shannons International Women's Day Festival.  Want to know what motorsport is all about?  This is your chance to find out!


    Sunday, 14 March
    Werribee Zoo Family Day Out
    Bring the whole family to a day out at the Werribee Zoo!  There's nos et agenda for the day but we will be reserving busses for 1.30pm for our group to go on a safari tour. Register now to make sure you don't miss out.


    Tuesday, 16 March
    Mt Dandenong Mid-week Drive
    We'll start our evening at Waverley BMW and then head on up to Mt Dandenong while we make the most of daylight savings and late sunsets.

    Club members have also been invited to BMW Car Club Canberra's Merimbula Getaway and whale watching on 9-10 October, if anyone is interested in joining.


    Be sure to keep an eye on our calendar  for more events.

    NEWS & BLOG 

    Our Blog page on the website is constantly being updated with not just club news, but everything BMW from all around the world!  We welcome you to submit any articles of your own! 

    Club blog.

    CLASSIFIEDS

    Did you know we have a classifieds page

    Want to sell something?  Email us today to list your car/parts/anything BMW related!

    idrive magazine

    Everyone has their own BMW story - we'd love to share yours.

    Email us to feature in our very own idrive magazine.


    CLUB PARTNERS

    Members are welcome to submit their business to be shared on the Club Partners page on our website and idrive magazine. 

    We believe in supporting those who support us.  If you would like your business listed, email us with your details!

    ____________________

    As always - thanks for reading, we look forward to seeing you at an event soon!


    President | Graeme Bell 0407 186 296
    Vice President | 
    Jo Mawson 0412 661 900
    Secretary | 
    Lawrence Glynn 0414 563 290 
    Treasurer |
     
    Shaaron Glynn

    Proudly supported by:

    All Commercial/All Residential Real Estate
    B
    erwick BMW

    BM Tech

    Creative Custom Cars
    German Auto Haus

    Mornington BMW

    Shannons Insurance
    South Yarra BMW

    Southern BM

    Traction Tyres

    Waverley BMW

    Zagame Autobody

  • 28 Feb 2021 4:39 PM | Anonymous


     


    Dear Members,

    And Just like that, summer is over and we are into the lovely autumn weather we so love in Melbourne, perfect for getting out and enjoying our cars and the company of our BMW family and friends. We have so many events upcoming, there is something for everyone, but first a recap of a very busy February, that even included a snap 5 day lockdown!

    February started with strong membership numbers.  It was fantastic to see lots of new members coming on board over summer and we are now sitting on 547 members, thank you all for joining us and a very warm welcome from us all.

    We started off with an event at Revolution Racegear on 3 February, who have come on board for 2021 as club sponsors.  This was a very informative night on preparing yourself and your car for motorsport, and it was also well attended.  Thank you Aaron and Mark for staying back on your own time and thanks again for the great discounts on the night given to our members. Going forward, Revolution will give you special prices on anything you buy in store, on production of your membership card. Another benefit of your Club Membership and another reason to always carry your membership card with you.

    The Torquay Great Ocean Road Drive on 13 February, which was to be an observation run to replace the Torquay Motor Show, had to be cancelled due to the 5-day lockdown in Victoria, which was a shame as this was looking like a really fun drive event, with great numbers booked in to go. 

    19-21 February saw quite a few Members at Sandown for the first E30 Racing round for 2021. The racing was close across the field and saw one of our founding members, Alex Jory, make a great start to the 2021 Championship, winning all the races across the weekend with fellow DCM member Simon Leach coming home second in each race as well.

    A lot of you would have heard our wonderful editor, Jess Bell, rolled her car in third race of the weekend and we are very happy to report she is ok and is very appreciative of the messages of support she received from so many of you as word spread. Poor Gonzales (who we affectionately call Kermit), her bright green E30 Racecar is a bit second hand looking, as you would be after a double somersault in turn 1 at Sandown, but the word from the panel beater is that he reckons he may be able to fix it. For the time being Jess will continue her E30 Racing campaign using her older brother, Sean’s, car until we either repair Gonzales or build Gonzales 2.0.

    On 23 February we had a tour of Zagame Autobody, followed by another sunset drive, this time up to Mt Macedon. It was so good to see new members join us at this event and also a few families with their children. The drive was brilliant, thanks again to Peter, who never ceases to amaze us with his drive routes.  Thank you also to Essendon BMW for bringing out some beautiful M cars for our members to have a look over whilst devouring the amazing dinner platter laid out for us.

    We have also received our new merchandise in the middle of the month and sales have really gone well,  you will see some of our members wearing the new style summer shirt at events and in photos.  You can also click here to view the online store to check them out yourself.

    Our final event for February was Round 1 of our Traction Tyres/Yokohama Drivers Championship with AROCA at Sandown and it was amazing to see so many BMWs out on the track and also so many club members supporting our competitors, either helping out as pit crew or officials or as instructors. It is a great atmosphere at our track days, with a fantastic bunch of people always coming along, and it was made even better with spectators being able to come and join us, for the first time in nearly a year. With the Covid situation finally starting to abate and vaccines rolling out, we are hoping that the worst of the Pandemic is now behind us and we can now get back to a more normal life that we have all missed.

    All in all, a pretty busy Month, considering it was interrupted for a week. The other thing that happened was that our amazing powerhouse, Jo, went under the knife and has had one of her hips replaced and is now well on the road to recovery. I am totally in awe of what doctors can do to the human body and the difference in Jo is amazing already. Being able to get up and walk better than she has been able to for years is very heart-warming to see and only a couple of weeks in and she is back to attending selected events with us again.

    Moving straight into March, our Members Meeting on 2 March will be the launch night for Berwick BMW and if you missed the new M3 and M4 launch in December, this is your last chance to get out and see them, whilst they are still here, as I am pretty sure, after this event, they will be boarding a ship to return to Germany. To see the new dealership is worth the visit, but to see these two amazing cars makes it a must do.

    Unfortunately, this year there is no Club Display at the Phillip Is Historics, due to COVID. There are very limited entry tickets for spectators and you are restricted on where you can go, so this year we won’t be doing a Club event to the Historics, sadly. We would also normally be going to the Australian Grand Prix in March, but it too has been postponed and we look forward to hearing what will happen regarding a display or any club involvement later inn the year. We will keep you informed, as soon as we know anything.

    7 March is Round 2 of our Traction Tyres/Yokohama Drivers Championship and also Round 1 of the Motorsport Australia Interclub Hillclimb Challenge at Rob Roy Hillclimb track. If you fancy a lovely day out with a picnic atmosphere, come along and support our members or even enter and have a run on the oldest Hillclimb Track in Australia. It will be a fun day and I look forward to seeing a few of you out there. Enter via the Motorsport Australia Event Entry portal at the link in the event.

    On 8 March, we have been asked by Race Chix Motorsport to run a Come and Try/Driver Training Day as a part of the Shannons International Women’s Festival at Broadford.  This is now open to men and women, so if you haven’t registered please make sure you do soon before the event closes.  This is manly aimed at women drivers who have never been on a track before and what to learn more about what is needed and what to do. Sorry about the late notice, but we have been working feverishly to get this event up and happening, after only coming on board a week ago. This will be the perfect opportunity for women to come and have a taste of what it’s like on track and with some classroom sessions as well as instruction, we hope you will gain some skills and have a try on a track without any pressure of competition.

    On 14 March we will be doing a family day out and visiting the Werribee Zoo, where we have a reserved undercover area, so we can relax and enjoy the day.  We have also reserved a bus spot for the Safari tour. Make sure you register your interest as soon as possible if you do want to attend.

    On 16 March, our now monthly mid-week drive will be leaving from Waverly BMW, but not before we have time to have a quick look through their show room and have a quick bite to eat and something soft to drink.  The drive is taking us to the summit of Mt Dandenong this time, where we should be able to see some amazing views of Melbourne in the twilight. As the days grow shorter and colder, we may not continue our sunset cruise events to the top of a nearby Mountain through Winter, but we will see if we can replace them with a visit somewhere interesting and warm… until Summer returns.

    The month will end up at Winton with Round 2 of the E30 Racing Championship, on 26-28 March again with lots of our members competing as well as helping out. We are hoping to have spectators at this event too, so come for a drive and watch some great racing and join in the fun that is real motorsport!

    We had a thought earlier this year, that we have a few families now with younger members who have joined as junior members, so why not have a club polo for them.  This should be on the club’s merchandise store very shortly so watch out as they are very cute and only $10. Also, we have now dropped the joining fee for additional members joining an existing or new membership at the same address, making it cheaper for families or couples to join us and experience the benefits of being in the Ultimate Driving Club.

    As always, watch the calendar for more events and also look out on our Club Partners page to see all of our sponsors and what great offers they have for you all as loyal members.

    One final note, it is not long now before we have our annual presentation dinner, at another one of our new Sponsors, Park Hyatt Melbourne.  This is going to be a fabulous event and we would love to see you all dressed up and supporting all those who won awards in 2020. So, get your tickets and come and join us for a lovely evening to celebrate the Club’s third birthday.

    Thank you for joining us this month and I look forward to seeing you at an event somewhere soon.

    Drive safe and take care.

    Graeme Bell | President
    BMW Drivers Club Melbourne Inc.

    P.O. 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

  • 28 Feb 2021 12:43 PM | Anonymous


    Event date: 27 February 2021

    Saturday, February 27 saw the inaugural round of the 2021 Traction Tyres/Yokohama Drivers Championship at Sandown Raceway.  14 members took to the track with near perfect weather conditions for 6 great sessions of action.  Lap times and banter in pit lane heated up throughout the day as new members were welcomed and veterans passed on valuable tips.

    A big thank you to the Alfa Club for hosting a very well run day and we look forward to sharing more rounds of the 2021 Traction Tyres/Yokohama Drivers Championship with you. 

    Be sure to dust off the helmet and get the car prepped to join the fun for the next round at Rob Roy on March 7.

    Jon Chadwick | Member #593
    BMW Drivers Club Melbourne


    Saturday was an exciting day for me, as I have become a part of the pit crew at Bell Motorsport. It was the first round of the Traction Tyres/Yokohama driver's championship at Sandown. It was a cold start to the morning considering we're still in summer, as drivers begun arriving and unloading. For those that had booked a garage in pitlane, they slowly unloaded their cars and drove their immaculate looking vehicles around and down pitlane to their designated garage in a slow manner, so not to make too much noise and get pinged for exceeding the noise limit before 9am.

    Representing Bell Motorsport were two drivers, Rod Martin in his black E30, who races in the Garagistic E30 Racing series and Adam Sleep in his blue E30. There were also a few other E30's like Jim Tucker is his red car, as well as a few other variants of the M3 and a few 1 series too from BMWDCM. The rest of the cars there were made up of Mazda's, Alfa Romeo, Maserati and Porsche.

    My day was pretty easy, guiding the two Bell Motorsport cars to line up before each of their sessions in pitlane and then checking tyre pressures on their return to the garage after each session. As well as the occasional mop of the windscreen if it got dirty and most importantly keeping the drivers and Graeme hydrated with water, making sure they drank plenty during the day.

    Each session ran for 15mins with five groups. So I think the Bell Motorsport drivers had 5 runs over the day, getting in some good laps. It was a good learning for Adam, following Rod around, finding the right lines and improving his race craft. On their return back to the garage both drivers compared feedback and got ready for their next session.

    Thanks to Bell Motorsport for allowing me to come down and help out. I look forward to helping out at the next round or perhaps joining the pit crew for the E30 Racing series at some point!

    Tim Oh | Member #538
    BMW Drivers Club Melbourne


    Saturdays event at Sandown’s Traction Tyres/Yokohama Driver Championship was an absolute blast. Going into the event, I was fairly nervous as I haven’t done many track days before. However, by the end of the day I became more and more confident in my driving ability.

    As soon as I arrived, people were very friendly and eager to provide pointers and advice to help me improve my driving skills. This included helping me choose specific driving lines and breaking points. Listening and putting to use the advice from experienced drivers that were very familiar with the track itself, enabled me to improve my driving times drastically throughout the day.

    There was an awesome turn out in the range of cars that came to participate in the event. Having an E30 myself, it was great to speak to many likeminded e30 owners and the way they had all differently set up their cars. The days activities brought people coming from all around Melbourne to perform their personal best and nothing less.

    It gave me a bit of pride being apart of such a passionate, friendly and inclusive community with BMW Drivers Club Melbourne. There is no doubt that you will see me there next time.

    Justin Penev | Member #543
    BMW Drivers Club Melbourne

  • 25 Feb 2021 7:17 PM | Anonymous

    Event date: 23 February 2021

    Walking into our first event with BMW Drivers Club Melbourne we were not sure what to expect. We were sure it would be really fun; however, our expectations were exceeded when we were greeted with friendly Zagame and BMW staff that made us feel extremely welcome. The great night began at Zagame Autobody in Tullamarine.  Awaiting everyone’s arrival, a very generous charcuterie board and refreshments were provided by the Zagame team.

    Once everyone had arrived, Zagame team member, Andre took us on a tour of the building. As many may already know, Zagame Autobody is located on the site of what once was The Age printing press. Andre was part of the Zagame project from day one to ensure the grounds were created into a place that would allow their team to repair cars to factory specifications. The first stop along the tour was a zone where the team apply film and wraps to cars. Andre pointed out that the Zagame Autobody team use a template to cut film rather than cutting film on the car which often damages the paint. Zagame guarantee that the film will protect your car for up to 10 years.

    Moving along down the building there were some awesome historic Ferrari’s which were being restored back to their original glory along with other cars that were involved in collisions. Andre stressed the importance the team put on ensuring that the cars must be restored in such a way that they replicate exactly how the factory built the car in the first place. This is so that, firstly, it looks just as good as the day it came off the line at the factory, and secondly, so it can be ready to protect the driver just as well as it did the first time if there were to be another collision.

    Moving down the building to the final part of the floor is the painting booths which again, employ the same techniques as the ones used at a factory to ensure that the finish on the car is nothing short of perfect. Andre noted the importance to have the ability to elect a repairer so that when things may go wrong, you know exactly who to take the car to.

    The services offered by Zagame are not going to cost you more than any other repairer and you know you are going to get the best result when taking your car to Andre and his team. After all the information we were provided with on the tour, it is safe to say that Zagame Autobody will be at the top of our list if something does go wrong in the future.

    We want to give a big thanks to Zagame for hosting the BMW Drivers Club Melbourne and their support of the club as a sponsor again in 2021!

    We would also like to mention that the drive up to Mt Macedon was fantastic and was very well organised. All smiles from ear to ear from us, we are definitely looking forward to future events!

    Alex LoMoro and Emily Hand | Member #651
    BMW Drivers Club Melbourne


    At about 7.20pm after our magnificent show and tell session from the wonderful people at Zagame, we walked down to our cars ready for the drive.

    Peter was leading us in his Blue MINI Clubman, of course he had to park next to my Clubman as per the MINI rules (Rule no.1). There were about 12 cars in the drive and we settled into our line and headed out.

    We were all loving the pops and crackles emitting from the M4 in our group and it immediately got plenty of comments, much to the owners exclamations and joy that it was completely stock.

    Soon we settled into a pack and some asked Jo if we would get to see the sunset on top of Mt Macedon.  Jo replied that we would get one, just not sure where.  The clouds were dappled with the afternoon setting sun and the temperature was dropping.  Much to the commentary about the temperature was for the benefit of our convertible BWM friends who some of us thought were silly for keeping the top down is such conditions.  It was about 13.5deg crisp and clear but that Celsius was dropping fast.

    Soon we were traveling through Wallan and heading towards derit gum, I mean derriweeeet gummy, oh who can really pronounce Darraweit Guim.  

    We encountered some beautiful curves and lovely rolling green hills for Jo to exclaim that she liked the look of our bums, or rather taillights, but we all know what she meant.

    We were guided by Peter through yet more curvy roads much to the delight of the drivers and vehicles who took the turns in the appropriate manner with machines that were just made to enjoy said curves.

    Chatter on the two-way radios was full of appreciation of the curves and constant updates to the lowering temperature and how our convertible friends were fairing.  I had my windows down to hear the pops and crackles better but I had to wind them up when it got down to single digits.

    We approached the base of Mt Macedon as it started to get properly dark and convoy of excitement was lighting up the road ahead.  We had to do a dog leg left turn to start the climb up the mountain and I came in a bit hard but "Chubby" the clubby took the corner with ease and said "please sir may I have another?".

    A slow and low gear wind up the hill in the dark was exhilarating with the temperature now  hitting 8.5deg, I sure hope that people brough their jackets.

    Then it seemed just as soon as the fun had started we had arrived at Mt Macedon.  We parked in a line and a few photos in the dark were taken and we all walked up to the cross.  We had a little chat about the great drive and the road and then after about 15 mins (mainly due to the cold) went back to our cars to start the journey home.

    I can certainly say for my first club drive with BWM it was an absolute blast.  Thanks to Jo, Graeme, Lawrence, Shaaron and Peter for including me from ClubMini and for the amazing hospitality and warm welcome from the team at Zagame.

    I hope to join you for another exciting drive soon.

    Luke Devlin 
    clubMINI

  • 8 Feb 2021 10:18 PM | Anonymous

    This story has been published with permission and the member mentioned de-identified.

    2020 started off looking like it was going to be a great year for most of us and especially the club, with some fantastic events in February, March rolled around and the Australian Grand Prix was coming to Melbourne and BMWDCM again had a great display area linked with E30 racing. 

    We had all heard about COVID in other countries and we had all be taking precautions, but I don’t think any of us really thought that we would be hit so hard by this pandemic.

    On the Wednesday before the Grand Prix all of our members and sponsors took their cars to Albert Park to be placed on display and I can honestly say it was one of the best displays we have had there, with a wide range of BMWs on display.   With the E30 Racing group next to us, it was a wonderful display of old and new BMWs.

    We managed to get a day of Grand Prix on the Thursday with members and general public coming past and enjoying our display but then everything went pear shaped and it was feeling like the world was coming to and end.  Friday morning, we got notification from the organisers to get our cars out as soon as possible and we had the task of contacting everyone and arranging for our members and sponsors to get their cars removed straight away.  We were incredibly lucky as Lawrence was at the track with some of our members and managed to get in whilst the public were kept waiting for a decision on what was happening, so we could coordinate from Albert Park and from home as well.

    Still even with the cancellation of the Grand Prix we did not think that we would be as bad as some of the other states in Australia, especially NSW as they were experiencing some bad clusters.

    Once we (the club) were notified that we could no longer gather in groups or hold events, I contacted the other members of the executive and said we need to keep our members involved and engaged and we need to make sure everyone’s mental health is ok.  I know we couldn’t contact everyone, but what we decided to do was go virtual with all our meetings and events and hold them via Zoom and continue on as best we could. 

    Our first Zoom meeting was really just a test to see what our members thought and how well it was going to work.  The first meeting was mainly about what we would be doing through COVID and to get feedback from our members on what they wanted. We were overwhelmed by the success of the first Zoom meeting, so then we just kept adding more meetings and events week after week.

    Our sponsors and advertisers were on board and we held some amazing events, even a private tour of BMW Classic in Munich, which gathered close to 100 members on the night.

    For me, organising these events gave me a purpose and kept me engaged with our friends and members and I know for our sponsors and members it was something to look forward to. It was good for the club too as our membership continued to grow over the year. Even with the lack of in person events, people kept saying to us 'this is fantastic', as a lot of other clubs and groups just shut up shop and went silent.

    What prompted me to pen this is that just recently, is that I had been contacted by a member who found the start of COVID ok, like most of us, but then when we went into stage 4 lockdown, they really struggled and went into a very dark place, as I know a few of us did, myself included.  What helped me through this was my family and my video calls from our granddaughter and my connection with club members who just wanted to chat.  Arranging these online events gave me something to do and I was determined to make the events I put on, both fun but also interesting and informative, so members could gain something from them all too.  This member told me recently that having the constant COVID updates from Graeme and the articles from other members, along with all the brilliant events gave them a reason to get through each day and look forward to the events that were coming up. It gave them a purpose to go on and not take the road to nowhere.

    I spoke to this member for several hours, not only about this but other things we share a common interest in, and I know it made both of us feel so much better.

    It's not over yet and people are still struggling, so please reach out to your family, friends and loved ones, also your fellow club members and just talk.  It doesn’t have to be a deep conversation about the meaning of life, just sharing a conversation with someone can make a huge change in their lives and we don’t all wear our hearts on our sleeves and sometimes people who look like they are coping are actually crying out for help.

    Speaking to this member about their dark times really made me proud of how our club kept everything together and kept our members involved and to know we helped them, may mean we helped others as well. I am very thankful this person is still with us, and hate to think of those that had nothing to hang on to, or to look forward to, and I am very thankful we managed to help at least one of you, as well as ourselves, to get through what turned out to be a terrible year.

    Jo Mawson | Member #2
    BMW Drivers Club Melbourne

  • 5 Feb 2021 8:30 PM | Anonymous


    Event date: 3 February 2021

    Fun Fact Time:

    • Did you know that if you are competing in a Sprint event you need a Fire Extinguisher in your car, but if you are in a racing event, you don’t?
    • What about the fact that it’s a good idea to turn your seat heaters off before you arrive at a track?
    • Or that some metal valve caps sold in some retail stores aren’t in fact ‘metal’?
    • How about the fact that it is useful to eat snakes and jelly babies on the drive home after a track day?
    • What about this one: You can get some amazing discounts on a massive range of racing gear and equipment from our wonderful new sponsors at Revolution Racegear?

    These fun facts and more were shared with a group of enthusiastic Club members during a wonderful evening hosted by the aforementioned new BMWDCM Sponsors, Revolution Racegear on Wednesday 3 February - “Preparing for a Motorsport Event”.

    So if you missed it, you also missed some wonderfully comprehensive and helpful information shared by Jo and Graeme about how to go about getting yourself and your car ready for the racetrack.  The discussions and presentation covered everything from how to purchase the best drivers kit, and essential safety items through to licencing, insurance and how to avoid NASCAR like confrontations in pitlane.

    It reminded us all that you can’t just rock up to a track day with your car, a stack-hat and a Posca Pen ready to scribble a number on your window and expect to go racing.  Preparing for a motorsport event requires proper equipment, preparation and an understanding of regulations and rules- all designed to ensure that you (and fellow competitors/participants) have an amazing and safe day enjoying the power and precision of you car on a proper track.

    The team at Revolution were wonderful hosts, extending their expertise, passion and a warm welcome to all of us.  The range of gear they stock is amazing, and you could easily spend hours with the team at the counter bench-racing or exploring everything from helmets to harnesses, fire systems to fuel tanks through to seats, suits and steering wheels. The great news is that your Credit Card will be better off owing to the generous discounts on offer to BMWDCM Members.

    A big thanks to Aaron and Mark from Revolution and Jo and Graeme for organising another wonderful event for us.

    (Oh, and in case you are having FOMO, you can access and download the presentation right here on the BMWDCM website)

    Shannon Cooper | Member #599
    BMW Drivers Club Melbourne

  • 1 Feb 2021 11:00 AM | Anonymous


    MONTH IN REVIEW 

    Dear members

    The first month of 2021 is already gone and Coronavirus restrictions are easing in Victoria.  It has been so good to see so many of you over the last few weeks!  Here's what we got up to in January.

    We started the year with an informal catch up with Jay Leno's Garage on 5 January.  Melbourne gave us a cool summer's night where we were treated to drinks and pizza by our friends at Jay Leno's. As always, thanks for having us - for anyone who missed out make sure you visit the Jay Leno's website to order your products (with the code BMWDCM) to get 15% off your order!

    ____________________

    On 13 January we held our Mornington Peninsula mid-week drive, starting with a sausage sizzle at Mornington BMW on another cool summer night (there seems to be a bit of a theme here..).  It was great to welcome three L-Platers on our drive up to Arthur's Seat to watch the sunset over the Peninsula. 

    ____________________

    On the weekend of 23 January we had two events for members to choose from.  The first, our Mates with 8s Observation Drive, organised by Trevor and Theo. There was a large turnout of E31s and quite a few other members attended for the fun.


    The second event was our Australia Day long weekend away to Beechworth.  We had quite a large group join us for four days of beautiful driving roads, scenery, warm weather (yes, you read that right, warm weather in summer) and brilliant food.  We posted quite a few photos on our facebook if you want to check out the fun for yourself.


    We are planning another long weekend later in the year to Tasmania - it will definitely be one not to miss!

    ____________________

    QR CODES FOR EVENT REGISTRATION

    As of 1 January we are using QR codes for check-in at all events.  Once you register for an event, you will receive your event confirmation email with a QR code at the bottom of it.  You will also receive the code again in your event reminder email.

    Please ensure that you can either show your QR code in your registration confirmation or alternatively print the email with the QR code to present it when you arrive at the event.  if you have the Wild Apricot members app, you can also show the QR code from your event registration within the app (available on Android and Apple - click either of those links or just search "Wild Apricot for Members" in your app store).

    ____________________

    MEMBERSHIP UPDATE: 529 MEMBERS

    Welcome to our new members, Julien Colangelo, Bradley Russell, Kristian Paulding, Tim Jarrett, Marcela Zamora, John Kett, Glenese Kett, Raj Fernando, Kevin Barry, Paul Carrington, Sudesh Tarkar, Joyce Parekkatt, Michael Stuart, Sandra Stuart, Sophie Stuart, Shaun Francis, Fiona Cooper, Harper Cooper, Payton Cooper, Richard Jellis, Byron Carpenter, Brett Carpenter, Raed Bou-Karroum and Karen Caruso.  We look forward to seeing you at an event soon!

    ____________________

    Don't forget to catch up with this month's update from our President, Graeme Bell here.

    THE MONTH AHEAD

    Here's what we've got planned in February:

    Wednesday, 3 February
    February Members Meeting - Preparing for a Motorsport Event
    Revolution Racegear, Mitcham
    Want to put your car on track but not sure what to do, or how to do it?  We'll take you through everything - from registering, preparing your car to check-in on the day.


    Saturday, 13 February
    Torquay Motor Show/Great Ocean Road Cruise 
    Although the Torquay Motor Show has been cancelled for 2021 the pre-show event, the Great Ocean Road Cruise, is still on but in a different format, with the promise of some great roads and some fun.

    We don't have all the details yet, what we do know is that participants will download a page of questions to answer and have it stamped as they follow an inland route to Lorne, returning along the Surf Coast to Torquay during the afternoon with a prize/trophy to be awarded for the best correct page.


    Tuesday, 23 February 
    Mount Macedon Mid-Week Drive
    Our February mid-week drive will begin at Zagame Autobody, travelling to watch the sunset from Mount Macedon Memorial Cross.
     


    Saturday, 27 February
    2021 Traction Tyres/Yokohama Drivers Championship | Round 1
    Sandown
    Entries are open now and are strictly limited.  Get your entry in now to avoid disappointment!

    We have also been invited to BMW Car Club Canberra's Merimbula Getaway and whale watching on 9-10 October, if anyone is interested in joining.


    Be sure to keep an eye on our calendar  for more events.


    NEWS & BLOG 

    Our Blog page on the website is constantly being updated with not just club news, but everything BMW from all around the world!  We welcome you to submit any articles of your own! 

    Club blog.

    BMW around the globe.

    MEMBER CAR OF THE MONTH

    This month we introduce you to Dom and his 135i! To read all about Dom's 135i click here

    To submit your own car, or motorbike for next month, click here.

    CLASSIFIEDS

    Did you know we have a classifieds page

    Want to sell something?  Email us today to list your car/parts/anything BMW related!


    idrive magazine

    Everyone has their own BMW story - we'd love to share yours.

    Email us to feature in our very own idrive magazine.

    CLUB PARTNERS

    Members are welcome to submit their business to be shared on the Club Partners page on our website and idrive magazine. 

    We believe in supporting those who support us.  If you would like your business listed, email us with your details!

    ____________________

    As always - thanks for reading, we look forward to seeing you at an event soon!


    President | Graeme Bell 0407 186 296
    Vice President | 
    Jo Mawson 0412 661 900
    Secretary | 
    Lawrence Glynn 0414 563 290 
    Treasurer |
     
    Shaaron Glynn

    Proudly supported by:

    All Commercial/All Residential Real Estate
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    ewick BMW

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    Creative Custom Cars
    German Auto Haus

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    Southern BM

    Traction Tyres

    Waverley BMW

    Zagame Autobody

  • 31 Jan 2021 10:00 PM | Anonymous


     

    Dear Members,

    Welcome back to a brand-new year and welcome to what should be a great 2021.

    I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas/New Year break and managed to spend time with you family and loved ones.

    We started the year with a very informal meeting at Jay Leno’s Garage on 5 January. Melbourne put on a very cool summers night, but it didn't deter our members from coming out and catching up after our short Christmas break.  The boys at Jay Leno’s put on drinks and pizzas and even turned on the patio heaters as the temp dropped and made it a bit cool standing around.  Remember if you are wanting great detailing products, visit the Jay Leno's website, use our discount code (BMWDCM) and you’ll get 15% and your order will not only be much cheaper but will arrive in only a few days by courier.

    13 January was our January mid-week drive starting from Mornington BMW.  Thank you to Alex and Tony and the rest of the team at Mornington BMW for putting on a sausage sizzle before the drive and then joining us as well.  We were amazed at how many people turned up and also how many BMWs were there to join us for the drive.  We even had 3 L-plate drivers, which is a credit to Peter Williams - his drive instructions are great and clear enough for new drivers to feel confident to follow. As always it was an interesting and fun drive around the beautiful Mornington Peninsula and culminated in a view of a magnificent sunset over the lower end of the Peninsula. A perfect end to a lovely evening.  Setting off it was amazing looking in our mirrors and seeing a long line of BMW’s following us. I felt so honoured leading this group of wonderful BMWs in our E3 who did surprisingly well up and down all the twisting roads.

    On 23 January, we had two events - Mates With 8’s Observation Drive, with Trevor and Theo organising and leading this event and they had an amazing turn out of E31s. Anywhere you get a few 8s together they draw the looks and having a bunch of them cruising together got quite a few heads turning along the route. From all reports it was a great event, and all had a great time. 

    Our other event was our Australia Day Weekend Away to Beechworth which was full of amazing cars, driving roads, scenery, warm friendly members, laughter, children and just good old fashion friendship. What can I say, if you didn’t come, you missed a brilliant weekend! We saw lots around Beechworth, with tours of the Courthouse precinct and the Gaol, as well as dinners in different places each night and touring to some lovely towns in the area and enjoying the roads in between. It started out pretty warm for Saturday to Monday, topping 43.5 degrees on two days then a bit of rain on Tuesday morning, enough to freshen things up a bit but not enough to dampen what was a fantastic weekend long away.  We posted many photos on our facebook page over the weekend - head on over to have a look.

    I must thank Jo and Peter, as well as all our committee, for the effort they put into our events, the planning and execution is faultless every time, whether it be a casual evening somewhere, or an epic 4-day weekend in the High Country. And of course, our events would be nothing with out the amazing people that come and join us and make it all worthwhile. Personally, I can’t wait for the next weekend away and the real big one, how about a week or so touring Tasmania with us in October/November, it will be awesome!

    You may have noticed that we passed 500 current financial members, just before the end of December. Well, I am very, very, proud to say, that we are well on our way to our next century. Since the year began, we have already had 128 attendances at events and 26 new members join up! Welcome to you all, I hope you enjoy the ride with us. As of tonight, we are already at 528 members and amazingly, we are now the largest BMW Car Club in Victoria and the second largest in Australia! All in less than three years! Just amazing! I never envisaged this would happen and the club would go so well and grow so fast. Thank you all for coming and joining us, we must be doing something right.

    And on to February. February will start with our monthly meeting on Wednesday 3 February at Revolution Racegear, with a talk on preparing yourself for motorsport, whether it be doing club days, officialling or full-on racing.  There will also be lots of products to check out at Revolution.  If you are needing any gear for the track don’t miss this night! There will be plenty of specials for our members, so come along and join the fun, grab some bargains and get yourself ready for some fun on the track. Even if you’re not looking to get on track, you are welcome to come and join us, just for a chat and catch-up. Please register if you are coming, so we know how much food to get, as there will snacks and refreshments on the night.

    13 February will be the Torquay Motor Show Great Ocean Road Drive.  Unfortunately, due to COVID-19 restrictions the display day itself has been cancelled for 2021, but the organisers are still running an observation run around the district.

    On the weekend of 19-21 February a few of our members will be racing at Sandown in the first round of the 2021 E30 Racing Championship. We wish all of our drivers and crews and officials all the best and if you would like to be a part of the weekend, as an official or crew member, let Jo or I know and we will see what we can do to get you track-side.

    On 23 February we will also be doing another mid-week drive, starting with nibbles and a bit of a tour of club sponsors Zagame Autobody in Tullamarine and then off on one of Peter Williams’ fantastic drives, heading up to the Mt Macedon Memorial Cross where hopefully we will get to see the sun set again, from another hilltop, this time to the North of Melbourne.

    27 February is then the first round of Traction Tyres/Yokohama BMWDCM Drivers Championship at Sandown.  Registrations have been out for a few weeks now, so if you haven’t entered yet, get your entry in quickly, as of tonight there are still a few spots available. The great news is that, after twelve months of no spectators, we can finally have spectators at this event, so there will be no restriction on numbers at the track. If you want to come and help or just see what goes on at one of our track events, here is your chance! Again, if you want any information on events or getting on track or into officialling, give Jo or myself a call. We will give you all the help you need to steer you in the right direction.

    All of the committee are working hard behind the scenes to get some great events ready for you all this year, so be sure to keep checking your emails as to not miss out. There are lots of things coming or planned so keep your eyes out for new events popping up all the time. As always, if you have an idea for an event or have been somewhere you thought we would enjoy, let us know and we will either help you to run an event or do it off your idea.

    One final note, Jo goes into hospital on 4 February for her hip replacement operation. Many of you would have seen her hobbling around at events as her hips have been getting slowly worse and worse, so hopefully when next you see Jo she will be up and walking again without all her aids and most importantly, without the debilitating pain she has endured over the last year or more. I am so proud that even though she has struggled to do many things, Jo has kept going and doing so much for the club and for me. We’d all be lost without her and her drive. All our best wishes to you Jo and for a speedy recovery after.

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

    Graeme Bell | President
    BMW Drivers Club Melbourne Inc.

    P.O. 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

  • 31 Jan 2021 9:19 PM | Anonymous


    Name: Dom KauKas
    What make is your vehicle? BMW
    What model is your vehicle? 135i E88
    What year is it? 2010
    Does it have a nickname? No
    What engine does it have? 6 Cylinder Twin Turbo 
    What colour is it? Sapphire Black
    When did you purchase it? 2020
    What attracted you to this particular vehicle? It has everything I want
    How have you modified it since purchasing it? Not yet
    Generally, what do you love about it? It's great to drive
    Tell us about the best drive you've had in it. It's great on the freeway.
    Any improvements/modifications/restorations planned? Performance tuning, better exhaust note
    In two words, how would you describe it? Great fun
    Is there anything else about your car that is of interest (i.e previous celebrity owner, raced, a show winner, limited number in Australia)? Previous one owner low KMs

    Thanks for sharing with us Dom!  If you'd like to share your car (or motorbike!) with us, click here to submit your car or bike for next month!

  • 28 Jan 2021 10:12 AM | Anonymous


    Event date: 23-26 January 2021

    Day 1 – Australia Day Weekend

    On the first day we met early in the morning at Essendon BMW. I really liked looking at the MINIs… and of course the BMWs.

    Jo explained to us what we would be doing that day and then the man from the dealership showed us a new type of BMW - none of them have even been sold yet.  I think Dad want’s one now.  I also had a yummy hot chocolate while we waited to leave.

    Then first part of our trip was a nice drive as we headed to Yea for morning tea. We had a wander around the shops and found a nice bakery where I got some hedgehog slice, it was very yummy.

    We then had a nice easy drive to Mansfield for lunch.  Lunch was at a hotel - and it was busy!  There was a kids playground though so my sister and I could have a play.  I had fish and chips for lunch.

    After lunch we all lined up in our cars for a fun drive to Beechworth.  We drove through some mountains on some windy roads.  The mountains were beautiful, but sometimes Dad was driving a bit too fast around the corners!

    It wasn’t long until we arrive in Beechworth.  It’s a very beautiful town - very old building along the street and lots of interesting shops.  Mum and Dad told us all about how busy it was during the gold rush.  My sister and I imagined what it must have been like with all the people, horses and carriages and tents that some people lived in.

    When we got to the motel in Beechworth my sister and I couldn’t wait to go swimming in the swimming pool.  It was a little pool, but still lots of fun to cool down in.

    That night for dinner, instead of staying with the group we decided to go to Billson’s Brewery where they make cordial (as well as some alcohol drinks). It’s a very old building that has been around since the early days of Beechworth. 

    Before we ate our dinner, my sister and I got to do a cordial tasting and I tried about 8 different cordials.  My favourite was the lemon & ginger. My sisters was Raspberry Vinegar.

    I had a great weekend and everyone was really friendly and funny.  people cracked lots of jokes and shared fun facts on the radios the whole weekend.

    I can’t wait till our next trip and hopefully next time more people with kids come too. 

    Thanks to Jo, Graeme and Peter for organising it.

    Harper Cooper (aged 10) | Member #631
    BMW Drivers Club Melbourne

    We’d made it to Beechworth the previous day, some did the trip in significantly less time than at least one participant.  Jo rolled her eyes when he called in to say he thought he’d left his coffee machine simmering so already 45 mins into the journey, the coffee addict turned around and headed home to find that an extra hour and a half’s driving whilst enjoyable, was in vain.  It was OFF!



    Now that I’ve got that off my chest, let’s look at day 2

    Firstly, if you didn’t make this event, you must be really disappointed.  The driving is the northeast is nothing short of fabulous.  Peter’s drive encyclopaedia put’s Melways to shame and whereas Dr Google generally gets you there, Pete’s tome actually has useful stuff in it. You won’t get lost with Pete on the trip.

    o Day 2, 24 January, was Silo Art Day.  The silos in question are on the opposite side of the Hume to Beechworth.  So that meant we headed into the wheat and fortified wine country of Rutherglen and surrounds via Wangaratta and the Warby Ranges.  Now if you drive a Beamer, the Warbies, are just what the doctor ordered; 18 km of twists and turns, rises and falls, short straights and not much traffic.  Being still under warranty, and not too sure of the capabilities of these beasts, I learnt a lot trying to keep up with Pete in his little blue box MINI, that thing has actually got some legs.  Firstly, in the twists and turns, Sports mode works a treat and this owner’s car appears to know how to corner, better than its driver. [Don’t say anything Jo!]

    So, if you like to stretch your car’s legs, get up the front of the convoy and play, ‘Catch Pete.’  If you want to meander, that’s fine, you can do that too, just slip to the back of the convoy and spend more time on the scenery than the corners.

    The Beechworth side of the highway’s history is steeped in gold, the Rutherglen side is steeped in cropping and damn good fortified wines.  Mind you, there’s some very good wines on the Beechworth side too, just think Brown Brotheres at Milawa!

    The north east is littered with lots of small towns, with pubs of course, that are the hub of the district.  The trains came to town to get the grain to ports.  Grain needs silos and as the size of farms increased and populations decreased, these little icons of Australiana needed to find ways to attract people to town.  Somewhere along the line, one town decided to decorate their silos and turn them into concrete art galleries, a trend had commenced.  Some silos are 90m high so they’re substantial structures.

    The artwork that we saw on the silos of Goorambat, Devenish, St James and Tungamah are stunning.  How the artists scale the images to get the perspective correct is an incredible feat.  The silos depict life of the area, the impact of wars and the wildlife of the area.  Fabulous snapshots of life in the country.

    We lunched in Rutherglen, and suffice it to say that these small towns have some seriously good food on offer including some of the best pies you can get to wrap your laughing gear around.  Then it was off to Chambers’ Winery where some of our great fortified wines are produced.  A cellar tour and the inevitable tastings took place then it was back to Beechworth via Chiltern, another north-eastern gem.

    A couple of hours to recover and then it was off to Bridge Road Brewers for gourmet pizzas and way too many beer varieties to sample in a month, let alone a night.

    A great day of driving, food, wine, comradeship, and seeing some of the best country this state has to offer and meeting new friends with a common interest. It don’t get much better than that! 

    Graham Thomas | Member #534
    BMW Drivers Club Melbourne



    Day 3: Monday

    Monday in Beechworth began with the "Echoes of History Walking Tour". It was already extremely hot so the walking was mainly from one shaded spot to the next! Our guide, David Saxton, was a true expert on the district and its history, with many fascinating facts and stories from the early days of what was once one of Victoria's most important towns. His interest in archaeology and his infectious enthusiasm suggested an identification as "Australia's Francis Pryor", although his impressive beard perhaps pointed more towards Mick Aston (Time Team cast members, for those unaware of that great English TV series)!

    The driving segment of the day then commenced, with a slightly reduced complement of eight cars, displaying a range of ages, sizes and number of doors/roofs. Our first stop on Pete Williams's well-designed route was the small historic town of Yackandandah, which proudly possesses a Williams Street. There was a variety of shops, galleries and eating places on offer but unfortunately the renowned Sluga Gallery was closed for the day. Perhaps just as well for our wallets! One "old wares" shop at the end of the street had a large range of small vintage car models of the Corgi/Matchbox type. The writer was tempted by a folded tin Shell service station with two levels to display such cars, but apart from the price ($275) the perennial question of "where will we put it?" raised its ugly head and this beauty remained in its cabinet.

    After lunch we headed for Mt Beauty and Bright via a "twisty" drive. The scenery in this part of the State is stunning and the clear air revealed it in all its glory. Traffic was light.  The group spent some time comparing outside temperatures according to our respective cars' instrument displays. No matter the detailed variances there was no doubting the overall picture; it was "hot, damned hot". Before we reached Mt Beauty there was some reshuffling of the convoy order, allowing for various degrees of enthusiasm for the seriously twisty and highly entertaining climb from that town to the Tawonga Gap. Most of the group stopped at Sullivans Lookout to admire the splendid view, although a couple of cars/crews missed that tricky turn-off. We regrouped at the next lookout for the equally delightful run down the hill to Bright.

    Bright was heaving! Parking spots were hard to find and both streets and footpaths were very busy. Victorians were clearly heeding our Premier's exhortation to get out and help the regional towns by visiting and spending money. Bright was hard hit by the bushfires a year ago and by the covid-enforced closure of the ski season so it was great to see it so well supported. Jo and Graeme collected the meat for the forthcoming barbecue but, since we had become separated by this stage, I can offer no further report of activity in Bright.

    The venue for our barbecue dinner had been changed from Lake Buffalo to Lake Sambell but this was a very picturesque alternative. Who is Sam Bell, by the way, and is he related to Graeme Bell? Our own Mr Bell did sterling work with the tongs and served up a vast quantity of sausages and rissoles. I'm not sure who organised the salads/plates/cups/cutlery etc but I suspect Jo and Shaaron put in their usual hard work to ensure a very enjoyable evening. The food went down well, accompanied by the (responsible) consumption of wine and beer, and by the pleasure of conversation.

    In summary, a great day!

    David Francis | Member #243
    BMW Drivers Club Melbourne



    Day 4: Tuesday

    Day four rolled around very quickly...as did the rain. We can't complain after three days of continuous sunshine – and truth be known it actually came as a bit of a relief.

    We were out the door very early to drive the Beechworth Gorge circuit. Unfortunately it was quite foggy and as a result we missed out on what we were told is usually a great view. We did manage however to capture some fast cascading waterfalls which I assume were increased in volume due to the rains..so lucky us! After our drive we moved on to drier premises, the Court House. This is a building dating back to 1858 where it was in continuous service for 131 years and bore witness to many convictions, many of which would be thought in today's times and as one noted as "demented". People were convicted for crimes that were minor and brought upon from no more than extremely sad and poor circumstances of the times. We believe that the gold rush days of Australia may have been good for some but for others it was more about heartbreak than fortune as many of these stories support. One lady in particular was sentenced to jail leaving her two infant children being sent to the local asylum to spend their formulative years because, I can only guess, they had nowhere else to go.

    From Court we went, as you do, to Jail (the Old Beechworth Gaol that is). In bygone times you had to pay for your crimes with your time...now we have to pay to spend our time there. I'd much prefer to pay for the experience anyway.

    The Old Beechworth Gaol is a fascinating building opened in 1864 and was still in operation up until its closure only in 2004. I was in the area in the 1980s and remember the prisoners tending the gardens. The gaol has been left in a condition as it was when closed which makes it even more fascinating and I can tell you that there hadn't been much modernisation on the building up until its closure. This is not a place you would want to spend any of your time in if you can help it as I'm sure the infamous Ned Kelly who spent some time here before being transported to the Old Melbourne Goal where he was hanged for his crimes felt the same way. His mother Ellen Kelly also spent time in this gaol for the attempted murder of a police Constable Fitzpatrick who supposedly tried to kiss her 14 year old daughter...some would say "justified" she on the other hand said "I should have done a better job". I say supposedly because both sides of the incident were not without sin of lying. There were a few modern day infamous people too such as Carl Williams that spent some time in this establishment. Well worth a visit if in the area.

    We stayed at the Golden Heritage Accommodation – which we can highly recommend if you intend to visit the area. It is really clean and fresh and the owners are very welcoming and accommodating.

    In staying with the theme of criminals it may be appropriate now to pass on some insights from the hotel owner as to the light fingers of guests past...not all heists were accomplished at the Golden Heritage might I add and in fact the main incredulous light fingering was undertaken at the Melbourne Ibis that the owners opened many years ago. The story goes that a group of overseas visitors booked enough rooms to have almost an entire floor. After their departure, when cleaning the rooms, it was discovered that each room had a curtain missing and the one remaining curtain was drawn across the length of the window to cover the theft. The owners calculated that they had got away with 4 sets of curtains. Did they get charged for the curtains? That I'm afraid I cannot answer. Another story: however, I do like to view this more as a tip on "How to acquire new pillows" (as done by guests at hotels more regularly than you would think). Step 1: bring your old bed pillow from home to the hotel you are a guest of (this is a must), Step 2: remove hotel's pillow case from lovely new firm pillow; Step 3: place your old pillow in the hotel's pillow case and leave on the hotel bed; Step 3: Take home what we hope to be a newer version of what you've left behind. Now, of course if you have more than one pillow you would like to exchange then just repeat those instructions. Pretty clever huh? If you're feeling more brave then you could do what one brazen guest in Tasmania did, take the whole King-sized bed from the hotel room...yep, that's right, the whole bed! They believe that the "guest" must have taken the bed down the fire escape (escape being the operative word) in order to accomplish this feat. I'm not sure in this instance that they actually brought their Queen-sized bed from home as a replacement as the thoughtful pillow thieves do – and I think to not do so seems rude don't you? Not to mention more obvious that something in the room is missing. The element of surprise is always priceless.

    Anyway, back to our trip and this is where it ended – outside the Gaol. We bade farewell to our new made friends as this was our introduction to a weekend away with the BMW Drivers Club Melbourne and we will be back for more. We had so much fun and it was so well organised that we could not fault one aspect of our trip. People are so friendly and welcoming – it made a 'good' trip 'great'!

    Paul wanted me to add something about the driving!!! All I can say is he had a smile on his face for the entire trip so the BMWDCM are doing something right.

    Paul Carrington & Angela Muser | Member #623
    BMW Drivers Club Melbourne



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