Welcome First timers to the 2014 CMCA Robinvale
Robinvale Riverside Sporting Fields
Robinvale, Victoria
31st March-6th April 2014
For more information contact:
Rally Manager: Ray Jones • N29925 • robinvalerallymanager@gmail.com
Tel: 0419 516 205 • Fax: (03) 5026 4463
Rally Secretary: Eleanor Scully • Q37099 • robinvalerallysecretary@gmail.com
2014 CMCA Rally page
“This is an email reply to a new CMCA member thinking about attending his first rally”
Dear First timer rally attendee
I myself am a relative newcomer to CMCA rallies, I actually find myself in a spot that I didn’t think I would be this early in my Motorhoming past time. I actually went to my first Rally in Kalgoorlie a couple of years ago, and thought this is a good thing for our community in Robinvale Euston and now the rest is history. I was appointed Rally Manager and have now had a very steep learning curve.
Your questions are exactly what a first timer enquires about, the information is not readily available if you don’t know where to look and that’s something that I think the CMCA is trying to amend over the next few years.
Your Wanderer magazine is possibly the only source of information leading up to Rallies, but it’s mainly promoting what’s in and around the Rally District, what to see and what to do when you’re here.
One thing that I have seen in my short time is that the First timer really doesn’t know what to expect until they get there, even some don’t seem to be able to fit in when they arrive, even though the programme is quite in depth and lists plenty to offer. So let’s try and fill you in a little about Robinvale Rally.
Overview
We expect 1000 Motorhome on a locked down site only available to the Rally participants, we have 300 volunteers to organise the rally, from Maintenance, Siting, Catering, Administration, Entertainment and many more areas of operation to bring you the event. The volunteer side of Rallies is very exciting and you do meet many new and good friends. We have 2 rallies each year, one is the National Rally (AGM) usually held in spring and the Anniversary Rally (our Birthday) held in autumn, Robinvale is celebrating the 28th Anniversary.
Activities
Activities include Entertainment most nights in the big marquee, Trade exhibitions; from LED lighting to very expensive motorhomes we have indoor and outdoor traders. GeoWiki help desk, Telstra Tech centre, and Bio Magic products for the motorhomers. Many of these traders take the opportunity to also present at one of our 50 to 60 seminar sessions that will be conducted in three locations throughout the site. We have Craft, Ladies and Men’s Sheds, Cooking Classes by the Gourmet Chef, Dancing classes, Disc Bowls (with Disc Bowls it is difficult for a first timer to get involved usually because it’s the Chapters who submit teams) May I suggest you contact your local Chapter and join, this is the best introduction to Motorhoming and a rally. Chapter contacts are in the Wanderer magazine, or just contact National Headquarters they will put in the right direction.
Grey water
Yes the site is grey water free because it’s a Sporting field, we will have many 1000 litre containers within a fairly close proximity to dump grey water, it’s quite easy and if done on a regular basis it’s not so much of a chore, I wouldn’t advise letting it fill before you consider emptying, as we don’t move our motorhomes to empty grey water. Our maintenance crew empty the 1000 litre containers regularly. (Motorhomes are not moved from the site unless black water holding tanks require emptying.)
Black Water
Black Water Dump points will be installed around the facility and again it’s not a major issue to have our cassette on a little trolley for this process, also the trollies are usually on sale at the trade stands, Showers and Toilets will be brought in onsite and strategically placed around the grounds so really you can limit you motorhome shower and toilet use making it much easier Again the Maintenance crew will provide you with access to water, they actually lay 5 kilometres of water line around the grounds for our supply, hoses are used to fill your water tanks, but cannot be constantly hooked up.
Power
Power will not be available at this point in time, all power allocation has been completed, when members apply for power they go into a draw to be allocated power, unfortunately only about 250 to 300 get the power allocated, mainly Trade and limited mobility take priority for this area and then a couple hundred others. We have areas of extended generators to top up batteries if that suits your needs.
Rally Host Program
Just something that I would like to mention about First timers, my wife Mim and I have developed a Rally host program for the first timers and this will be extended by Port Stephens Rally Manager Neville at the next rally as well the Rally officially starts on Monday but in the past to alleviate the traffic congestion on day one we invite up to 300 members in on the Sunday ( day -1) well we are now going to invite the first timers in on the Saturday (day -2) and set you up onsite early so that you will be sharing the grounds with the volunteers for a short time before they get very busy with their rally chores.
As you enter the site at Gate 3 – You will be met by the Meet and Greet Team, make sure you have your rally member card available for them to check you in, then our siting guys will take you to you site, then our Field Mice (members of our Rally Host team), of which my wife Mim is proud to be part of this team, they will call at your site and answer any of your queries.
This team will be allocated to meet with first timers all week to let them know what’s on and where to find it. We are excited about this program and hope that the First timers enjoy this welcome from the experienced Rally Goers.
On your first day it’s a great opportunity to meet our volunteers when we include the First timers to the Volunteers BBQ Saturday night, it’s usually a gathering of the volunteers after the 10 days of set up and before the onslaught of members entering the site. I would expect that this is a good time to ask the questions and mix with many of the people who have been involved in rallies for years, who knows this might be the time you want to be a volunteer.
Every afternoon I have arranged for happy hours (4.00pm) in two locations
(Normally people gather at their motorhomes and you just bring your chair and join in), but I am putting entertainers at the Footy Club rooms with the footy club opening their bar (no BYO at this location), and also on the Riverbank we will have entertainers near the food courts, BYO drink & Chairs
Poets breakfast in the footy rooms; brekkie will be supplied by the footy club at a small fee followed by the Poets, all in the programme.
Don’t hesitate to ask any question and please come along and get on-board I’m pleased I did my first rally, look where it took me !!!
I hope to see you at your first CMCA Rally in March 2014
Safe Travels and kind regards
Ray Jones
Robinvale Rally Manager
N29925
Staging Areas and Entry Map
A series of staging areas are to be determined and maps to follow.
For more information please contact Ray Jones.
