Report of V.M.M.A. Inc.

Licola Weekend

Friday 8th, Saturday 9th & Sunday 10th April 2005

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This social activity was named the Chicken Run after Brian Sanders (The Colonel) who with Vera organised this weekend social, even to the point that chickens greeted us at the door of our accommodation at Licola on the Saturday afternoon.

Accommodation Friday evening at Yarram. 

The social weekend commenced for some who were lucky to take time off work Friday morning, others Friday afternoon and for the unlucky ones Friday afternoon a long day at the office.

 

Matt, Jane, Chris and Sharyn were the lucky ones who departed Melbourne at 11.00 a.m. via Lilydale, Yarra Junction, Noojee, Warragul, Korumburra, Foster and onto Yarram for 4.30 p.m., getting there early also allowed for important knowledge to be obtained, I am sure we passed this knowledge onto the others, accommodation is best to the South Side of the Hotel, the North Side is some what noisy due to the activities in the Bar up to 2.30 a.m.

 

After considering the gained local knowledge we carefully selected our rooms and quickly departed for a ride down to Historic Port Albert, which was the major Port for early shipping in Victoria. It was interesting to note that many building blocks of land and buildings were for sale at Port Albert, appears the Historic Township of Port Albert is currently being developed.

Quick Ride down to Historic Port Albert, Friday late afternoon. 

On our arrival back at Yarram Club Hotel we found the afternoon group who departed Tooradin around 3.45 p.m. had arrived and was already at the watering hole, for the weather on the day was around 35 DegC.

 

Don & Eleanor, V.M.M.A. members from Yarram had in conjunction with Brian organised the accommodation at Yarram Hotel, of which we were able to secure our motorcycles in the rear court yard of the Hotel, enjoy a few cold ones with the locals in the Bar (Matt even had a game of Pool with a charming young lady) before we adjourned to the Glass House for a counter meal, highly recommend the Glass House for a counter meal.

 

Attendees at this point in time were Matt, Jane, Chris, Sharyn, Erwin, Eunice, Brian, Pedro, The Baron, Dave, Vivienne, Glenn, Cameron, Barbara, Don, Eleanor and the W.M. from Yarram Lodge.

Motorcycles secure in the Court Yard of the Yarram Club Hotel. 

During the evening at the Yarram Club Hotel we were invited to partake in the Hotel ticket draw, I bet the local may have wished we had not joined in this Friday evening activity for we won 2 1/2 slabs of beer.

 

Some rocked on to around 2.00 a.m. others slipped away into the night from 11.30 p.m., now I am sure the message of the South and North Side of the Hotel noise levels was discussed!!!

It appears that those who rocked on in to the early hours forgot about the important message, so it appears!!!

 

Breakfast was in the Glass House and once again good value for a full English breakfast, warning do not ask Eunice to make you a cup of coffee, Erwin made the fatal mistake and the coffee nearly held the spoon upright, Matt feeling sorry for Erwin made him a coffee and showed Eunice what it should look like with milk in it.

Saturday morning departure time was 10.00 a.m., even Big Ben was ready to go. Cameron & Barbara turned out with the Vincent Comet for the ride up to Licola via Heyfield, we stopped at Rosedale for a coffee break, then off to Heyfield to meet with Drew & Karma who rode down Saturday morning to join with us,  Guy & Jennifer due to work commitments were unable to join with us at Heyfield, they made their own way up to Licola later in the afternoon.

 

The Colonel made arrangements for us to meet Drew & Karma at the first round about in Heyfield at 12.30 p.m., due to the heat of the day and not finding them at the round about the meeting point was changed to the Hotel for a counter lunch. The Colonel did enter the text message to Drew & Karma, but no one told him about the send button!!! Matt decided to have a ride up to the round about and found two very hot bunnies under the shade of a bush, rescuing them from the elements Matt guided them to the water hole.

Whilst this was occurring The Baron was in full flight and manager to get a photo with the publican, does he look a happy chappy!!

 

Around 2.30 p.m. we departed form Heyfield for Licola, it was still extremely hot even though we were heading for the hills, Pedro, Erwin & Chris lead the charge to Licola with Glenn handy capped for having the residue of the won prize items from the previous evening in his top box, clever move by someone, for Glenn was a motorcycle riding instructor.

Accommodation at the Lions Village at Licola was in three houses. 

Vera & Nellie who drove up to Licola on the Saturday had already arrange the accommodation for us, so that on arrival we were able to unload and settle in for the evening. Chris, Erwin, Nellie & Eunice took the swimming pool challenge up, then Eunice decided to give the river a run for its money, Erwin, Nellie and Matt thought it was a good idea to join Eunice in the river, Chris & Jane thought better of it and guard their possessions in case a wombat took off with them!!!!

 

Then it was canoe time, Chris & Sharyn paddled away with Erwin & Eunice following, Vera attempted to follow with Nellie, but due to some confusion of another motorcycle group with the canoe, Vera did not make it into the canoe first time, but fell in to the river fully dressed and to top it off hit her head on the jetty.

Three course meal served in kitchen area of camp, magnificent meal. 

After all this excitement it was back to the house for some social activities prior to the 3 course meal provided by the camp, now the lights went out three times whilst attempting to navigate back to the tables with soup, some made it, some did not.

 

Then back to the main house for evening social, laughter, more laughter and even more, it truly was a great evening, Guy & Jennifer joined us after their solo rider up to Licola, it was the first time they had met most of us, but you would not have thought that by the evenings antics.

 

At one point a talking stick was in use, this proved quite successful and added to the evenings entertainment, Sharyn gave us a light show with her new Purple LED's mounted under the petrol tank.

Sunday morning fully cooked breakfast was catered for and provided in the camp dinning room at 8.00 a.m., once again could not fault the meals provided at Licola Village Camp.

 

After breakfast a continuation of discussion from the previous evening took place regarding the possibility of the V.M.M.A. sponsoring one of the three houses that currently do not have a sponsor, these houses were traditionally sponsored by individual Lions Clubs in Victoria.

 

Sponsorship consists of maintaining a house by providing materials and man power to ensure that it is presentable to the many community groups that rely on the Village to provide a facility that incorporates accommodation and activities for those that normally would never have the opportunity to have a break from every day living.

Sponsors of a house are able to identify the house with their organisation name along with being able to use the house when it is not booked out for a community camp, while carrying out maintenance the volunteers of the sponsor are catered for by the Village.

 

Two house were looked at, one being a simple 3 bedroom house, that requires the floor to be levelled, bath room, toilets and kitchen up graded, front veranda built and a full inside and out paint job, it has been re-stumped but needs levelling due to settling of stumps.

 

The other house looked at was actually two houses joined together, making a joined unit that sleeps around 24 people, this house requires more work than the other, but it is double the work.

Work required by the first view is total refit of kitchens, bath rooms and toilet blocks, painting inside and out and a upgrade of the veranda's.

It was thought that sponsoring a House at the Camp would be a great community based activity for the V.M.M.A. giving some tangible connection to our work, which would also enable the V.M.M.A. to set up a program for a community based group to use the sponsored house.

 

A venture like this may also be endorsed by Freemasonry Victoria Lodges as the V.M.M.A. travels around discussing the community based activities it undertakes.

 

Concern was discussed of having genuine volunteers within the V.M.M.A. who would commit themselves to make sometime available to assist with works required at Licola.

 

No doubt discussion will continue into the future regarding the V.M.M.A. desire to sponsor a house at Licola Village.

Road to Licola has some magnificent views, but you need to be traveling slow enough to see them!!!! 

Finally the social weekend came to an end, Pedro & The Baron headed North up the dirt road to Jamieson, Matt, Jane, Guy & Jennifer headed off towards Powelltown, Erwin, Eunice, Brian, Dave & Vivienne headed off South to Heyfield and Chris & Sharyn took many back roads to Noojee and met up with Guy & Jennifer at Powelltown and decide to visit Gail at Woori Yallock to see her before her Tuesday operation in hospital.

 

Yes then the thunderstorm hit.

 

A great time was had by all that attended, those that were unable to attend you know you missed a great time.

 

Reported by: CW