National CanTeen Camp 2005
Motorcycle Ride Report
Sunday 9th January 2005
The Victorian Division of CanTeen hosted the National CanTeen Camp 2005, which entailed CanTeen members flying into Victoria from all States in Australia and including New Zealand members.
The National Camp 2005 was organised by a Committee of Victorian CanTeen members who call them selves the N.C.C. - National Camp Committee.
When the N.C.C. were posed with the question of what would be the most exciting, engaging and touristy way to introduce our guests to national Camp 2005 - they came up with the Victorian Motorcyclists.
Pick-up point Tullamarine Airport
The request was for the transport of all the CanTeen guests from the airport on arrival in Melbourne to the North Melbourne Pool, via a scenic route over both the Westgate & Bolte Bridges to ensure that the guests get a mind blowing introduction to Melbourne and its Motorcyclists.
To stage this motorcycle ride as per the request took some organisation, assistance was forth coming from Viv Cash (V.M.M.A. Inc member and Canteen Volunteer), Viv worked closely with CanTeen ensuring that all the CanTeen registered volunteer motorcyclists were contacted by mail and personally on the telephone.
This task proved successful with over 25 Motorcyclists participating in the task of transporting 80 CanTeen guests from Tullamarine Airport to the North Melbourne Pool.
Picture tells the story, no words required. V.M.M.A. President Matt Turner with a Guest.
It was a early start 7.15 a.m. meet at the entry to Tullamarine Airport for the first flight arrival was at 7.30 a.m.
It had been organised that the pick-up point of the guests would be the Qantas Departure Area, a little confusion occurred in that the airport staff had not yet marked our defined area on our arrival, alas we arrived in the wrong spot, no worries we rode a circuit of the airport and finally stopped at the pick-up point which was the reserved area for coaches and taxis right at the front door.
The flight arrivals were over a period of 3 hours, which enable 3 circuit runs from the Airport to the North Melbourne Pool to transport the 80 guests.
Thanks to Viv Cash and Beryle Fletcher (V.M.M.A. members) and Wayne Merritt (CanTeen Co-ordinator) the co-ordination of registering both the motorcycle riders and CanTeen pillion riders ran smoothly and enabled the 3 circuit rides to run on time, for the BBQ lunch at the North Melbourne Pool was at 12.00 p.m. with a SHARP departure at 12.30 p.m. for the National CanTeen Camp 2005 participants who were off to the Grampians.
One happy CanTeen member.
It was found that some CanTeen members had arrived in Melbourne from Perth and New Zealand a day earlier and were already at the North Melbourne Pool, so another circuit ride was organised on the spot for those CanTeen members, their ride consisted of a ride over the Bolte and Westgate Bridges and back again to the Pool.
BBQ lunch at the North Melbourne Pool.
Everyone joined in for a BBQ lunch and a quick social chat prior to the coaches arriving to transport the CanTeen members off to their National Camp 2005.
CanTeen members thanked the Victorian Motorcyclists for providing the motorcycle ride from the airport via the scenic route to North Melbourne Pool and presented each of the motorcyclists with a Bandana as a token of their gratitude.
Thank you to the motorcyclist by CanTeen members.
The V.M.M.A. Inc along with other Victorian Motorcycle Groups and individuals once again have been able to provide an event for a community based organisation by working together as one.
Reported by CW.