2011 Australian Van Nationals

[agr071]

I was a "PUPPY" vanner in 2009 at Geelong.
I admit the public day was a very quiet day indeed BUT as i was there for 4 days i had a ball.
Wandered around to camp fires all weekend and ALWAYS found someone to talk to.Never a dull moment in my opinion.I was never refused a spot at anyone's campfire.Kids had entertainment as well and there was a cruise on the saturday.It went to a theme park.We cruised with over 100 vans and then on the way back i got my van's picture taken for Street Machine. :D
You are part of a family event and even though it's still a hike down to Phillip Island, my family will be there in 2011 in the HZ.

Just remember it's only what you make it.

[Gaddy]

Nice one M8!! Maybe it will be different if Im there in a van!!
Might just see you there!!

[Mazdragon]

Hi, thanks for the feedback peoples. Yes the island is a little further away, even for some Melbournites, maybe it has something to do with crossing a bridge... but that's what they're there for, to get over it (LOL). Anyhow, yes the event is actually a 3 day event, officially starts on the Friday and everyone packs up on the Monday. Some people have taken to arriving earlier and departing later, depending on the venue where it is held this is usually not an issue, people make a holiday out of it. Yes, it was a bugger last year with the accident on the bridge... that, my dears p*ssd a lot of people off. We got stuck at the pub for 4 hours! The Sunday is always public day - show'n'shine where the entrants get judged (if you mark yourself down for judging). It was a huge success this year and we're hoping to repeat the success again next year. Having said that, if entrants don't come forward like they did last year, it will be a strictly budget event again. We simply don't have the finances to purchase heaps of merchandise to sell, unfortunately without the money, we can't make the money to put back into the show. Yes, last year was a success, mainly in numbers through the gate, but there are also the bills to pay for the privalege.
The year after may have a number of different options, we hearing rumours in regards to W.A. I myself would love to go there, it's even further than Phillip Island... I also did a presentation this year to go to Benalla, I came a close second in the votes. If, and only IF, we get the support again this year and the promise is there for the year after, will I consider presenting again for Benalla. So, it's up to the vanning community to make it happen. The public have this thing about panel vans, the mystique of what happens in the back of them for starters (though for some of us it's not a mystery!LOL) We would love for you all to come, come for the weekend and camp with us. Everyone is welcome, I remember my first Nationals many moons ago, and yes, you are welcome to rock up to anyone's campsite/firebin and chat away with drink in hand. You'll get heaps of ideas, info on how to modify your van, just when you think you've finished!
Ok, i've waffled enuf now..... hope to see you all there.
Maz

[HZSandman]

I went to the Geelong event in 2009 with my wife and had a good few days down there.

This year I went down on my own just for the Friday and Saturday. My wife had a gig on Saturday night so I came back to Melb for that. Being Easter I got stuck in the traffic getting on to the island. It was bumper to bumper from the round-a-bout to the bridge (15km or so) at about 2pm. Annoying but that's traffic at Easter.

I had a fantastic time and a few drinks on the Friday night with the Diamond Valley Van club guys which I am a member of. Bloody cold though with no fires, but nothing a blanket did not fix.

One thing that frustrated me was the cruise on the Saturday. Instead of heading into town and around the island it was decided to head off the island to an out of the way pub for lunch.

I would really like to take our van out to where the people are. Let them have a look at it and generate interest in vans in general. Heading into Cowes and around the island a bit would have been ideal. A lot of other car clubs have days where their vehicles are on display in public open spaces where there are already people out and about.

Eg. when the van Nats were in Geelong, other car clubs had their cars on display at the Geelong foreshore car park. Plenty of people in the area that could have a look. These are the people that would not go out of their way to see a car show but stumble on it and really enjoy the show.

At the January hot rod show at Phillip island cars take over the foreshore car park in Cowes and cruise up and down the main street all afternoon. It's great to just sit outside at one of the cafes with a cold one and watch all the cars cruising.

I understand that money needs to be made to pay for the event and that is why the public day has an entry fee but I for one would like to see the camping side of things separate from the show day.

Having people have to know the show is on, find it in an out of the way place, make a special trip to get to it and then pay entry as well, really limits the exposure.

Parking in the foreshore car park, cruising up and down the main street of Cowes - now that is my idea of cruising.

I will head down again this year but I am cruising in Cowes, be it the legit cruise or not.

[hjsandman]

I also went to Phillip Island on the Sunday for the show & shine with my son Todd.

We found the day very disapointing in several ways, the location is not great for attracting people to check out the vans. could'nt buy food or drink after about 1 pm and at the conclusion of the show and shine it was announced that prize winners would be handed out till around 7.30 that night. If you are going to attract people to a show and shine you would at least award prizes on the day. It only seemed to be catered for the campers and not the show and shine event.

The Monaro nationals were held in Ballarat in 2008 and attracted thousands of people on the Saturday, and had over 400 cars. Regional citys in Victoria would jump at the opertunity to attract such events to their towns.
The Majority of Victoria's population is central and west but they insist on having it in the east of the state.If it was held in an town instead of the back blocks it would attract more people.
I know of many people whom went on the Sunday to veiw the vans whom also thought the location was crap and lack of numbers of vans to look at compered with Geelong the year before and wont come back next year to that location.:cry:

[Gaddy]

Too true M8!!
I remember your van there. I think i heard you having a convo with some one about that night being the first time you and your young bloke would sleep in the van!! We tried to get in Sat to see the vans but a well worded sign out the front of the event made it clear that the show for the public was Sunday not Saturday!! When we got back sunday , as I said earlier, there were many vans not there.
I also agree that a cruise around Cowes and the Island would be essential to attract more public attention, especially if you are relying on the gate takings to pay your costs!!
All credit too the organisers as Im sure it takes alot of forward planning, but I also hope that all the feedback on here helps with future events!!

[Mazdragon]

Thanks for more feedback guys. Intially the cruise was to go through Cowes, however, we'd been down earlier in town and the traffic was chaos, there was a market on and a number of other things as well. Yes, totally agree, it would be fantastic to do the cruise through Cowes, but we would have added our 50 & more odd vehicles to the chaos. Parking on the foreshore etc? Have you ever tried to park a large number of vehicles in the middle of Cowes? We'd like to do that, but the space just simply isn't there. We'll look into doing something, but there's no guarantee, ok? As to advertising, myself and 5 others were down about a month prior to hand out flyers - we walked Cowes, Rhyll, Newhaven, Sanremo, Wonthaggi and various other towns handing out flyers to shops and the like. The council would not let us provide info any earlier at their offices due to other festivals etc on prior to easter. We did also advertise in the local paper, local radio stations and they in turn put an ad on local tv stations. I myself did the Dicko & Dave advertising agency thingy on the radio (yes live Melbourne radio). So advertising wasn't an issue. In regards to food at the venue - we were let down by the caterers who at the last minute decided they would not do lunches. Yeah, great! how do you think we felt? Anyhow, we tried our best and bought sausages, bread, drinks etc. Not realising the influx of the crowds, we sold out a lot faster than expected. We went and bought more and sold out of that as well - the effort was certainly made to try to cater, but keep in mind - we weren't catering in the first place, that was supposed to have been done for us. Next year, we're planning ahead and definitely doing it ourselves and not relying on others, so there'll be heaps of food and drink. In regards to location? Let's see, where do we start? Albury/Wodonga (a fair few years), Pambula (2x), Maryborough, Naracoorte, Nabiac (NSW), Gympie (QLd), Port Augusta (SA)... and probably a fair few others as well. The Australian Van Nationals are held whereever there is someone willing to put in the effort at their choice of location. Vanners are welcome to put forward a presentation at the Nationals so everyone can vote.
Also, this year, the aim is to get some other clubs to come along for display day as well. We're in touch with a number of other clubs and will try to get them to come along for the day - you are all welcome to join the force and get others there as well. The more the better for us. I remember the days when SSM's used to join in as well and we had huge shows - unfortunately, times change, people grow up & change their priorities.
We'd really like to make this work again and make it better and bigger - there's a few of us who'd love to see the days of huge shows return. Let's make it happen, take the bad with the good, sure not everything always goes the way you want it to. If you as an entrant are annoyed with something - how do you think the organisers feel if something goes wrong? Why not help out instead? Don't ask what can your vanning organiser do for you? or what r u gonna get out of it? ask yourself what you can do for vanning in Australia and do it.
Ok, enuf from me again...
(PS: just read what i've written, yes i'm gonna leave it like it is even though it sounds i'm recruiting LOL)

[agr071]

Was it possible at all to get on the race track for a "GENTLE" cruise, MAZ?

[Mazdragon]

Was it possible at all to get on the race track for a "GENTLE" cruise, MAZ?

no, it wasn't unfortunately......

[hux454]

G'day Maz,
Went to the Van Nats couple of years ago when it was in Mt Gambier. Live in Wodonga so the missus & I cruised down the Hume to Anglesea then along the Great Ocean Road to Mt Gambier for the Nats then back again. Was a 2,000km road trip & had a ball.
Just a thought, most vanners seem to be in the NSW/VIC region. Maybe having it in some central location to these 2 states would maximise participation (Woolongong, Wangaratta, Albury/Wodonga) etc. By having it way down south at Philip Island could deter potential entrants (like me for instance) having to travel so far.
Somewhere in central Vic or NSW might be the go. Don't think I'm trying to tell you how to your job. I think you & your organisers do a great job. Just a positive comment for future events.

Cheers,
Glenn.