Horizons Unlimited Australia (VIC) Travellers Meeting
Friday Oct 11 - Sunday Oct 13, 2013 - Cavendish, Victoria
It's All About Overland Adventure
Whether you're a seasoned veteran with wisdom to share or a complete novice hungry for ideas and guidance, it doesn't matter if you ride a motorcycle, a bicycle, or drive an expedition vehicle...
Horizons Unlimited meetings are for everyone who dreams of adventure along the road less travelled.
Horizons Unlimited Victoria Event Schedule
The event is taking place from Friday, Oct 11 to Sunday, Oct 13, 2013.
Friday - meet and greet.
Saturday - Presentations, demos, tech sessions, forums/discussions (to be announced). At the Football Club.
As well as hearing inspiring stories of overlanding adventure from around the world, you'll get the low-down on preparing for your journey. Whatever your past experience or future plans may be, there's something for everyone.
Saturdaynight - Social meal (at the Bunyip Hotel, short walk from the camping area). We are planning on booking the hotel out, so please indicate when booking whether you want to have a meal (it is a good quality pub meal).
Sunday - Ride-outs - 2 to pick from if weather permits.
More detailed schedule will be posted at the event.
Presenters at HU Victoria 2013 include...
 | Geoff Bransbury, Dopey old blokeChasing Serendipity, 26,000 through the Americas at 67 |
Brian and Shirley Hardy-Rix, Aussies Overland83,000 kms, 32 countries, six continents (well, the bike didn't get to Antarctica but we did)! |
LOTS of presentations to come! As people register to present we'll list them here.
How about you? We're all here to learn, and there's LOTS to learn! We want to do more presentations and seminars - but we need volunteers to give them! Any topic you can contribute having to do with motorcycle travel, maintenance, planning etc, lasting 20 minutes or more, would be great. Please contact me here to volunteer.
Here's what we had in Queensland in 2012:
- Our 500,000 km ride through 193 Countries on a Harley-Davidson ElectraGlide,
- Peter and Kay Forwood
Riding a Harley-Davidson motorcycle into every country of the world over 12 years - How this motorcycle became the World's Most Traveled Motorcycle.
- Peter and Kay Forwood
- Simon and Lisa Thomas, 2ridetheworld
- Around the world! An amazing tale, and full of fabulous photos!
- Russia and Mongolia for beginners
- Martin Williams
A compilation of the things I learnt during a 3 month trip last year - and wished I'd known before I started. Topics include:
(i) Vladivostok Customs and why it takes 4-5 days to get your bike,
(ii) Russian motor cycle clubs - and how they are your best friend.
(iii) Toilet etiquette
(iv) Buying petrol - and how to get a full tank.
(v) Road conditions.
Focus of the talk is the practicalities of the travel in Russia / Mongolia rather than the tourist information.
- Martin Williams
- Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Rideabout, places & people.
- Paul & Jan Dwyer, Globetrekkers
- How to be a chicken in Turkey...
- Helen Black
How a novice made her way around Turkey and Iran on a cheap English Dominator. - Motomonkey Adventures - A Live Interview with Danielle Murdoch,
- Danielle (currently in Africa!) will be available for a live interview about what life is like on the road after 18 months on the road. Danielle will have photos to display while people ask questions.
The Harley and Peter riding the muddy roads of the Congo.
The other half of the famous Australian motorcycle travelling couple!
Danielle Murdoch crossing the Equator near Nairobi, Kenya.
- ATW - getting into contact with local motorcycle travellers in the americas
- Frank and Simone Panthoefer
Our two years through North and South America with an extra chapter: how to get into contact with local motorcycle travellers / most-motorcycle friendly people / places!
- Frank and Simone Panthoefer
- Crossing the Australian continent via the Tropic of Capricorn on a Postie Bike
- Frank Wheeler
Double crossing of Aus riding a Postie Bike: Honda CT110!
- Frank Wheeler
- The Heroes Journey
- Marty Convey
A presentation on the philosophy, the high's and the lows, doing it for dirt cheap, forage of the free foods, motorcycle maintenance. From England to Afghanistan, the Himalayas and parts of Asia. To freely travel the vast landscapes and to see the people and cultures change as the landscape changes. Beautiful pictures and stories to tell, loads of info intact for Europe, Middle East and India.
- Marty Convey
- Keeping a travel blog that someone might like to read
- Mike and Jo Hannan, Team Elephant
Lots of folks keep a travel blog but most of them are boring even for close friends. By taking a little time and learning a few writing secrets, your blog can be nteresting to every reader. This is a "how to do it" presentation on writing a blog. The tech stuff is well taken care of these days, but if what you write is execrable not even your mother will really read it (she will probably say she does but that isn't the same).
I managed to get my blog compressed into a book and published by New Holland (The Elephant's Tale due out 1 May this year). To get this to happen took a lot of work and I learned a lot about what works and what doesn't.
- Mike and Jo Hannan, Team Elephant
- Photography for travellers
- Simon and Lisa Thomas, 2ridetheworld
You've seen their photos and they're amazing, so be sure to attend this workshop to learn how to make exciting photos that your friends will want to see!
- Simon and Lisa Thomas, 2ridetheworld
- Technology. For examples, what websites etc to refer to during your preparation, how did you keep in touch, what IT did you use on the trip, do you store your photos on Flickr, Google/Gmail, Yahoo, etc. Access to the Internet, what sort of phones: Android, Windows, iPhone etc.
- Bodging it!
- How about YOUR best bodges!?
- How about YOUR best bodges!?
- Packing Discussion
- Squeezing it all in
- Stove Cook-off
- Everyone bring your stove and lets see what works - and what doesn't!
The Pros and Cons of stoves, fuels and pots, recipes, pans etc
- Everyone bring your stove and lets see what works - and what doesn't!
- Bedding Discussion
- Discussion in the camping area
What works, cheap vs dear and which ones keep you warm and comfy!
- Discussion in the camping area
- Tent Discussion
- Discussion in the camping area
What works, cheap vs dear and which ones keep you dry and comfy!
- Discussion in the camping area
- Breakdown Diagnostics
- The bikes stopped at the side of the road. :(
Now what?
- The bikes stopped at the side of the road. :(
- For Women Only
- Panel discussion.
- Panel discussion.
- Tire Changing!
- And more how-to's of course!
- And more how-to's of course!
- Experienced Travellers Panel - ask the experts anything you want!
Horizons Unlimited Victoria 2013 Ride-outs
Sunday breakfast/ride
Must be pre-booked for catering purposes, cost $10 including breakfast.
This ride is designed for our overseas travellers who would like to see a working sheep farm and some of the local fauna and fauna in the Grampians. Total distance about 100km.
Suitable for all motorcycles, part of the ride (about 20km) will be on gravel with some packed sand, those on road motorcycles will just have to take it slowly.
The Sunday ride will start at the camp at 7.30am, leaving camp we will ride about 3km to Don and Cheryl's Shearing Shed. At the shed we will have a cooked breakfast with tea etc, Don will show you around his shed and explain why all the sheep runs are curved and the floor of the shed is sloped in places, he will also shear a sheep.
After breakfast we will ride across the farm and look at wheat crops and more sheep. We will then take some back roads and ride up through Victoria Valley into the Grampians for morning tea. Some parts of the ride will be through areas that were burnt out in February this year, we will look at how the Aussie bush recovers from bush fires. The ride at this time of the year (October) normally will be very spectacular with many wildflowers out, and not too many wallabies/kangaroos hopefully.
NOTE: We will also provide information so that people can do their own rides before and after the event.
Facilities for a Fantastic Weekend!
The event is taking place at the Cavendish Recreation Reserve in Cavendish, Victoria.
Camping
The camping area is a very large public camping ground with a limited number of powered sites. As you enter the camping area it is fairly level with the powered sites nearby. You can camp here or you can go over the cattle/sheep crossing and down the hill to a very picturesque area on the Wannon River and camp near the river (you may need mosquito nets).
The showers/toilets are at the top near the Cavendish Football Club rooms which we will be using for the presentations, etc. Note - the mens shower/change room does not have individual cubicles.
There is also a camp kitchen consisting of a covered area with a bbq and dish washing facilities.
Camping fees ARE NOT included in your registration fee. Please pay the caretaker on arrival (currently $6 per person per night).
Per the Cavendish town website, the campground at Cavendish Recreation Reserve:
- On the bank of the Wannon River
- Powered Sites
- Camp Kitchen
- Hot Showers
- Tennis Court
- Children's Playground
- Fishing
- Pets Welcome
- Groups Welcome
All money raised at the camp ground goes back into community facilities.
Food
Local service clubs and associations will cater at the Football Club rooms from Friday morning to Sunday midday; they will provide breakfast, lunch and tea and other light refreshments.
Friday night is self catering.
Saturday night will be a Social meal (at the Bunyip Hotel, short walk from the camping area). We are planning on booking the hotel out for the meal, so please indicate when booking whether you want to have a meal (it is a good quality pub meal and very good value).
On Sunday morning a local farmer has volunteered to run a ride/tour through his property and this will cater for all bikes. A hearty breakfast will be included and the total cost $10.00.