Author Topic: 2019 Clarence Town Swim-In & Rally  (Read 3468 times)

Offline Craig Olsen

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 15
  • THANKS 3
  • Location: Newcastle
2019 Clarence Town Swim-In & Rally
« on: September 10, 2019, 05:54:15 PM »
Hi,  The 4th Clarence Town Swim In & Rally is on between 31 October - 3 November.  The caravan park is re-opened and business as usual.  If you wish to go, I encourage you to book as the park is now half booked.  Friday has a scenic run to Lostock Dam.   Saturday, we have the town parade.  After that there is a run through the local forest.  From 2pm Saturday, there are water activities at the caravan park.  Sunday is a local car show at the Bowling Club - where military vehicles are welcome. We have arranged a Texas BBQ night Saturday after last year's successful feed at $25 per head. As we need to know numbers, we need payment by lunchtime on the Friday.  The caravan park number is. 0249 96 4231.  A fresh young team at the park have replaced the wicked witch of the north.
The weekend after Clarence Town is the Greta show - which should be a not miss.
Craig.

Offline brettwild

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 112
  • THANKS 2
  • aaaaa
  • Location: Hunter Valley
Re: 2019 Clarence Town Swim-In & Rally
« Reply #1 on: October 06, 2019, 05:56:47 PM »
Hi to Craig and all the team,

Great job on the work to bring Clarence Town Swim-in together, we should all show our support - these events are important to keep Australian Military History alive and well, an opportunity to catch up with old friends.

Without the dedication of the team of volunteers its hard and a challenge to put such events on - but from experience it all comes together on the day - and is worth the effort.

GREAT JOB, also we are fortunate to also have the 80th Anniversary of Greta Army Camp on the 9-10 November 2019, a great programme of Hunter and beyond events
Hope to see you all at both.
Regards
Brett Wild
Greta Army Camp Celebrations - www.gretaarmycamp.com.au

Offline dugite

  • REMLR Committee
  • Veteran
  • ***
  • Posts: 1083
  • THANKS 103
  • Location: Tamworth
  • REMLR No: 374
Re: 2019 Clarence Town Swim-In & Rally
« Reply #2 on: October 06, 2019, 07:12:43 PM »
Hi Brett,

do people bringing military vehicles have to pay at the Greta event?

thanks - L
2a 109 114-341,
No.5 173-589,
W/S Platform 178-000,
PT1 204-796

Offline DennisM

  • Veteran
  • ******
  • Posts: 1036
  • THANKS 256
  • Location: Hunter Valley
  • REMLR No: 70
Re: 2019 Clarence Town Swim-In & Rally
« Reply #3 on: October 10, 2019, 03:11:52 PM »
I don't think there is any fees for exhibitors at Greta Laurie cheers dennis

Offline brettwild

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 112
  • THANKS 2
  • aaaaa
  • Location: Hunter Valley
Re: 2019 Clarence Town Swim-In & Rally
« Reply #4 on: October 26, 2019, 01:37:10 PM »
Hi All,
No cost associated with displaying at Greta

Regards
Brett

Offline Carzee

  • REMLR Committee
  • Veteran
  • ***
  • Posts: 3449
  • THANKS 164
  • Perentie FFR 50-257
    • Perentie Wiki
  • Location: Canberra
  • REMLR No: 007
Re: 2019 Clarence Town Swim-In & Rally
« Reply #5 on: November 04, 2019, 10:08:46 AM »
How was the swim-in event? Any reports?

Offline Hot Rover

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 398
  • THANKS 98
  • Location: Toowoomba Qld
  • REMLR No: 319
Re: 2019 Clarence Town Swim-In & Rally
« Reply #6 on: November 04, 2019, 02:58:21 PM »
Wet in the river, very hot on land
Cheers
Rod
108-545 1963 Series 2A FFW
51-441 1991 Perentie GS (RamRod)
Series 2 Safari (Matchbox)
173-621 1/2 Ton Trailer, Aust No5

Offline DennisM

  • Veteran
  • ******
  • Posts: 1036
  • THANKS 256
  • Location: Hunter Valley
  • REMLR No: 70
Re: 2019 Clarence Town Swim-In & Rally
« Reply #7 on: November 05, 2019, 12:12:59 PM »
G'day All,
Well we made it through the 2 day event with just a few drama's LOL well the club's motto is "what could go seriously wrong".
Through the week I had bought 100 litres of fuel (petrol 91) for use in the 3 petrol powered S2A's that were going to the event, the other Land Rover (1988 110 FFR Isuzu diesel)everything was in place for 2 Land Rovers to make the 40 mile trip to Clarence town, meet n greet friends etc, then at 0930hrs the convoy was formed up to go on the run to the Lostock dam some 90k's away, the temp was climbing it was in the low 30's and quite warm in the 'sports car' aka Gunbuggy shown here being driven by my son Kyle

the convoy left on time and we motored along the back roads at around 35/40mph mark,

I got sunburn on my legs and ears LOL (ouch), we did get held up a few times to allow the stragglers to catch up in Gresford, note it's a bustling metropolis LOL, if we were not there nobody would have been outside LOL

we continued along a little slower now as we were on really narrow roads and some with bridge repairs happening, we caught the crew at this worksite by surprise, they had never seen so many ex mil machines

the Studebaker was having a fuel issue and needed to be pushed up the next big hill, it was pushed by a 100" Chev Blitz

and my wife Dianne with our toy poodle as a passenger in the 110

we rolled along until the dam came in sight, where they formed up for a photo shoot

and another angle with all on the bridge, if you look closely I'm on the wall with a white dot that is our toy poodle (roughly middle of the image)

this was where my trouble started "what could go wrong" LOL, well my son had been driving it was hot 36c, and on trying to restart the engine, I wasn't paying attention and he flooded it, that combined with ?? possible fuel vaporisation, we swapped places quickly but it was too late he had flooded it, how embarrassing we had tried to push start it to no avail so it was towed off the bridge, even towing it with another vehicle made little difference,

at least I was towed by another gunbuggy LOL n not a jeep that would have been a bitter pill, anyway it was eventually towed to the area where the BBQ was well n truly underway, after parking the vehicle in the shade with the bonnet up and approx. 90 minutes had passed, I decided that instead of driving back to C/town (as I had intended to leave it over night and come back Saturday morning with 3 others) anyway I decided best it went home just in case.
It fired up but was running rough n rich, we headed home some 95k's away, it was basically uneventful except for the traffic etc around Maitland, we had used 11 gallons of fuel for just over 120k's  that was bad++, it was parked in the back shed.
Saturday morning dawned, my eldest daughter Fiona arrived overnight from Sydney, we set off for C/town at 0715hrs, here's Fiona driving the M/P vehicle

and Kyle driving 112-501, with the good wife following in the 110

the parade kicked off @ 0900hrs, we had a fly past of 5 Tiger Moth aircraft, sorry about the poor image but there are 5 planes in it LOL


all up there were 72 vehicles, this is only the 4th time the event has been staged so that's not a bad effort from all involved, there was a real mixture of vehicles from a Stuart tank

to a Saracen, the owner had a long beard and he looked like Donald S aka 'Oddball' LOL

to a GMC DUKW along with 5 amphib/jeeps

quite a few Land Rovers my 2 closest to camera


our 110

and on the streets low flying LOL a Carrier

the DUKW and her ducklings on the water

I think that here in Oz there is nothing so more beautiful than 2 88" GS standing next to each other LOL


we headed home around 1400hrs as I wanted to make a start on finding the issues with the gunbuggy.
Sunday morning dawned to be another warm day, but I was able to work in the shade of the shed, I got the good wife to help me off with bonnet, then I started the engine just to fill the carby with fuel as I needed to know whether the float level was too high

I didn't think that the float level was high so I removed the carby from the manifold and stripped it down checking things as I went, I used the freeze spray to remove this item as I thought the ball may have been stuck but if it was it wasn't after being sprayed LOL

anyway after a good blow out with comp/air I re-assembled it put it back on the manifold and primed the system and it fired up, I suppose the best test is a drive, so that will happen soon as I now have to prep vehicles for the next event at Greta NSW next weekend 9/10 Nov, LOL wish me luck 'what could seriously go wrong' cheers Dennis ps my wife told me that I needed to resit my drivers license as I wasn't signalling my intentions to turn, well it turns out that the blinker switch (tecmaglite) was faulty, so after pulling both lenses n globes out etc etc, I removed the dash and other items, took the switch to pieces sprayed it with 5-56 (as I had nothing else LOL) allowed it to dry, and just using the switch still dismantled re-connected it electrically and bingo they all worked like they should, so it was re-assembled and re-installed, and I cancelled my driving test LOL
« Last Edit: November 05, 2019, 06:34:23 PM by DennisM »

Offline Carzee

  • REMLR Committee
  • Veteran
  • ***
  • Posts: 3449
  • THANKS 164
  • Perentie FFR 50-257
    • Perentie Wiki
  • Location: Canberra
  • REMLR No: 007
Re: 2019 Clarence Town Swim-In & Rally
« Reply #8 on: November 05, 2019, 05:39:39 PM »
Well, what a great report! Top photos and I reckon it makes everybody wish they had been there.
Thx Dennis.
ps i like the idea of the seeps being called ducklings ;)

Offline THE BOOGER

  • Administrator
  • Veteran
  • *****
  • Posts: 1516
  • THANKS 148
  • Location: wetherill park, sydney
  • REMLR No: 282
Re: 2019 Clarence Town Swim-In & Rally
« Reply #9 on: November 05, 2019, 11:02:55 PM »
Great report .  See you at Greta next week 🙂
s111 GS, no 5, xt600 & Ferret mk2
Geoff C

Offline STDDIVER

  • REMLR Inc
  • Hero Member
  • *
  • Posts: 567
  • THANKS 65
  • Location: Portland Vic
  • REMLR No: 482
Re: 2019 Clarence Town Swim-In & Rally
« Reply #10 on: November 06, 2019, 01:54:11 PM »
Great read Dennis - Thanks lots!   Frank

Offline numpty

  • REMLR Committee
  • Jr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 59
  • THANKS 16
  • Location: Tamworth
  • REMLR No: 143
Re: 2019 Clarence Town Swim-In & Rally
« Reply #11 on: November 09, 2019, 04:19:34 PM »
Thanks for the report Dennis.

And yes, the only thing better than 2 88" GS's together is them framing a Gunbuggy. (I haven't downloaded my pics so I can't put one up)


Offline GGG

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 243
  • THANKS 33
  • Location: Sydney
  • REMLR No: 428
Re: 2019 Clarence Town Swim-In & Rally
« Reply #12 on: November 09, 2019, 08:09:22 PM »
Dennis, I don't mean to be rude but have you ever had any er, uncharitable comments about the MP vehicle? As a Service Corps driver I had some contact with the Provos but they were at worst only an inconvenience to me. I can imagine however that there would be some old diggers out there who might not be so enamoured to them for various reasons as conversations with could sometimes be "Robust" shall we say..
Geoff O.

Offline DennisM

  • Veteran
  • ******
  • Posts: 1036
  • THANKS 256
  • Location: Hunter Valley
  • REMLR No: 70
Re: 2019 Clarence Town Swim-In & Rally
« Reply #13 on: November 11, 2019, 03:55:23 PM »
LOL mate in a word "NO" I have had quite a few ex servicemen wanting to pose with it, a few had mentioned how lucky they were to have dodged them, I did meet at Cessnock Air show 2019 a ex Provo British army & Aust/army he was like a dog with 2 tails LOL, and in the past I have met serving Provo's but I have never had any really derogatory comments aimed at me or the vehicle cheers Dennis

Offline GGG

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 243
  • THANKS 33
  • Location: Sydney
  • REMLR No: 428
Re: 2019 Clarence Town Swim-In & Rally
« Reply #14 on: November 13, 2019, 07:44:12 PM »
Thanks Dennis I was curious. The Vietnam era is a long time ago and maybe they have been easier to get on with in recent years. Early in my apprenticeship I worked with a tradesman who claimed to have been in the Provos. When he made that announcement in the fitters shop at one of one of our customers premises I thought that it was going to get ugly. It would appear that one of the fitters had tangled with the British red caps on more than one occasion although from his attitude he probably deserved what he got.
I have a couple of funny stories about them but some other time.
By the way your collection looks pretty impressive.
Geoff O.