2024 - National Rally - Mansfield - Shakedown

[Williamson]

Here's your opportunity to provide some feedback re. the 2024 National Rally at Mansfield.

Nominate what you thought was good or not-so-good, and what could be done better, so that us VIC's can provide an even better 2034 (or whenever) NatRally, and of course so that the 2025 NatRally SEQ organisers can consider including in their arrangements.   I'll start with:

Good

  *  Venue - Mansfield was an excellent choice.
       #  Caravan park walking distance to dinner venue, cafes, shops.  From what I recall, this was like Mannum, Wooli, but unlike Ballarat, Mudgee, Toowoomba.
       #  Excellent ride opportunities

   *  Meet & Greet tucker
      #   Homemade sausage rolls were a hit, as was the mini turkey & cranberry quiches.
      #   Somosas - I liked 'em, as did many others but apparently there were some softies who thought they were a bit spicey.
      #   Sausage sizzle - also a hit.
      #   The mini lemon & cream and choccy tarts were a hit - at least I think Johnny enjoyed 'em.

   *  Awards - special gifts made this a little more special.

   *  Coffee mugs & stubby holders - both were a hit.

   *  Guest speaker, informative, interesting and most of all, personal experiences of OzSTOC members, and we saved some $$.

Not-so-good

   *  Communication - trying to get advice, reminders, replies from a many was difficult to the spread of accommodation locations. 

   *  Group pic location - poor choice - mea culpa.

What could be done better

   *  Comms - I have some ideas.  What's yours?

   *  Group pic location - d'oh!

Okay, when you're replying, please preface your advice, comment, suggestion with the appropriate heading.

[Biggles]

Yeah- I wasn't there in time or I would have told you the sun was in the wrong place for the group photo, for starters.

The group I do most of my riding with use the Whatsapp system.  We have a regular one for daily comms, and for special events we set up one for the duration of the event.  It works perfectly (if everyone checks it for updates, or has notifications set).

On the plus side, the venue and accommodation was very good.  The dinner location and service was great. The mugs and coolers were an excellent provision.  The weather was very well chosen.     Well seriously- it's not that easy to get that many days in a row that good in Victoria, eh?

[Cerebral Knievel]

The only negatives for me were my choice of ordered pub meal and the atrocious cabin bedding.

As far as the group photo goes - not ideal but finding another suitable location in a busy town on a busy weekend then playing herd the cats to that location would present another myriad of problems.

Perhaps a simple whiteboard with information in a central location could be an elegant low tech solution to the communication problem.

As stated in another thread i thought everything else was just fabulous.   

[Williamson]

.... Perhaps a simple whiteboard with information in a central location could be an elegant low tech solution to the communication problem....

Yes, keep it simple is often the best way, although with a whiteboard, (for some) a message would need to be sent to read the whiteboard.

Something in between a Whatsapp type system and a whiteboard could be for the 2025 NatRally committee to consider though.

More responses welcomed.

[StinkyPete]

Thanks to the Vic team for hosting a great NatRally, and for turning on some perfect weather.

Positives:   Mansfield was a great spot, with all necessary services close by
                 Caravan Park was well suited to our needs, with lots of cabins and van spaces, and a big Camp Kitchen
                 The Sausage Sizzle for the Meet and Greet was a brilliant idea, and we will probably adopt that next time SA hosts a NatRally
                 No formal ride, but having ride suggstions was a positive.  I think we are over the big formal rides, with the empahsis now on social activities.
                 Chippy's presentation was superb
                 Pizza for the "Stragglers Dinner" was a good option, but will always be dependant upon what's available in the host town.
                 Although it was not needed this time, we could add $10 to the Registration Fee to cover Pizza for Sunday night


Could be Better:    The group photo has already been mentioned
                            A morning briefing at 0900 on Saturday and Sunday may have been valuable, just to keep participants informed and reminded of what was happening
                            The Buy-Swap-Sell got a bit lost, and was not mentioned at all.   However a couple opf sales did take place.
                            Chris and I would have prefered "T" Shirts, but "T" Shirts vs Polo Shirts will always be a discussion point, simply because different folks have different preferences.

We are eagerly looking forward to SEQ in March next year and are already looking at maps and planning our adventure.

[Williamson]

Pete, nicely put and under my suggested / requested headings - me likey!

[ST2UP]

Thanks for the feedback thus far, good learning outcomes……keep them coming please 


 

[ruSTynutz]

Not-so-good
   *   Group pic location - poor choice - mea culpa.

In my opinion it wasn't so much the location but more the time of the photo shoot...
If we'd done the group photo in the morning I think the location would have been fine. 

[ruSTynutz]

Good

I would like to say a HUGE THANKYOU to our wonderful & generous members that donated
all the food & the extra prizes which contributed to making the 2024 NatRally a great success!

                       

[STroppy]

A great  at Rally - thanks to Michael and Crew for a job well done and a most enjoyable weekend!

Like Biggles, I am a member of a number of groups who use WhatsApp. Fully encrypted and secure and we creat a separate chat for each event - it works well.

[Jdbiker]

Good: The Best Non ST award was a good idea,  and as more and more members opt for other makes and models with the non availability of new Honda ST’s I hope this award is continued in future National Rallies.

[Williamson]

Good

    *  Meet & Greet tucker
      #   Homemade sausage rolls were a hit, as was the mini turkey & cranberry quiches.
      #   Somosas - I liked 'em, as did many others but apparently there were some softies who thought they were a bit spicey.
      #   Sausage sizzle - also a hit.
      #   The mini lemon & cream and choccy tarts were a hit - at least I think Johnny enjoyed 'em.

   *  Awards - special gifts made this a little more special.

Re. the Meet & Greet tucker, this was all provided by the Catering Committee made principally of the ladies, wives, partners of VIC members, and some members.  So, a very BIG thankyou to those involved in the purchasing (at no cost to OzSTOC), preparation, presentation, etc. of the tucker.

 

Another Good

As these costs were all born by the VIC OzSTOC Catering Committee, there was no drain on the budget allocated by Head Office, and this meant that the Sunday evening pizzas could be provided to all who attended, free of charge.

Whilst I'm on the thankyou path, another very BIG thankyou is due.  This is to the VIC anonymous (by their choice) members who put their hands deeply into their pockets to purchase the tool sets that went with each of the award.

 

 

[Bodø]

Good:
Like others have said coffee mugs and stubbie holders were a good idea, as was the more social aspect of it and various options as opposed to a big group ride.  Member of the year was a brilliant choice.  I certainly couldn't think of a more worthy recipient outsides those who have already received it in the past.


Could be better:
Not a fan of the 'home to venue' used as the method of choosing the furthest travelled and would rather see the award go to the person who actually rides the furthest.  Home to venue alienates over 90% without a key being turned.


Bad:
Nothing big comes to mind but twelve months notice of date would have been nice.  Annual leave at work was already booked out by the time it was announced and I was fortunate to fluke two days.


That said, bring on Queensland.

[ruSTynutz]

Bad:
Nothing big comes to mind but twelve months notice of date would have been nice.  Annual leave at work was already booked out by the time it was announced and I was fortunate to fluke two days.

That was unfortunate but as we wanted to return the NatRally to a more traditional time of the year we basically had to choose to have a six-month turnaround or forego the Rally until 2025. 

[Bodø]

That didn't prevent announcing a date this time last year.

[Williamson]

That didn't prevent announcing a date this time last year.

Hmmm.... not sure what you mean, the 2024 NatRally was not announced until Jul 2023.

This is how it panned out - at the end of May 2023, a proposal was put (by Victoria) to Head Office to hold the 2024 NatRally.  The go ahead was provided in Jun 2023, then there was a lot of behind the scenes work (to ensure Victoria could tick all of the boxes), then the dates and location were announced to all members in July 2023 - about 9 months notice.

Putting it off to later (to provide more notice) had problems, there was a hold on the High Country Holiday Park cabins and sites for this current weekend, then Easter and Victorian school holidays (probably other state and territories too), then there's a long, long weekend (heavy bookings at HCHP) after ANZAC Day, which all leads us to May - already usually cold and unfavourable weather, even worse Jun to Sep.

Further delay to after winter would not align with a Head Office request to move the NatRally back to March, as that period seems to gain more traction with members than Oct / Nov.

[Bodø]

That didn't prevent announcing a date this time last year.

Hmmm.... not sure what you mean

I don't think what I said was that complexed.  If the powers that be wanted to hold it in march a date should have been chosen by march of the previous year.

[Biggles]

The certificate for my ride to Mansfield via Echuca arrived today.

[Brock]

Well done Biggles

[ruSTynutz]

I'll second that!