1/2015 mx5vic.org.au The monThly magazine of The mazda mX-5 Club of Victoria & Tasmania Zoom-zooming into a new year! In this edition: Christmas in the Chapters The long drive: Australia, toe to tip Find us at: mx5vic.org.au MX-5 Club of Victoria Print Post Publication: 100018450 13 1/2015 contents Your Committee: 2014-2015 President > Don Nicoll | (03) 9437 2787 (ah) Regulars e: [email protected] Vice President / Communications > Murray Finlay | 0416 247 677 4 President’s page: Don’s Drive(l) 5 scene about e: [email protected] secretary / Public officer 6 membership 20 Track Torque > Peter Dannock | 0408 522 093 (ah) e: [email protected] Treasurer 7 mX-5 Club grill ... meet Karen Bradshaw, Western Victoria > Dave Collins | (03) 9755 2167 (ah) e: [email protected] 8 The long drive ... Australia, toe to tip and back Club Captain – motor sport > Tim Emery | 0424 091 167 (ah) 22 favourite road ... Myrtleford-Stanley-Beechworth e: [email protected] assistant Club Captain – motor sport > Randy Stagno Navarra | 0409 210 872 22 mazda6 ... production reaches 3 million units e: [email protected] Club Captain – social > Cary Warren | 0418 368 246 (ah) Chapter chatter e: [email protected] assistant Club Captain – social 10 northern Tasmania: a northern Tassie Christmas > Alex Hailstone | 0414 155 383 e: [email protected] 12 north-eastern Victoria: Christmas in Whitfield social media > Ben Sale | 0434 906 673 (ah) e: [email protected] 14 Central: annual CFA run membership > Will Campbell | (03) 5261 4816 (ah) 16 Western Victoria: Christmas in the West e: [email protected] merchandise > Bruce Gray | 0478 219 856 (ah) 18 southern Tasmania: merry Christmas in Hobart e: [email protected] Points Motor Sport > Coral Campbell | (03) 5261 4816 (ah) e: [email protected] ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 21 City mazda sprint Championship – rd 6 … Broadford Chapter Captain - Central > Geoff Roche | 0409 039 867 (ah) Cover Small cars among the tall trees on the Find us at: e: [email protected] mX-5 Club of Chapter Captain - eastern Victoria image: annual CFA run. Photo: Bronwyn Roche Victoria > TBA | e: [email protected] Chapter Captain - north-eastern Victoria mxtra is the monthly newsletter of the Mazda MX-5 Club of Victoria & Tasmania Inc (#A0021659A). > Ron Gillick | (02) 6033 0253 (ah) PO Box 7438, Beaumaris VIC 3193. Registered for Print Post: 100018450 e: [email protected] All contributions are welcome: please send articles and photos to the editor, murray finlay: Chapter Captain - Western Victoria • e-mail: [email protected] > Ian Bradshaw | 0407 556 135 • post: mxtra, Mazda MX-5 Club of Victoria & Tasmania, PO Box 7438, Beaumaris VIC 3193 e: [email protected] Photos supplied for mxtra will also be uploaded to the Club’s online gallery. Copyright will remain with the Chapter Captain - northern Tasmania photographer, and the Club undertakes not to use them for any other purpose without express permission. > Bruce Harvey | 0438 562 224 (ah) DISCLAIMER The Mazda MX-5 Club of Victoria & Tasmania Inc., its Officers and Committee cannot be held liable for e: [email protected] any errors and/or omissions in articles, reports, notices, advertisements, comment and advice of events Chapter Captain - southern Tasmania that are published in mxtra in good faith. It should be noted that the publication of an advertisement, > John Waldock | 0409 658 716 (ah) or expression of views in articles and reports, does not necessarily imply endorsement by the Club of the advertised product or service or the views expressed in any articles or reports published in mxtra. e: [email protected] 3 Don’s Drive(l) ... ■ don nicoll – President [email protected] Welcome to 2015, a special year for our opposite direction, running out of road Club. and deciding to use the passenger side of on 6 may it will be 25 years since 130- my car (ie, the “drop” side of the road) plus MX-5s gathered at the Old Cheese to avoid a head-on collision. No damage Factory in Berwick at the invitation of was done, words were exchanged but For your diary … Mazda Australia. The Club was born I was left with the distinct impression at this meeting and became formally that I had no right to be using the road See the full calendar for details incorporated in August. We plan to at that time of the morning. celebrate both events during the year. Those of you who use Beach Road at Stay tuned for more information. the weekend will be very familiar with January The 2015 calendar, which all members the challenges of sharing the road 18 Western:Car&BikeShow should have received by now, has been with cyclists. Having raced a bike in 18 NTas:Post-Christmasblowout something of a hit judging by the my youth, I have no particular issue around this sharing, but we may well positive responses we have received. It 18 STas:Twilightrun was originally conceived as one way we be approaching the time when we could mark the Club’s 25th anniversary. need to take a hint from the French. 24-25NEVic:AustraliaDayweekend There are roads in Paris and several However there have been many strong 25 Western:AustraliaDayrun suggestions that we repeat the idea of the major French cities which are closed to vehicles early morning for 2016. Something for the January 31 Sprints2014-15Rd7:PhillipIsland Committee meeting. over the weekends, giving cyclists the chance of a car-free experience. i trust you all survived the Christmas and I read somewhere that this is being February New Year festivities without too much considered for Beach Road. May be 8 NEVic:MittaMittarun damage to the wallet, purse or liver. And, there is a case for something similar on hopefully, nobody suffered the indignity the St Andrews-Kinglake road. Knowing 14 Central:TwoSpursrun(joint) of a bulging disc in the lower back as the way Nillumbik Council works, I 14 Western:TwoSpursrun(joint) did “she who must be obeyed”. New Year won’t be holding my breath as they are was very flat, literally for Linda. However just as likely to put up 30kmh speed 14 Sprints2014-15Rd8:Sandown things are on the improve and decent restrictions to solve the problem, which food may be on the plate soon. will not please anybody – drivers and 15 NTas:Roger'sRoamingRamble The Club run to the strath Creek and cyclists alike. 28 NTas:CranbournAirfieldFly-in reedy Creek CFA attracted a group of There must be something about 19 cars as you will read in Alan Bennet’s accepting the El Presidente role in this March report. Thanks to the Club’s cheque for Club, as a quick check of the foregoing 6-9 SouthAustralia/Vic-Tasbiennial $250 and the amazing generosity of paragraphs would suggest that I seem run participants (including one couple to be getting grumpier. I was looking weekend,RobeSA who were unable to attend), we raised in back copies of this magazine for a total of $473 for the brigade which, inspiration for my monthly rant and, 7-8 NEVic:SnowyMountainsrun as always, was very much appreciated. to my surprise, found that Murray was 8 NTas:Drivertraining,Baskerville From the brigade’s viewpoint our run also wont to “have a go”. Maybe it’s was a little close to Christmas and the the prospect of these words appearing 21 Central:MidnightMX-pressGORrun fire season, which meant that many of in print, or maybe it’s the fact that 22 NTas:Devonportmotorshow their members were unable to attend. it’s nudging 40 degrees as I type ... or Something to consider for next time. maybe it’s age. I would like to think 29 Sprints2014-15Rds9/10:Winton it’s age as it is the one thing I can’t do Leaving home in Research, the circuit –DoubleHeader! up to Kinglake and across to Healesville anything about (the numbers at least). via Myers Creek Road followed by the But I do have a New Year’s resolution April return up Chum Creek Road has become hanging over my head which says that something of a stress release trip for I need to fix the things which can be 4 Central:Bendigorun me. I’ve done the trip at all times of the fixed and leave those which can’t. With day and evening, but I have to say that that in mind I’ll take the family car to 12 NEVic:TastesoftheNorth-East the road from St Andrews to Kinglake the carwash and leave the mowing 12 NTas:Kelly'sLadies'Day is rapidly becoming a cyclists’ domain, until winter when there might be the regardless of when you use the road. odd blade of grass in need of a trim. 12 Sprints2015Rd1:CalderPark Those of you on the CFA/Christmas run best wishes to everyone for a safe, 17-20Central:4-dayhighcountryrun will have experienced a taste of this healthy and happy 2015. phenomenon. Must go – the driver’s seat is getting 25-26NTas:WestCoastOvernighter Over the Christmas holidays I suffered cold! 27 NTas:TargaTasmania-optional the unnerving experience of a cyclist coming around a blind corner in the Remember ... Safety fast first! viewingtrips Don 4 Scene about ... ■ Photos: bruce harvey, Kelly berggren, ron gillick, bronwyn roche, randy stagno navarra, rob Tanner 5 Current membershipcount: Membership 541 ■ Will Campbell – membership officer [email protected] andgrowing! G’day–andwelcometo2015! Membership continues to grow steadily but, whilst an increasing membership base is a good indicator of an organisation’s health, a club is all about participation.