Andrew Drynan Park

SE Qld members meet near Rathdowney Qld

held on the weekend from Friday 16th to Sun 18th November 2007

Its becoming a tradition that every year in November the SEQ mob head off to Andrew Drynan Park in the border ranges – and so it was again this year from the 15th to the 19th. A total of 45 people contributed to a great weekend.

Stats for the weekend:

Camping – Adults 27, children 9
Day visitors – Adults 4, children 5
Qld - 36
NSW – 9
Dogs – 8
Birds – 1
First timers: 14
Weather – kind (only 1 shower in 5 days despite rain all around)

The term 'children' in this case is a bit loose in that it includes all those camping with older relatives even if adults themselves. The age range was 1 – 18.

Peter, Helen and Jake again took first arrival honours on Thursday. The hosts arrived a little later in time for a cosy happy hour. Phil, Kathy & their charming daughter who were overnighting in their CT on their way south added to the company.

Friday was all 'go' with arrivals from mid morning (Kate & Brandon) to very late evening (Lindsay & Robyn) – renewing old friendships and welcoming Martin, Judy, Barry, Ren, Andy, Angela, Cassandra, Stephanie, AJ and Lachlan to our little band. John & Penny provoked puzzlement around the fire after their arrival – it seems they broke with tradition and took more than 10 minutes to set up – actually erected an awning with poles, pegs etc.

Saturday included our usual morning tea (much more compact group this year due to some pruning of the spreading fig tree). Much discussion about a program for early 2008 but by meet's end nothing firm decided. Mid morning also saw the arrival of our day visitors – old friends Turtle, Helena & Amelia and new ones Lauren, Elanore, Mary, Michael, Rachel & David.

If time of arrival is a race, easy winners of the booby prize went to Gus, Jill, Clancy and Jayden who made it during Saturday happy hour - then again they were also last to leave on Monday so they got full value from their weekend.

A few intrepid adventures actually engaged 4WD for a spin around the local hills where they very narrowly avoided entering NSW – so its claimed anyway. Keith & Joshua planned well. A quick spin to the other side of Brisbane for a cricket match while Debbie & Nat put in the hard yards turning their camp into a home seemed very creative.

Sunday saw the start of the breakup with Noel & Cathi making an early morning departure (before morning tea anyway). Obviously due to practice on their recent odyssey to the west – must have another look at the photo record of the trip sometime when I'm not being turned into lunch by ants. That tended to be a bit distracting.

Later in the day saw a demo of Rob & Dianne's new all singing, all dancing, lightweight tarp – great entertainment for those with time on their hands. Some would think its a bit odd to be erecting a tarp just before departure rather than on arrival but every meet has a thousand stories and this is just one of them.

These weekends are getting longer! Mostly its just been Alan & Kathy on Sunday night but this time Peter, Helen & Jake were staying on as well. This party was then bolstered by the Skinner clan who were making up for their late arrival. To make the night really rock, Rick & Carol decided to extend and make an early start on Monday morning. It all made for yet another good night around the fire. Maybe we need to call the SEQ meets 'short weeks' rather than 'weekends'!!!!!!!

The location was good, the weather kind but its the people of good spirit who make it a good meet (and relaxing to host). Thank-you all for your good cheer, goodwill and friendship.

And that was it for another year.

written by Alan