Highway Wanderers – February 2010 Newsletter  

Presidents Report

Well Christmas and New Year are just memories and I hope yours was as enjoyable as ours. We haven"t had much contact with members since Rocky Rally but did have a very enjoyable week end in Orange with Doug & Val Brown and we thank them for not only parking room but the lend of their car. We also caught up with Tom & Sandra Sargent. Kim & Les Saunders stayed with us for a couple of nights on their way south. I would love to be able to attend the Rally in Tassie, but as this is not possible I look forward  

to Port Macquarie.We will try to arrange a Pre Rally gathering so watch for details either on the web or in a newsletter. Lets hope we can repeat the Highways success in the disk bowls, even better win another couple of medals. Safe travel to all members.

Vicki Samin

Secretary Report 

Hello to all Highway Wanderers wherever you happen to be wandering. Welcome to 2010 (only another 90 years and it will be 2100). Only seems like yesterday that we left Rockhampton to head South. We had a good trip back to Victoria via Nanango, Orange, Mildura and finally to Mansfield. Our booking for the Tassy ferry was for 28^th November and all went well. It was a night sail and I am glad that we spent the extra to get a cabin. We were booked to come back to Melbourne with the little Jimny on the 11^th December for Christmas and all that with the rellies, kids and Gkids. Having only 12 days or so we headed West through Burnie, Wynyard and then stayed in Stanley for a week or so. Our first trip to Tassy and wow it is beautiful. They reckon that last year was the best rain they have had for 50 years or more and the whole place just seems lush and green. Something to do and see every day. Thanks to a couple of friendly Tasmanian Highway Wanderers we were able to leave the rig while we came back to Vic for Christmas. Fortunately when we got back they had not sold it and we were able to continue our Tassy tour. Thanks J & M. Currently heading for the East coast then south to Hobart and then work our way back up towards the pre rally get together at Westbury (details in this newsletter). Seems like quite a few HW members are in Tassy for the rally so make sure you get to the pre rally gathering. Nothing much to report from a HW point of view so our General meeting at the Tassy rally should be a quick one. I have ordered some new HW stickers and they should be available at the rally. For those new members that didn’t get stickers I hope to send them out when I receive them. There is not much in the way of HW clothing left and I don’t think we will be ordering any more until we get back to the mainland. It might be a topic for discussion at the General meeting so that we can get an idea of what members would like us to order. Hope everyone is looking forward to the disc bowls at the rally and maybe our men’s triples champions might be able to do two in a row. Pretty certain Phil and Tom will be there but not sure about Andrew. I haven’t heard what the theme for the Saturday night is going to be but most people seem to be banking on it being “convict/early settlers” so try and get together some dress up stuff. Hope everyone got the last newsletter. Most people now receive it by email with about 40 receiving a hard copy. Unfortunately the cost of printing a newsletter with colour photos and other items is prohibitive and so we may end up with an email newsletter where we can incorporate photos and colour and a black and white hard copy which won’t incorporate photos and colour. Another topic for discussion at the rally. 

Safe travelling and see you somewhere on the road.          

Chris and Barryne Wilson    

 Rallies 

24th Anniversary Rally: Quercus Park - Carrick, TAS            

Dates: 15 March - 21 March 2010

Rally Manager: Ken Newman T9441                  

25th National Rally: Port Macquarie, NSW 

Dates: 11 October - 17 October 2010
Rally Manager: Kay Small N19243  

March  11 - 14. Highway Wanderers.

Pre-Rally Get-Together. Westbury Cricket Club, Westbury St, Westbury. Toilets, showers. No power. St Patrick's Festival weekend. Further details - Phil Procter 0427 444337. No Details on cost at this stage but should be minimal.

Maintenance Levy 

Levies are due on the 1st July for 2009. If you have not already posted your remittance for previous years would you please enclose it along with your 2009 remittance? Levies are $10.00 per membership. 

You can send a cheque made out to Highway Wanderers to:  

Highway Wanderers Treasurer PO Box 110  BEAUDESERT Qld 4285  

Or you can do a Bank Transfer via Internet banking. Contact treasurer@highwaywanderers.com for bank details. 

Remember the Maintenance Levy covers the costs of maintaining the Chapter resources and the compilation and distribution of the Newsletter. If you would like to know if you are paid up to date send an email to treasurer@highwaywanderers.com     

If you choose not to pay the levy you will no longer receive the newsletter.  

Thank youto those wonderful peoplewho support the Chapter. 

In no particular order and no one more than 100 

Helene Procter, Vicki Samin, Keryn Wood, Maree Douglas, Barryne Wilson, Margie Cox, Kim Saunders, Joanne Tremain, Val Brown, Jan Sargent, Max Dahler, John Hodgkinson, Jamie Douglas, Tom Sargent, PaulHildebrand, David Binskin, Les Saunders, Russell Bevan, Derek Tremain, Bruce Sargent  

If you would like to tell us about specific special events like milestone birthdays (the big 0’s), anniversaries, marriages (only 3^rd or 4^th ones) please email details to secretary@highwaywanderers.com and we will let other members know via newsletter and website     

From the webmaster 

Did you know that we have our own web site? 

www.highwaywanderers.com

Now I know that not everyone is “internet savvy” but you don’t have to have your own computer to get on the web. Maybe you know someone who is hooked up to the Internet or maybe ask someone in an Internet café to show you how to get onto the HW website. It’s a great way to keep up to date when you are on the road or at home.  

Highway Wanderers Chatroom

If you have access to the Internet and want to start chatting with other HW members all you need to do is go to the HW website www.highwaywanderers.com  and click on the link "My Stuff". The chatroom is exclusive to HW members and if you want to participate I will make sure you are a HW member and then give you the info to enable you to start chatting with other HW members. in the chatroom. As well as allowing you to chat (typing and talking) online it is a great way let other people know what you are doing and where you are doing it. (Not sure what IT means but whatever IT is we all hope you are enjoying doing IT.) You can use the chatroom to get all sorts of info from other members, where to go, where not to go, who is travelling where and enabling people to get together if they are going to be in the same area. If you need info on stuff in general an email to the mail list will most likely get a reply from someone who can help and because everyone on the list will see the questions and answers then the rest of us will benefit as well. It's a win win really and we need as many fellow chapter members to be involved as possible. The chatroom is a closed group and only HW members can participate so don’t worry about getting junk mail etc. Do yourself a favour and take a look. 

Robin Wood – Webmaster           webmaster@highwaywanderers.com

Email addresses

If you want your own email addy like IE: john.julie@highwaywanders.comsend an email with your requests in order of priority to mynewemailaddress@highwaywanderers.com .

Talking about emails it would be great if members that have an email address could take a moment to send us an email which will confirm your current e/address and let us know whether you want to receive the newsletter by email or simply be advised when it is on the website. 

Chapter Contacts 

President   Vicki Samin           0427275487        president@highwaywanderers.com

V/President Sandra Sargent   0428270671          vicepresident@highwaywanderers.com

Secretary   Chris Wilson         0408565760        secretary@highwaywanderers.com

Treasurer Chris Wilson         0408565760        treasurer@highwaywanderers.com

Webmaster    Robin Wood                                                                    webmaster@highwaywanderers.com         

Got something to sell!

Let us know and maybe we can put details on the website or in the newsletter. Send details by email (preferable) sales@highwaywanderers.comor send to Highway Wanderers PO Box 110 BEAUDESERT Qld 4285 

Recipes 

We need more recipes. I’ve cooked up all the offerings that were in the last news and they were delicious but unless we get some more yummy recipes from you lot I’m likely to fade away to an SFS. (see if you can work out what that means)  

Warning Warning Warning Warning 

If you are the slightest bit offended by rude, politically incorrect, sexist or just plain stupid jokes then please move ahead to the section headed Thoughts. However if you like a bit of a chuckle and don’t take things too seriously then read on.  

Two old drunks are sitting in a bar when the first one says,
"Ya know, when I was thirty and got an erection,
I couldn't bend it, even using both hands.
 By the time I was forty, I could bend it about ten degrees if I tried
really hard.
 By the time I was fifty, I could bend it about twenty degrees, no
problem.
I'm gonna be sixty next week, and now I can bend it in half with just
one hand."
"So," says the second drunk, "what's your point?"
"Well, I'm just wondering how much stronger I'm gonna get." 

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Yesterday I was at my local CO-OP buying a large bag of Purina dog food for my loyal pet and was in the checkout queue when a woman behind me asked if I had a dog.

What did she think I had, an elephant? So, since I'm retired and have little to do, on impulse I told her that no, I didn't have a dog, I was starting the Purina Diet again. I added that I probably shouldn't, because I ended up in hospital last time, but that I'd lost 2 stones before I woke up in intensive care with tubes coming out of most of my orifices and IVs in both arms.

I told her that it was essentially a perfect diet and that the way that it works is to load your pockets with Purina nuggets and simply eat one or two every time you feel hungry. The food is nutritionally complete so it works well and I was going to try it again. (I have to mention here that practically everyone in queue was now enthralled with my story.) Horrified, she asked me if I ended up in intensive care because the dog food poisoned me. I told her no, I stepped off a curb to sniff an Irish Setter's arse and a car hit us both.

I thought the guy behind her was going to have a heart attack he was laughing so hard.

I'm now banned from the Co-op.

Better watch what you ask retired people. They have all the time in the world to think of daft things to say.

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An elderly Italian man who lived on the outskirts of Rimini, Italy, went to the local church for confession.
When the priest slid open the panel in the confessional, The man said: 'Father ... During World War II, a beautifulJewish woman from our neighborhood knocked urgently on my door and asked me to hide her from the Nazis.  So I hid her in my attic.'
The priest replied: 'That was a wonderful thing you did, and you have no need to confess that.'
'There is more to tell, Father... She started to repay me with sexual favours. This happened several times a week, and sometimes twice on Sundays.'
The priest said, 'That was a long time ago and by doing what you did, you placed the two of you in great danger. but two people under those circumstances can easily succumb to the weakness of the flesh.
However, if you are truly sorry for your actions, you are indeed forgiven.'
'Thank you, Father. That's a great load off my mind.. I do have one more question.'
'And what is that?' asked the priest.
'Should I tell her the war is over?''  

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SIGN IN A SHOP WINDOW 

'WE WOULD RATHER DO BUSINESS WITH 1000 ALQAEDA TERRORISTS THAN WITH ONE SINGLE BRITISH SOLDIER!'  

This sign was prominently displayed in the window of a business in
Glamorgan, South Wales .
You are probably outraged at the thought of such an inflammatory statement.
However, we are a society which holds Freedom of Speech as perhaps our greatest liberty.After all, it is ONLY A SIGN, you may say.
'What kind of business would dare to post such a sign?'  

Answer:   

A FUNERAL PARLOUR. 
 
(WHO SAID UNDERTAKERS HAD NO SENSE OF HUMOUR?) 

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Older Women Are So Reasonable

AFTER  BEING MARRIED FOR 44 YEARS, I TOOK A CAREFUL LOOK AT MY WIFE ONE DAY AND SAID, "FORTY-FOUR YEARS AGO WE HAD A CHEAP APARTMENT, A CHEAP CAR, SLEPT ON A SOFA BED AND WATCHED A 10-INCH BLACK AND WHITE TV. BUT I GOT TO SLEEP EVERY NIGHT WITH A HOT 25-YEAR-OLD GIRL! 

NOW I HAVE A $1,500,000.00 HOME, A $45,000.00 CAR, NICE BIG BED AND PLASMA SCREEN TV. BUT I'M SLEEPING WITH A 69-YEAR-OLD WOMAN! IT SEEMS TO ME THAT YOU'RE NOT HOLDING UP YOUR SIDE OF THINGS."

MY WIFE IS A VERY REASONABLE WOMAN. SHE TOLD ME TO GO OUT AND FIND A HOT 25-YEAR-OLD GIRL AND SHE WOULD MAKE SURE THAT I WOULD ONCE AGAIN BE LIVING IN A CHEAP APARTMENT, DRIVING A CHEAP CAR, SLEEPING ON A SOFA BED AND WATCHING  A 10-INCH BLACK AND WHITE TV. 

AREN'T OLDER WOMEN GREAT? THEY REALLY KNOW HOW TO SOLVE A MID-LIFE CRISIS. 

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Court Proceedings 

For the deep thinkers amongst us 

The Mayonnaise Jar

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle,
When 24 hours in a day is not enough; remember the mayonnaise jar and
2 cups of coffee.
A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him.When the class began, wordlessly,he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and start to fill it with golf balls.
He then asked the students if the jar was full.They agreed that it was.
The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured it into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls.
He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.


The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything elseHe asked once more if the jar was full... The students responded With an unanimous 'yes.'
The professor then produced two cups of from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand.
The students laughed.
'Now,' said the professor, as the laughter subsided,
'I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life.

The golf balls are the important things - God, family, children, health, friends, and favorite passions
Things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.
The pebbles are the things that matter like your job, house, and
car.
The sand is everything else --
The small stuff.
'If you put the sand into the jar first,' he continued,'there is no
room for the pebbles or the golf balls.The same goes for life.
If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, You will
never have room for the things that are important to you.
So...
Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.
Play with your children.Take time to get medical checkups.Take
your partner out to dinner.There will always be time to clean the house and fix the dripping tap.
'Take care of the golf balls first
The things that really matter.
Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.'
One of the students raised her handand inquired what the coffee represented.
The professor smiled.
'I'm glad you asked'.
It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem,there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend.'

Photos on the road 

Email us a favorite on the road photo so that we can all keep an eye on what’s going on 

The Railton Story

Railton is a picturesque small town of approx 850 people located on the North West Tasmania, a scenic 24km drive from Devonport (via Latrobe).  Railton has a free motor home area next to Railway Park which is at the centre of the township - a short walk from Lions Park where you will find a free electric BBQ and the public toilets. Large motor home groups only have to contact the local council to gain permission to use the large open space next to the motor home area when the park is full.  There is also plenty of room to park in the very wide main street and even do a U turn!

The town and area is full of history - Railton was first surveyed in 1853 and soon had a hotel, 3 churches, a school, telegraph station and a local turf club. Early settlers lived in slab huts and were mainly occupied in farming or timber cutting. One feature of particular note is Railton's very wide main street. The street was this wide to accommodate the bullock teams making their way to the Railton Railway Station to load produce at the only railway in the Kentish district at the time. By the 1900s Railton was a flourishing timber trade centre and had 2 sawmills. The railway line to Railton was completed in 1885.

Cement Australia at Railton is one of Australia's largest cement manufacturers, producing more than 1.2 million tonnes of cement a year, and is not only the largest employer in Railton, it is one of the North West's leading employers. The history of the Company dates back to 1923.  Production has increased from a few hundred tonnes a day in the 1920's to a rate of over 3,500 tonnes a day currently. Over 90% of the cement produced is transported to interstate terminals, with 10% sold in Tasmania. 

There are plenty of things to see and do in Railton.  Railton is a part of Tasmania's "Outdoor Art Gallery" -and here you will find Tasmania's hidden secret -more than 140 living sculptures of character topiary waiting to be discovered. The wonderful thing about Railton's topiary is that it is a free activity -and interesting to all ages! It costs you nothing but your time to stroll around the topiary exhibits - you can't say that everywhere you go! You will see topiary in all stages of growth along the topiary trail – you can pick up a free topiary trail map at the stores in town.   

There are also 4 large outdoor murals relating to the history of the town, and one inside the petrol station and Looking Glass Cottage.  “Railton’s Great Elephant Race” is a particularly interesting mural “ It was always an exciting time when the circus came to our town. On this day everyone was excited because the elephants were going to have a race in the Main Street. I stood there in the street watching and waiting: Mr Len Field and Mr Fred Sipman were going to ride the elephants. I can remember the elephants with trainers running up the street with their riders tucked tightly behind the elephants ears .Mr Field was the winner ” - Wayne Muir.  The mural locations are marked on the topiary map.

Goliath Park has Chainsaw sculptures, and there are some very interesting walks in the area including Sykes Sanctuary with its rock edicts and very old graveyards if you really like to read some history.  These are all marked on the topiary map. 

There are some very interesting boutique shops in the small town centre – a fibre optic shop (free entry) – wander through the amazing dark rooms full of magical lighting, a micro brewery “Seven Sheds” which has tastings of the locally made beer and mead.  You can also get Wendy’s famous Rabbit Pies and Wendella Jams and Sauces at the Town of Topiary Tea Rooms and there is a craft shop with all local products.  Currently a bakery and hairdresser will soon be open.  There is a RSL and Hotel, however no meals are available.   There is also a pizza and a take away shop, a supermarket and veggie shop and petrol and service station - so supplies are easy to access. 

It is a great place to make your base as it is within a short drive of the beaches, rivers, Lakes and the mountain areas with activities in the surrounding area readily accessible such as Fishing, kayaking, Swimming (river and sea all within easy distance), Cycling (also velodrome at Recreation ground).  Bush Walking at Sykes Sanctuary, Stoodley Forest Walk (& Redwater Creek Falls), and the Tasmanian Trail – (horse, cycle or walk from the North to the South of Tasmania).  There are also the usual shopping and tourist venues at the larger towns when you feel you have had enough of the quiet.

More information can be found on the website www.townoftopiary.com.au .

Contribution by Jamie and Maree Douglas