Wednesday 11 April 2012

Ulysses AGM at Mildura – The Campsite

The Ulysses AGM Rallies are rather a big affair.  This year just under 4,000 entrants registered.  However, probably only about 100 attend the actual AGM meeting.  The rest of us are just there for a great week long rally.

The main site this time was on a complex of sporting fields. Lots of people don’t camp on site, but we feel that this is the best part of the week.  I’m guessing that there would have been 1,000 to 1,500 camping. 

There are all styles of camping imaginable, from tiny tents to camper trailers with multiple rooms.  You wonder how some carry all their stuff on their bikes, but they manage. 

The site is set out in roads and we were on “Bottle-o Road” as we affectionately called ours.

MH AGM 007

It is like a little town.  There are basic amenities.  Shower and toilet blocks are in semi trailers.  They actually work quite well, and are better than the first few we encountered.  There is a food court, you can have your electrical appliances charged, there is an enormous marquee for the official dinners, trade stalls and motorcycle displays where you can take bikes for a test ride.

This time they even had a Farmers Market on site one morning and a Craft Market on another.

MH AGM 004

Being such a wonderful food bowl area there was some great produce on sale.  Unfortunately, we wouldn’t have the chance to use much.  We did, however, buy some lovely pistachios.  The only pistachios grown commercially in Australia are in the Mildura area.  We’d never seen a fresh pistachio before.

MH AGM 003

When we returned to our camp we found this.

JH W Wyalong to Wentworth 127

There was a stall selling fresh roses and one of the Rocky chaps bought a bunch.  He then had to scratch around to find enough empty bottles to provide one for each camp site in the group.  It was a lovely touch.

On Wednesday morning we were delighted to see a balloon fly straight over the site.

JH W Wyalong to Wentworth 135

JH W Wyalong to Wentworth 137

Of course, the best part of the site is the people.  Each time we catch up with people we have known for the best part of 20 years through rallies and this is the only time we see them.  There are some wonderful characters and everyone is happy to have a chat, as we all have the same common interest.

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