THE BIRTH OF THE CAPRICORN CHAPTER

by founding Chapter Coordinator, Gurney T Clamp

 

After purchasing my 1972 MG B in Brisbane and shipped back to Yeppoon, I started driving it on every opportunity I got in and around Yeppoon and its surrounding area.

Then, one day I came across a couple driving  in their  red MG B doing as I was, so I caught up to them and found that they were from Rockhampton and doing a cruise around Yeppoon. Their names were Dale & Margaret Volling. I told them that I was going to try to form a MG Car club in Central Queensland and asked them if they were interested in joining a club such as  I was trying to form.

 

They agreed that they would be interested, gave me their contact details and I told them that they would be number 2 members. On arriving back home, one of my neighbors, Robert Hanson, called over to  have a good look at my MG and told me that he knew of another MG owner, Trevor Williams, who lived in Yeppoon. He agreed to take me to meet him and this visit turned out to be very important as he tried unsuccessfully to form a MG car club several years ago. He had a list of names and contact details of people that owned an MG in Central Queensland, which he gave to me.

 

I returned home and started making contact with everyone on the list, asking them if they were interested in forming an MG car club in Central Queensland. The response was just what I was hoping for so then, I had to contact them all again informing them that on Sunday, 4 May 2008,  a meeting of all interested MG owners was going to be held at Beaman Park Yeppoon at 9.00 a.m.

 

On Sunday, 4 May I was overjoyed by the number of MG’s and their owners that arrived at Beaman Park. They had come from as far away as Moura, Biloela and Rockhampton. All present indicted that an MG car club should be formed. I was elected as chairman and spoke on how we should go about forming the club.

 

Jim Armstrong and Gary Kunst who were current members of the MG Car Club of Queensland, suggested that we should seriously look at becoming a chapter of the MG car club of Queensland if this club had any chance of survival. The MQCC of Qld already had two chapters operating quite successfully called the Darling Downs and Wide Bay Chapters. In doing this, we would  have the back up of the MGCC of Qld’s support in legal liability, financial matters etc., if successful and accepted by the MGCC of Qld. All present agreed that this was the path that we should take and indicated that I should continue as an unofficial chairman of this fledgling organization.  

 

On Monday, 5 May 2008, I contacted the MG Car Club of Queensland’s then President, David Miles,  informing him of the outcome of our meeting at Beaman Park in Yeppoon. I then asked him what steps needed to be done for the MG owners of Central Queensland to become a chapter of their club.

 

The response was an overwhelming “We will be glad to welcome you into our club”.  He indicated that information would be forwarded to me and he asked me to call a meeting of all interested MG car owners to attend another meeting at a time and venue suitable to all concerned.

It was agreed that a meeting should be called on Saturday, 24 May, 2008 at the Rockhampton Golf Club, and the club president David Miles would attend.

He was supported by Brisbane members, Val Horgan, Kevin Ponting, Wide Bay chapter coordinator Ian Bryant and Darling Downs coordinator Trevor Watkins, all arriving in Rockhampton on Friday, 23 May in their MGs. My wife Gloria and I were invited to attend a dinner at the motel they were staying at in Rockhampton. And of course we attended.

 

On the day of the meeting at the Rockhampton Golf Club premises, David Miles addressed all present on functioning and policies of the MG Car Club of Queensland and what was expected of the chapters that are affiliated with them.

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These discussions were well supported by the Brisbane members and the chapter coordinators, the late Ian Bryant and Trevor Watkins.

 

A vote was taken to accept that all Central Queensland MG owners become a chapter of the MG Car Club of Queensland, the result was unanimous. Next step was that we now need to find a name for our chapter. A few names were suggested but Capricorn Chapter was selected.

 

I was then elected as the coordinator for the newly formed Capricorn Chapter, the next step was to select a suitable time of each month to have a get together of members, once again a number of suggestions were put forward with the 3rd Sunday of each month be adopted, which was duly voted on and passed.  

 

David Miles indicated that the results of this meeting would have to be approved by the MG car club of Queensland and I would be notified of the result by mail, A letter dated 28 May, 2008 was received from MG Car club that the management committee of the MG Car Club of Queensland had accepted our application to join as the Capricorn Chapter.

 

After a couple of years at a Christmas function, Ian Wilhelmsen and Phil White suggested that we all should find interested members to assist in the running of the chapter, to which I agreed. Ian Wilhelmsen was elected as assistant coordinator, Phil White and Terry Dwyer as event committee members. Since then I have found that this to be of a great assistance to myself, as we now prepare the following years calendar in November of each year with suggestions of places we should tour to coming from individual members.

 

FOUNDATION MEMBERS

ARMSTRONG   Jim & Sandra - Moura / Yeppoon

BREED  Peter & Tracey - Rockhampton  Past members    

CLAMP  Gurney & Gloria - Yeppoon

CLARK  Stuart & Ada - Goovigin

DWYER  Terry - Rockhampton

FOX  Bill - Yeppoon  Past member

GUBBINS  Tony (Deceased) & Merilyn WEST- Rockhampton Past members

KIRWAN   Wayne - Biloela

KUNST   Gary & Julie - Moura / Yeppoon

MADDEN  Don -Yeppoon   (Deceased)

O’DEA       Tom & Kathy - Yeppoon   Past members

PIDCOCK  Ted & Margaret - Yeppoon   Past members

RUSSELL   Brian & Glenis - Biloela

SULLIVAN Pat & Stephanie - Rockhampton

VOLLING  Dale & Margaret - Rockhampton  Past members

WHITE       Phil & Pam - Rockhampton

WILLIAMS Trevor - Rockhampton  Past members

MGCC of Qld Capricorn Chapter.
 

Run Report; Breakfast, Elections and Keppel Sands Lunch.

Sunday, 22 November, 2020.

Coordinator; Jim Armstrong, Ph 0417 544 222

Assistant Coordinator; Clare Lynam.

Run Committee; Jo Emmert, Phil Henry.

 

Another glorious sunlit day on the beautiful Capricorn Coast was the setting for 27 of our chapter’s members day. The Rocky group had gathered at their usual spot and headed down to Emu park via Cawarral where on their arrival, the Yeppoon and surrounds group had gathered at Jolts Coffee Café and Bakery for breakfast. It wasn’t long before all participants were eating a hearty but maybe not so healthy breakfast.  J

 

olts had partitioned off a corner of their Café with U shaped table arrangement for us all. Jo immediately got busy with the poker run and rusty door prizes whilst breakfast was cooking. Tom and Janelle won the poker run and Joy, Stephanie and Trevor all won the lucky rusty door prizes.

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On completion of everyone’s meal, yours truly spoke a few words to welcome new member Michael, who was introduced by Pat Sullivan. Welcome once again Michael!  Also, to inform everyone in attendance of Katie Emmert’s coming of age on the 23rd November.  Most know Katie as the little girl who came along to the MG runs with her mother Jo, for as long as can be remembered since Capricorn Chapters inception. Happy Birthday Katie who now is on her second MG.

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From Jolts, it was over to Bell’s Park, straight across form our café where we held the election of officers for 2021. Clare read out the correspondence received and as it turned out, our committee and myself were elected unopposed. Thank you for your support everybody on behalf of the committee and myself.

We then took the opportunity to discuss next years calendar and sought suggestions from the group, which were enthusiastically forth coming.  

 

We spoke on the All Chapter Meeting as planned for 2022 again suggestions were thrown about with enthusiasm.

 We were briefly interrupted by a man riding a Russian built motorcycle with a sidecar occupied by his grandson. Apparently, it was built in 2012 but it looked and sounded like it came right out of the 1940s.

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By this time the temperature was climbing and so a few with open cars decided to call it a day and not go on to Keppel Sands.  The remaining 15 travelled out to the Keppel Sands pub where again we enjoyed a nice cool drink or two and a well-prepared meal. The Keppel Sands Coast guard came around selling raffle tickets and wouldn’t you know it, Ian and Judy won a meat voucher and Trevor who had already won a rusty door prize, picked up a half dozen of XXXX Gold cans. Trevor’s luck did hold though as he had to change a tyre on his beautiful MGF (50’s model) with a bit of encouragement from some young kids who were intrigued with the old cars before leaving.

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So, with that we headed off to our homes after what only could be described as another enjoyable MG run.

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By Jim Armstrong

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Photos by Clare Lynam

MGCC of Qld Capricorn Chapter.
 

Run report; Combined Chapter Hervey Bay Oct 2020

By Jim Armstrong  - Coordinator (0417544222)

Assistant Coordinator  - Clare Lynam

Run Committee  - Jo Emmert, Phil Henry.
 

Friday morning saw a very early start to our journey. The small contingent met at the Duck Ponds Rockhampton for a six o’clock start, except yours truly didn’t set the alarm correctly so it was around 6:30 when we departed Rocky heading south. At least Phil got to drink his favourite morning beverage before leaving.

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Our first stop was Mt Larcom for coffee and snacks which was when Phil had discovered he had a broken rear exhaust mount. Phil soon rectified this by using the old Cobb & Co wire trick and we soon on our way again stopping at the Boyne River Roadhouse for fuel.  An uneventful journey ensued to Gin Gin where we were to have lunch but as we were running early, we decided to push on to Childers.

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Lunch was at a boutique café which once served Childers as the Post Office. Refreshed we headed onto our final destination of Hervey Bay. After booking into our Motel it was off to the Mantra at the Boat Harbour for registration for the weekend events. Then back to the Kondari Motel for happy hour. We had two other couples and a lady who have joined us from time to time on our Capricorn Chapter runs join us for the weekend, Bill and Beth Heraghty, Wayne Kirwan and Megan Perret, and Cathy Bartley. It was then off to the “noggin and natter” at the boat Club overlooking the Urangan Marina.

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Next morning, it was our whale watching experience aboard the Spirit of Hervey Bay, a large Whale Watching Catamaran. We were warned that it would be quite choppy and that the whale watching season was officially over so it would be unlikely that we would spot any whales. It was windy and quite choppy so out came the “Kwells” (sea sick pills) and most took at least one except one of our group who later regretted it. Anyhow as it turned out, we came across a mother whale and her calf who obviously weren’t aware that whale watching season was over, frolicking in waters just off Northern Fraser Island. As we were the only boat in the vicinity, we were privileged to have them to ourselves for about an hour and they put on quite a show for us. Too soon it was time to leave them to themselves and we returned to Hervey Bay.

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After lunch, a long run in our MGs was organised by the Wide Bay Chapter to River Heads, Burrum Heads and Toogum. This was when trouble struck for yours truly. Loss of electrical power caused me to return to our motel and this is where the A stayed all weekend. Old Don has once again pointed his finger at us.

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On Saturday evening, as rain seemed imminent, we decided not to have our planned bar b que but instead we all dined at the motel’s restaurant on the balcony overlooking the lake which was very pleasant. An uninvited guest greeted us, the resident motel Possum who was very friendly and obviously used to people.

On the Sunday morning another run to Maryborough for a car display at the Brolga Theatre and following, the activities at the beautiful Queen’s park and the historic Wharf street precinct where it was quite easy to while the morning away.

 

One of our group had to return to Rocky on Sunday and so headed off. All was fine until they hit a huge rain downpour at Calliope and particularly bad when someone had forgot to pack the side screens for their A, bit like going through a carwash with your windows down.

Sunday night was the formal dinner again at the boat club, the theme being Black, white and silver but we had Darth Nader and Princess Lala with us too. Again, a very good evening.

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Monday morning’s farewell breakfast soon came around and good byes were said to new and old friends with people having attended from as far away as Cairns.

A chapter coordinator’s meeting was held soon afterwards. The main topic was where the next meeting was to be held. The members at the meeting thought it would be good if we, the Capricorn Chapter, would be the host for the next one in 2022. Both Phil and I committed to that, as it was previously discussed by the run committee as a possibility.

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That concluded the weekend and as Phil Henry, the last of our group had to leave as he had Chamber of Commerce business that he had to attend to on Tuesday morning, while I had to arrange a new alternator. Phil tells me that his trip went well until you guessed it, he ran into torrential rain from Calliope up, luckily Midgets have wind up windows. Going through Rocky, Phils Exhaust repair that he did on the way down finally said enough is enough and the exhaust broke necessitating a quick visit to the exhaust shop who repaired it for Phil straight away. Good service.

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As for us, there were no suitable alternators in Hervey Bay or Maryborough so had to endure another night at beautiful Hervey Bay whilst an alternator was sourced overnight from Brisbane.

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Tuesday morning, the call came from the Auto Electrician to say my alternator was ready, so after fitting it we were on our way by around 10:15. The car ran well but just as we left Miram Vale, you guessed it bucketed down all the way to Yeppoon. I guess another entrant to the coveted Broken MG award.

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None the less, all who attended had a good time.

MGCC of Qld Capricorn Chapter.
 

Chapter Coordinator; Jim Armstrong, ph 0417544222.

Assistant Coordinator; Clare Lynam

Run Committee; Jo Emmert, Phil Henry.

Run Report; Parkhurst Putt-Putt

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With something a little different in mind for this months Friday night gathering, the Yeppoon portion of our chapter met at the Oaks before heading to meet the Rockhampton members at the Parkhurst Putt-Putt and driving range.

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We all arrived a little after 5:00pm and soon were set up for afternoon nibbles. Jo initiated the poker run and issued the lucky rusty door tickets, before heading to the first tee off of our gruelling 9-hole Putt-Putt play off.

We were soon all chuckling and enjoying ourselves with a few quiet drinks and were treated to a spectacular sunset as we played. Now each of us had to keep our own score so no doubt a few strokes were miscounted, but surprisingly enough, the winner was Jo with 57 strokes. Well done Jo!

Soon all players were in and the bar be que was lit. All the menfolk gathered around the bar be que, talking mainly about the world events and how they could all remedy the worlds’ problems, especially those in the good ol’ USA, as they cooked while the women folk quietly sat talking amongst themselves about ladies’ things, enjoying a few wines (and red cocktails for some). It wasn’t long before everyone was tucking into their “expertly cooked” Bar be Que faire.

Not one complaint was heard so it must have been well cooked hey Fellas’?

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The last part of the poker run was played and won by Gary Kunst, winning a voucher, with the Rusty Door Raffle going to John Rowe who promptly opened his prize and we were soon all eating Turkish Delights. Well done fellas.

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As it turned out, the people at the BOM really turned it on for us, a glorious barmy Rockhampton evening with absolutely no threat of storms. All too soon it was time to say our goodbyes once more. Another relaxed and friendly MG night out although Gurney, Gloria, Katie and John were only ones to turn up in their MGs.

 

Those who attended were:

Gurney and Gloria Clamp

Phil and Margaret Henry

Gary and Julie Kunst and granddaughter Laura

Robert and Yvonne Holbeck

Clare and Paul Lynam

Jo and Katie Emmert

John Rowe

Lloyd Armstrong and his daughter Elisabeth and son Nicholas

Sandra and myself, Jim