29th December 2006

The Good, the Bad, the Ugly.

Will there be a 2007 for SMCC at Barrabool?

Lets start with the Good; YES!!! Sporting MCC has secured another 12 months use of McAdam Park! After a nail biting few weeks of uncertainty, our future is secured for another year!
The Bad; Unfortunately the Clubs offer to buy the land has had to be withdrawn after hoped for finance did not occur.
The Ugly; No ugly! This could have been the ugly, as it would have left the door open for others to buy the land out from under us!
Fortunately this did not occur as there were no other serious bids!

More Good! So even though we have not bought the land yet, we now have more time to raise some money and also find some financiers. The land will most likely go on the open market again in the autumn of 2007.

So with season 2007 guaranteed, we now need to work hard on the BIG PICTURE Wall fundraising campaign! Response to the Wall has been fantastic in recent weeks. On average people are buying two or more tiles each, so all we need is for a few thousand people to give, we fill the Wall with names, and we have enough to Save Barrabool! One day, the place we call McAdam Park will be an even more awesome place than it is now!
Come for the ride, and be a part of history in the making for SMCC and Barrabool!

One avenue the SMCC will now be concentrating on in 2007, is enlisting the help of all the major M/C industry manufacturers and importers. Interest has already been shown by industry to be involved in helping preserve McAdam Park and its rich history, as they too can see the importance of saving riding facilities like Barrabool, for future generations. SMCC applauds and will certainly acknowledge any industry groups who get involved.

Of course we will also continue our efforts to raise funding via shire/state government which is looking more feasible as time goes by. Most importantly now though folks, till the land goes on sale again soon, we need you all to donate to a tile on the BIG PICTURE Wall.

7th January 2007

BARRABOOL LIVES ON! (for now)

The fate of McAdam Park Motorcycle complex was in the lap of the gods in recent weeks whilst negotiations for the sale of McAdam Park proceeded. Having put in a bid themselves, these were nervous times indeed for the Sporting Motor Cycle Club. Fortunately for the Sporting MCC, the recent impending sale of part 1 of McAdam Park did not attract any outside bidders by the December deadline.

Sadly though for the club, SMCC had to withdraw their offer as the hoped for financial backer could not proceed. The land will again go up for sale early to midway through 2007.

The good news for the Sporties is they, and the general public, will have the use of their track for another 12 months by securing an extension on their lease of the land!

SMCC Operations Manager, Peter Ovens, says "This is fantastic news for us all. For a while there we were not even sure if we would be able to open the gates in 2007! We tried hard to secure a financier to back us in our bid, and even though it fell through at the last minute, all is not lost. We are still very confident of rallying support through the industry, the government, and of course the people, through our BIG PICTURE Wall fundraising campaign."

The BIG PICTURE Wall, plus other giveaway opportunities, can be seen on the Big Picture Wall Page.

"We now have a few more months to chase funding. In this time we need the motorcycle fans of Australia to rally with us in our quest to Save McAdam Park! The BIG PICTURE Wall is the ideal way for the people to help us achieve our fundraising goals, as it is so easy for individuals to contribute.

We have sold over 450 tiles on the Wall, and going on current numbers people are buying an average of over 2 per person, which means from the hundreds of thousands of dirt bike fans in Australia, we need only around 4000 individuals to help us out and we will be able to buy all the land outright! It is just so important that the people believe in us and contribute to the Wall. If we sell the 10,000 tiles on the Wall, we will be saved." Ovens said.

Tiles on the Wall cost from $100 up to $300 for a business buying a premium tile.
Spending $500 (plus gst) on Wall tiles or via a donation, not only gets your name on the wall, but a free 2007 membership as well. $1000 (plus gst) also gets you a lifetime gold medallion general admission pass to all SMCC events at Barrabool!

McAdam Park has hosted many National events in recent years, including six rounds of the Thumper Nats series, 2003 Barrabool National, and 2005 Oceania Motocross Championships. You can ride the track at Barrabool on a casual basis, nearly every weekend, and Thursday afternoons. Check the website for opening times, and ring the track infoline on 0400684374.
In these coming weeks, the Sporting MCC urges everyone to contribute to the Wall, big or small, to build the coffers in readiness for another bid on the land.

For enquiries please call 0409944662.

26th March 2007

Friends of Barrabool unite!
Help Save McAdam Park Barrabool and get cheap memberships!

Thinking of helping? Let's save this icon of Motocross Tracks from extinction!
Here's good reason to do it now! Become a part of the "Big Picture" Wall!

By buying a tile on the Sporting Motor Cycle Club's "BIG PICTURE" Wall now, you will be eligible for a 2007 membership at $100 off the regular price!
This year there is a levy built into the membership structure, but if you own a tile, you by-pass the levy and have access to cheap membership rates at the bargain basement prices of $100 / Junior; $140 Senior and $160 Family!

Get your name on the Wall, the monument to be built at McAdam Park in recognition of all who helped preserve this National Motocross Icon!
All tile owners automatically become "Friends of Barrabool", with this offer being just one of many benefits that Sporting MCC will offer to its' friends and future friends.

If you were thinking of buying a tile, come on and give now! You'll be glad you did.

27th March 2007

More time to fight!
Stop the rumours, everyone is on our side!

With the club now getting a 12 month extension on the lease, we now have that much needed time to access that money we know is out there, but takes a lot of effort and time to get! Slowly but surely everything is falling into place so we can reach that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow!

There many erroneous rumours getting round the pits though, that all basically say the same thing; "Barrabool is buggered". What a load of dung beetle houses! Nothing is further from the truth! All these rumours are told by people who know nothing about what is really going on, and if you hear anyone saying such stuff, tell 'em to get the facts or shut-up! If you hear a fellow motorcyclist saying unqualified negative stuff about McAdam Parks future, ask him/her why they would want to help cause the demise of one of Australia's greatest tracks when they could be helping?? Ask them why they would rather hurt another club rather than helping? Ask them why they would not want the opportunity to attend another classic event like the Oceania MX, The Barrabool National or the Australian MX Championships. Or don't they want the opportunity for themselves or their kids to come watch, ride and race at this great venue?

If you want the facts, call 0409944662, or here they are again in brief;

• We are NOT getting evicted, we just need the cash and we are in!
• Our goals are in sight! We may need several million dollars, but it is achievable! It is simple business; if we get a million we can do a deal, if we get 2 million we won't be in debt forever!
• Possibility of government funding is getting stronger every week
• Ditto corporate funding
• The more we earn ourselves via the "BIG PICTURE" Wall, the more outside funding we can attract!
• No-one is against us, everyone wants us to stay, even the owners!

That's it in a nutshell! If we sell all 10,000 tiles on the Wall, you won't believe the place in a few short years! We will all benefit!

11th October 2007

Consortium gives Geelong and McAdam Park another chance

The Geelong MOTORPLEX consortium, the Sporting Motorcycle Club of Geelong and the McAdam family have put an arrangement in place that will enable the Sporting Motor Cycle Club to maintain its tenure at McAdam Park in the Barrabool Hills.
All involved thank the McAdam family and the Surf Coast Shire for their efforts in pursuing a solution to the Sporting Motor Cycle Club's current McAdam Park issues and in particular Daryl Treloar, the Business and Rural Development Manager at the shire, for facilitating the meetings that led up to the arrangement.

This arrangement is aimed at giving the Sporting Motor Cycle Club another window of opportunity in which to secure the vital funding that it needs in order to acquire its current site at the McAdam Park complex.

Sporting Motor Cycle Club "Save McAdam Park" coordinator, Peter Ovens, conveys "The motor cycle community is grateful for the 2 year window of opportunity that has been created by the McAdam family and the Geelong MOTORPLEX consortium. It is now more important than ever, for all tiers of government, the motor cycle community and the motor cycle industry, to work with us in generating the necessary funding needed to acquire McAdam Park. If not, McAdam Park, as a safe and responsible activity centre for thousands of motor cycle enthusiasts, will be lost to current and future generations. Consequently, the club is on a mission to exhaust all options with its endeavours to generate the necessary funding, including government grants, industry funding, sponsorship, motor sport industry and personal donations. I believe that this is our last chance and I encourage everyone to help us achieve our funding goal."

A vital part in the process of the club acquiring McAdam Park is to have the zoning of the land changed to better suit motorsport activities. This process has been initiated by the club having already submitted an application to Surf Coast Shire.

The Geelong MOTORPLEX consortium are a group of motor sports enthusiasts who are also endeavouring to establish a 4 wheel, Confederation of Australian Motor Sports (CAMS) approved motor sport complex in the Avalon/Little River region.

The Geelong MOTORPLEX consortium believe that facilities of the calibre achieved at McAdam Park and all involved with recreational motor sport play a significant role in the safety and social wellbeing of our community. They believe that if such facilities are lost; then it is likely that the incidences of motor vehicle related anti social behaviour on public roads and in public places will increase. They also believe that motor sporting clubs offer their members safe and controlled environments in which to conduct their activities, and as with most clubs, they also offer the community an extended family environment, where they can make positive use of their leisure time, in particular the development of key life skills including friendship, team participation, communication, organization, volunteerism, leadership and networking.

The consortium also believes that motor sport introduces the majority of young members to the need for regulation, self discipline and compliance, and that this culture and the skills that can be acquired from motoring clubs form a good foundation for the development of responsible and valuable members of the community.

Since inception in 1932, the Sporting Motor Cycle Club's code of ethics has been based on a culture of safe motorcycle riding and the socially responsible use of motor vehicles on public roads and recreational areas.

The club's activities include a worthy and effective Junior Development Program ensuring young riders are exposed to and understand the need for regulations and compliance procedures.

Undoubtedly the Sporting Motor Cycle Club's club culture, their ability to assist riders develop the necessary skills, to cope with regulations and the responsible use of a motor vehicle has greatly assisted in minimising the incidences of death and road trauma on our public roads. Their activities also contribute to minimising the incidences of motor vehicle related antisocial behaviour.

The Sporting Motor Cycle Club has become one of the country's most respected motorcycle clubs. The development of McAdam Park into a facility of state significance is recognised internationally for world class sporting events and has enabled Australia to identify a succession of sporting champions and role models, including 9 Australian champions.

Last year McAdam Park catered for some 6,330 competitors and 16,025 spectators. The Visitor Dollar to the Geelong region for 2006; as calculated by an independent tourism authority was calculated at $1.75M

The club also provides the state with a pool of Volunteer Officials including 30 accredited officials and first aid officers.

The 300 acre McAdam Park site is the perfect location for events that require vast open space including undulating hills, within close proximity to the city and it makes good sense to share the associated expensive infrastructure with other interest groups.
McAdam Park is ideally suited to those clubs and community groups with an interest in outdoor activities including Extreme Sports. Any interested party is asked to contact:

Peter Ovens
Sporting Motor Cycle Club "Save McAdam Park Barrabool Coordinator"
E: sporting@smcc.com.au
M: 0418 332 769

From left to right; Motorplex representatives - David Arnold, Bruce Thomas, Gary Grant. McAdam family members - Alison Roberts, Rosemary Murphy, Greg McAdam. Sporting Motor Cycle Club members - Peter Ovens, Michael Arnold.

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