Events
GRAMPIANS ‘Ride to Remember’ will be a regional branch ‘first’
When: 26th January 2009
The Ararat Branch of the Victoria Police Blue Ribbon Foundation will embark on their first ‘Ride to Remember' in the Grampians Region to coincide with the Australia Day Ride in Melbourne on Monday 26th January 2008.
The GRAMPIANS Ride will also tap into the Ararat Australia Day Celebrations which will be held from 8.00 am onwards in the Alexandra Gardens, the same venue at the Ride's starting point which kicks off at 9.45 am with a Police Traffic Unit escort.
The Ride will involve motorcycle enthusiasts from right across Western Victoria and it as anticipated some 200 riders plus will support the event. En-route all riders will be asked to show their pride in Australia by flying our national flag and these will be available at the starting line.
The Australia Day ‘Ride to Remember' is a highly successful Melbourne event, and the opportunity to grow this event in regional Victoria has quickly been embraced by the Ararat Branch.
The Grampians Ride is being organised by a Sub Committee that includes motorcycle enthusiast, all recreational riders from the Grampians Region, who want to make a contribution to their community. Also on the committee are members of Victoria Police - Ararat Traffic Operations Unit and members of the Ararat Branch of the Victoria Police Blue Ribbon Foundation.
There are obvious synergies between the Blue Ribbon Foundation, the police and motoring. The Ararat Branch is grateful for the enthusiastic support of our local experienced motorcycle riders, Ararat Police Traffic Operations Unit, Ararat Rural City, Northern Grampians Shire Council and Pyrenees Shire Council who are helping the committee to develop the GRAMPIANS 'Ride to Remember' into a major regional event.
The GRAMPIANS ‘Ride to Remember' will cover 192Km over a 3 ½ hour journey and will take in a vast picturesque route starting from Alexandra Gardens in Ararat and traveling a circuit that will include vast rural countryside through to Crowlands, Joel and onto Stawell, then head to the fringes of the magnificent Grampians National Park including passing through the townships of Pomonal, Moyston, Willaura all of which are on the perimeter of the mountain ranges. The Ride will then come back through to Ararat for a relaxing community barbecue lunch catered by the Ararat Lions Club and entertainment by the picturesque lake in the Alexandra Gardens.
The Ararat Branch members will also be in action selling non alcoholic drinks in addition to ‘Ride to Remember' merchandising to raise additional funds on the day. All proceeds from the GRAMPIANS Ride will be donated to the Medical Imaging Department at East Grampians Health Service (Ararat Hospital).
The GRAMPIANS ‘Ride to Remember' Ararat Branch Sub Committee includes Nicholas Hatswell (Chair), Dianne Radford (Coordinator), Sgt David Todd (Ararat Traffic Operations), Shannon de Lisio (Ararat Rural City), Fr John Mathes (Ararat Branch & Police Chaplain), Tim Andrew (Ararat Branch), Simon Clayfield (Moyston), Alistair Mason (Moyston), Norm Clark (Ararat), Phil Clark (Ararat), Richard McCutcheon (Ararat), Ron Duffin (Ararat), Mal Pitcher (Stawell) and Phil Nicks (Horsham Branch).
Registration is $20 per rider and $10 per pillion and like the Melbourne ride participants will be able to register online through www.australiadayride.com.au, or by contacting the Ararat Branch Tel: 53529387, email: dradford@eghs.net.au (PO Box 155, Ararat 3377).
EARLY BIRDS SPECIAL OFFER - Register for the Grampians Ride by 19/1/09 and be put in the DRAW to win a dozen Clayfield Wines, Winemakers of Grampians Premium Shiraz.
In addition for further information on spending the Australia Day weekend in Ararat please contact:
Ararat & Grampians Visitor Information Centre Tel: 1800 657 158 Email: tourinfo@ararat.vic.gov.au or visit www.ararat.vic.gov.au
Download Registration Form
PDF document, 312KB, 17 Dec 2008
Download Poster
PDF document, 287.89KB, 17 Dec 2008
