February 2007
Hi everyone and welcome to the first Newsletter for 2007! Hope you all enjoyed a great festive season. We've had a lovely summer break and are ready for lots of unicycling talk so if you’ve got news, pictures, stories or information to contribute to the AUS Newsletter, send them to the Editor at aus_newsletter@unicycling.org.au
Upcoming Events
Alternative Cycling Festival – 31st March - 1st April 2007, Cranbourne, Victoria
AUS members have been officially invited to take part in the 2007 Alternative Cycling Festival and Australian Human-Powered Vehicle Association (OzHPV) Challenge, at Casey Fields, Cranbourne, Victoria.
On the Sunday, 1st April, the AUS has been offered the chance to set up an information/display stand and perform unicycle demos and offer trial rides,. If you are interested in attending as an AUS member, and helping out with this activity, please contact the AUS secretary (aus_secretary@unicycling.org.au) and we will organise a group. Free Darwin '05 T-shirts for all those who help out!
All unicyclists are welcome, so you can still attend the festival, even if you don't want to take part in the AUS activities.
The festival includes seminars and other activities on Saturday March 31st and a social ride starting on Monday April 2nd (see web page OzHPV website ). Saturday events will be at Clyde Hall from 4pm. There will be a Concours d'Elegance where people can show off their bikes to other bike enthusiasts and share ideas, followed by Technical seminars covering a wide variety of topics (including human powered boats), and a trivia night.
Others invited for the festival include those with vintage cycles, hand-cycles, folding bicycles, sustainable transport (Pedal Powered Vehicle Workshop participants), tandems, chopper cycles and pedal-prix (Casey Cardinia HPVCC).
Where: Clyde Public Hall, 30 Railway Road, Clyde. Melway: 134 K11
Racing: Casey Fields, Berwick-Cranbourne Road, Melway: 134 E7.
Nearest station: Cranbourne approx 2km
Public admission to the festival is free, although an optional gold coin donation to assist OzHPV to cover costs is welcome.
Event info is constantly being updated on the OzHPV website: and the Casey Fields website.
Event Reports
Woodford Folk Festival
Thanks to Paul Carr for this report from the Woodford Folk Festival 2006:
AUS riders at this year's Woodford Folk Festival enjoyed an excellent, fun-filled, six days. A cool and wet start to the week supplied some interesting conditions. Daily performances at the busker's 'Courtyard' venue included jousting, sumo, skills demos (mounts, seat to front (back/side), one footed riding, wheel walking etc) and some amazing trials riding from the South Australian contingent.
Afternoon races, slaloms, and formation rides were held on the large hill behind 'The Grande' venue, eliciting some excited responses from the crowd, who were supposed to be watching the band! Group rides around the site led to some natural trials riding around the lake, across bridge handrails, and a few attempts to unicycle under water. The crowd loved it all and the unicyclists had a great time at the festival and enjoying each other's company for six days.
My sincere thanks to everyone who made the effort to come to Woodford and participate including Paul, Leslie, Anita, Owen, Sebastian, Andy, and Valeska from Canberra, Keith and Scott from Wollongong, and Luke, James, and Michael from Adelaide. Thanks also to Toni and Adam for logistical support.
I have posted some photos.
There are a few tee shirts left over (sizes: large, small, and one small ladies cut). I am happy to sell these for $20 each, with funds going to the AUS. All shirts are red with the AUS design printed in black:
Please email Paul at pdc@rsc.anu.edu.au if you would like one...
SINZ Unitour Completed!
On 6th February, 12 riders and their support crew finally rode into Christchurch, New Zealand after 16 days and 900km unicycling round the NZ South Island on (another) crazy unicycle tour organised by Ken Looi.
Congratulations to everyone who took up the Kiwi challenge, including AUS members Barry and Nicholas Clearwater!
See the blog on the SINZUNI website http://www.sinzuni.org for all the gruelling details, and start planning for 2008, when Ken would like you to join him on a tour of Mongolia!