Inaugural OZBENZ NATIONAL MEET !!! Canberra 22-23rd of September 2018

[John Green]

OZBENZ National Meet 2018

DSCN1185.JPG

After over 15 years of typing to each other across a number of different electronic mediums, it’s about time we actually all meet up and checked out each other’s cars in person.

So your admin team have made arrangement for us to display as a recognized club at the ACT car clubs German Auto Day on the 23rd of September 2018. A full weekend is planned including cruise’s, a dinner and the ACT German Auto Day where we will hold a show and shine event with a real difference. The weekend is open to all OZBENZ members, everything from beat up daily drivers to wild modified and Concours prepared examples are welcome.

OZBENZ HISTORY

On the 02 May 2002 at 16:08:38 OZBENZ came into being with its first ever post. This makes OZBENZ one of the oldest online Mercedes-Benz groups around. Since then the technology has changed and so have the various online platforms that we use. Today OZBENZ is a community spread across Facebook, an online Forum and Twitter.

Whilst there have been a number of state based meets, we have never had a national meet. So much like OZBENZ is a relaxed informal group of Mercedes-Benz enthusiasts, we will be holding a relaxed informal weekend of events for enthusiasts.

The schedule, Saturday 22/09/2018

- BYO Lunch Cotter Reserve – The Cotter Reserve is a great meeting point to start off this weekend. There is plenty of parking, BBQ facilities and a great playground for younger Mercedes-Benz enthusiasts. We will meet at 12:00 - 12:30pm.

https://www.environment.act.gov.au/park ... ter-Avenue


- Paddy’s River Rd cruise – Around 2:30pm we will head off on one of the ACT’s iconic drives, heading south on the Paddy’s River Rd to Tharwa. Those interested in tourist attractions we will be passing the Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex and the Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve.

- OZBENZ enthusiasts dinner – To be held in the style of the MB Spares Spanners and Sausages nights, with gourmet sausages from our local butcher. Held at the MB Spares workshop 16 Lyell St Fyshwick from 6:30pm. This is the only catered event of the weekend at $5.00 per head and as such will require a formal RSVP to the e-mail address below by the 19th of September to attend. BYO drinks and kids are most welcome.

"https://www.facebook.com/pg/MBSpares/ph ... 6958593399


Sunday 23/09/2018

- Early Morning cruise – the morning will start with a cruise around some of Canberra’s landmarks winding up at Pialigo where the German Auto Day is held. We will leave at 8:30am sharp from the front of Old parliament House. Arrive early for a chat and to pick up your route instructions.

- ACT German Auto Day – OZBENZ will be displaying as a separate group to the Mercedes-Benz club of the ACT at this years German Auto day. The event is held at the Pialligo Estate on the banks of the Molonglo River with all cars required to be in position by 9:30am. Catering is available onsite supplied by Pialligo Estate.

https://www.facebook.com/events/151189515575275/
https://www.thepialligoestate.com.au/


- OZBENZ Show & Shine – As part of the display we will be awarding prizes in a very different style of Show & Shine. We are still working on the categories, but they will definitely not be the traditional style of awards. Awards will be made at 2:30pm allowing interstate members time to head off home. Sydney is 3hrs down the road and Melbourne around 7-8 hours ideally with 2 drivers, so you can be back at work on Monday. Brisbane and Adelaide guys you might have to take a day off!

Accomodation – Canberra offers a wide range of accommodation for all budgets. If you need any assistance with accommodation options please contact us here.

For more information see the pinned posts on Facebook and on the Forum. We look forward to meeting you and sharing your passion for the three pointed star.

The Facebook event notification is here: https://www.facebook.com/events/291885414889336/

[KimB]

Wow! Thanks John!

Cheers,
Kim

[AMG]

Spread the word to all your Mercedes-Benz enthusiast friends.

It's really about participation. It matters not what your car looks like, it's about enjoying it and in like-minded company.

No heavy-duty "concours" pressure.

The main thing is to come along for as long as you can - be that a day, or the weekend, or even just a drive if you can't make it to the main event.

More importantly, don't leave the Missus at home unless she really loathes your passion for Mercedes. There are a number of alternative things for the ladies to do if they don't want to talk about cars - so if you need to bribe the missus with a weekend of shopping and floriade or some culture at the national gallery, visit the Australian War Memorial, or take the kids to Questacon, it's all quite easy and relaxing - and the whole family can make the most of the weekend.

It's really going to be a heap of fun, and a guarantee that you're going to make some new friends as well as renew old friendships.

Get cracking...

[T-Modell]

Hi guys,
I wish you a lot of fun ... even if I wanted to do a short trip down under, I won't make it in September ... schedule is full.

Looking forward to pics ...
Thomas

[John Green]

It's really about participation. It matters not what your car looks like, it's about enjoying it and in like-minded company.

That's exactly what it's about. IMHO one of the major failings of the "approved" MB Clubs is there lack of appeal to people who drive old bangers, but actually love them just as much and the guy who has some immaculate late model AMG. In my mind what make you qualify to display your car at any MB event is that you love it and that you enjoy it.

This Facebook post on teh event sums this up rather well:

Captureffff.JPG

The "Green Bean" is a rather scruffy looking 380SEC.

[420 SE]

Would love to be there and while I will be closer to Australia that weekend than I usually am, will be in Singapore, I won't be able to jet down under...

Hope it all goes well.

[rx22nv]

If I have this right, Looks like this and the Sydney German auto fest are on the same day.

[TheMadRacoon]

If I have this right, Looks like this and the Sydney German auto fest are on the same day.

"So your admin team have made arrangement for us to display as a recognized club at the ACT car clubs German Auto Day on the 23rd of September 2018"

[John Green]

If I have this right, Looks like this and the Sydney German auto fest are on the same day.

"So your admin team have made arrangement for us to display as a recognized club at the ACT car clubs German Auto Day on the 23rd of September 2018"

Sydney German Autofest and the MBCNSW Concours are on the 28th of October.

[John Green]

We are working on the trophy categories for the OZBENZ National Meet. We aren't planning on the usual cleanest engine bay, best paint, etc. Rather some that are a little unique like oldest driver, youngest driver, etc.

So here is your chance to suggest some other categories. We have 8 trophies to give away. (want to guess what they are?)

[oz coz]

Hi John,
Quite a few years ago I saw a movie in Sydney titled(I think) "We get mail"( there are a few with this title). It was about a group of email friends and their attempts to actually meet up. Despite many attempts it seemed impossible, even when one died with no one turning up at the funeral. So maybe one prize should be for the most active Ozbenz "poster" who agrees to come and actually turns up.

[John Green]

Hi John,
Quite a few years ago I saw a movie in Sydney titled(I think) "We get mail"( there are a few with this title). It was about a group of email friends and their attempts to actually meet up. Despite many attempts it seemed impossible, even when one died with no one turning up at the funeral. So maybe one prize should be for the most active Ozbenz "poster" who agrees to come and actually turns up.

I like that idea. "Most active forum member who attends. We would like to make the catagorie easy to decide and avoid complications. Thing like this one and youngest/oldest are easy to judge.

[rx22nv]

If I have this right, Looks like this and the Sydney German auto fest are on the same day.

"So your admin team have made arrangement for us to display as a recognized club at the ACT car clubs German Auto Day on the 23rd of September 2018"

Sydney German Autofest and the MBCNSW Concours are on the 28th of October.

Thank you for that. Looks like I had come across last years dates.

[brycedunn]

Suggestions for prizes:

- oldest car
- slowest car
- car that travelled the furthest to get there
- highest mileage
- car that is voted the most surprising to have made it there
- car with the most bumper stickers
- rarest model by # made
- biggest age gap between car and driver

[GrampiansMerc]

other catagories:

Most unoriginal
Interesting accessories

[xtfer]

I like Saggiest SLS as a category...

Did anyone propose Highest Mileage?

[John Green]

Screen signs have started to to go into production. If you are attending we need the following:

Model
Year
Owners Name
Some short interesting info.

[markb]

Unfortunately having just returned from o/s travel and starting new job, I won’t be heading up to CBR.

Hope you guys all have a blast, get clear weather and please post lots of pics. !!

Cheers
Mark

[John Green]

Quick video of some of the cars from yesterday.

https://www.facebook.com/1451313689/vid ... 814775448/

[gazman]

Maybe something for those of us non facebookers

[John Green]

Maybe something for those of us non facebookers

I posted it to the MB Spares page as that anyone can see it? Just click on the link.

[John Green]

And here are the photos from today. The winners of the various awards are at the end of the pictures.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set ... tn__=-UC-R

[John Green]

Short video of the cars

https://www.facebook.com/MBSpares/video ... 726924806/

I will post some pictures direct to the forum tomorrow.

[John Green]

Saturday lunch at the Cotter Reserve.

[John Green]

Video of Saturday lunch, not quite all the cars as we were a bit spread out.

https://www.facebook.com/1451313689/vid ... 814775448/

Sorry, but you have to have a Facebook account to view it. Should have thought about doing a second one for the Forum guys.

[markb]

Great video and photos JG...and glad to see a few ‘southerners’ made it up there