Penola Rally forms are now on the Forms/Info page.
(Enter: 11 October - Leave: 18 October)
More about Penola Rally
RALLIES
Our rallies, usually held twice a year, are a week long and filled with fun, friendship and frivolity and members travel from all over Australia.
They are typically held in the show grounds or rodeo grounds of small country towns. Our goal is for the town to benefit from our input— both socially and financially and they have always been a huge success. Rallies are a highlight of our life as Solos– it is wonderful to catch up with old friends, as well as building networks and establishing new friendships.
Our first rally of the year is held in Feb/March/April... and could be anywhere in Australia. The second is held in Spring; Sept/Oct, and is traditionally held before, and near, the CMCA* rally. We hold general meetings during both, with the Annual General Meeting at the later rally— Spring.
A rally manager is appointed and he or she recruits the rally team who are in charge of organising an exciting program for us: entertainment, food, dance, music lessons, seminars just to name a few. But, if you'd rather, you can just chill out and do nothing . . . just sit and watch the rally go on around you.
The rallies are themed, and the ball night is a 'dress-up' (almost) costume party, so be prepared to bring your own zany outfits and see what others have created; the crazier the better. It is the fun and laughter that helps keep us young.
*Our parent body.
OUR NEXT RALLY
Our next rally will be held in the South Australian town of Penola.
Enter: 11 October — Leave: 18 October
ABOUT PENOLA
Penola is a South Australian town, located about 388 kilometres southeast of the state capital of Adelaide in the famous wine growing district known as The Coonawarra.
It is just fifty-one kilometres from Mt Gambier, the site of the CMCA Rally to be held from the 22nd to the 29th of September.
In 2021 the town of Penola had a population of 1,376.
The area has been producing stand-out wines for over 120 years and has a well deserved reputation for high class red wines particularly cabernet sauvignon. Discover the town's fascinating history on the heritage walk or relive the days of yesteryear in historic Petticoat Lane. Penola is also the home of Australia's first saint, Mary McKillop, and the special centre honouring her life is well worth a visit.
THE COONAWARRA WINE REGION
The Coonawarra in South Australia, is one of Australia's most significant and internationally acclaimed grape growing and wine producing areas. Along the road from Coonawarra to Penola there are a total of 30 wineries. This is the result of an unusual situation where there are beautiful red soils (terra rossa) stretching for 14 km and lying on top of limestone.
ORIGIN OF THE NAMEIt is widely accepted that Coonawarra comes from a Bindjali Aboriginal word meaning 'wild honeysuckle'.
PREVIOUS
A recent rally was held in Tara, Queensland. We got up to all the usual shenanigans, including a Bad Taste Wedding, and a murder mystery- Who stole the Crown Jewels?
But words can't capture the camaraderie, the relaxed atmosphere, or sense of family that comes with being a part of the Solos. Click here and join via our Forms/Info page.
BUSH CAMPS
On the other hand, if you love just sitting around a camp fire in a bush setting, cooking damper and hearty meals on the coals, and relaxing with friends in a friendly environment, then a Solos bush camp will certainly appeal.
Bush camps are usually held between our two rallies, providing a more relaxed opportunity for Solos to get together. They typically run for 5-6 days in a rural setting, with minimum facilities. Vehicles need to be self-contained with enough capacity to cover the period of the camp.
A Camp Manager is appointed to organise each camp, promote it to members and take registrations. They gather information about resources in the area, local attractions and tours, and put together a program of activities that people might want to join but if you're happy to just sit around the fire that's fine too.
FORWARD PLANNING
We are in a position now, to provide planning information – something that has never been achieved before. This will allow members to make plans for their travel well into the future.
These plans, however, are still subject to COVID-19 regulations, which may not allow us to bring these events to fruition. We must be prepared for adjustments to this schedule if necessary.
