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.
NEXT RALLY
Our next rally will be held in the northern New South Wales town of Macksville.
Enter: 29 April
Leave: 6 May
About Macksville
Macksville, the location of our next rally, is an attractive service town located on the banks of the Nambucca River 12 km south of Nambucca Heads (roughly half way between Sydney and Brisbane) and just 3 m above sea-level. It is a fishing and oyster-farming centre which services a productive area noted for its bananas and other tropical fruits, along with vegetables, grazing, dairying and timber. Today, Macksville is a place where people driving north and south along the Pacific Highway stop for a break either at the Star Hotel or in the delightful Lily Pond and Rotary Park. We held a very successful rally in Macksvile in 2011.
Location
Macksville, located on the banks of the Nambucca River in northern NSW, is 3 metres above sea level and 474 km north of Sydney via the Pacific Highway.
Sport and Recreation
Macksville has a strong sporting history. Each November it holds NSW's oldest professional foot race, the 120m Macksville Gift. Macksville is known for its passion for rugby league and has been the home of Group 2 Rugby League club Macksville Sea Eagles since 1912.
Origin of the Name
There is something delightfully simple about the origin of the name. Two of the early settlers were Angus Mackay and Hugh McNally. They built the Star Hotel. Not surprisingly when a village was established it was called 'Mack's Village' and from there it was a short step to Macksville.
BUSH CAMPS
If you love 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.
