St George Rally forms will be on the Forms/Info page towards the end of October.
Enter: 19 May - Leave: 26 May (7 nights)
More about St George 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.
. . . will be held in the Queensland town of
St George
Enter: 19 May, Leave: 26 MayABOUT ST GEORGE
St George is a Queensland town (and locality) about six hours (500km) west of Brisbane. It is a broad-acre farming district on the western edge of the Darling Downs. More: www.stgeorgeregion.com
As well as the town of St George, which boasts a population of around three thousand, the Ballone Shire Council also administers Ballon, Dirranbandi, Hebel, Nindigully, Mungindi, and Thallon each of which is located on a waterway so there’s plenty to see and do.
Sir Thomas Mitchell gave the town its name. A plaque outside town explains:
'At this spot on St Georges Day - April 23, 1846 - Sir Thomas Mitchell crossed the Balonne and established a camp calling the crossing St Georges Bridge. This was the origin of the town St George.'
Our rallies are run by volunteers, including the Rally Manager who controls the content and 'flavour’. Each one is managed by a different manager, and this helps to keep them fresh, and new. We never quite know what we’re going to get, but as the date approaches there are always plenty of hints at the fun and games in store for us.
The Dinner/Dance is the highlight, and each one follows a particular theme which usually sets the tone of the rally. We’ve had Bad Taste Weddings, School Days, Red and White, Back to the Bush etc., and The theme at St George will be Medieval so: druids, dragons, dungeons, and damsels.
Please be aware that our rally rules are set by our parent body, the CMCA Ltd., and are intended to try to keep everybody happy.
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.
