clubMINI at Certified III presented by 100mm at Birrarung Marr

100mm presented Certified III Melbourne Automotive Festival.

clubMINI Victoria attended the 3rd event held at  Birrarung Marr Park on Sunday 1st NOV 2015 by 100 Millimeter.
This festival showcased approximately 200 of some Australia’s best custom vehicles. The event program also included the key elements of a car custom work, lifestyle culture of todays trend and preference.
Some of Melbourne’s best Food Trucks and Stalls where on site to feed the masses. To top off the day, live bands, DJs and dancers provided entertainment. With some shopping opportunities at the many display stands on site.

MINI Garage Melbourne provided giveaways for the club members in attendance and also generously provided T Shirts for those who exhibited their cars on the day.  In total there were 10 MINIs on display, ranging from a Cabriolet, to R56 S and JCW variants, a Coupe and even a MINI Challenge Car. Lastly one of the latest line ups to the MINI range with a F56 S in attendance.

The day started early, with the owners of the display MINIs up at 5:30am.. down at Birrarung Marr to get the site set up.

Owners of the display MINIs L-R Damien, Jerrod, Evans, Jen, Tony, Rob, Jeff, Andrew and Peter (not pictured)

clubMINI Victoria Committee members were on hand to share information about our great club, the cars and also the regular events held. Was even a raffle for club members, with prizes generously donated by MINI Garage Melbourne on Kings Way.

There was  a spectacular variety of cars on show, best captured by photos of course. See below.

A MASSIVE thanks to the clubMINI members that brought their cars to display and of course our friends at 
MINI Australia and MINI Garage Melbourne (aka Kingsway) Thank you!

100mm from Amanda on Vimeo. 

*Photos by Amanda and Damien

BMWCCV Driver Training Day at DECA in Altona

On June 13th BMWCCV (BMW Car Club of Victoria) held a driver training day at the Altona DECA facility, kindly inviting clubMINI along to attend.

Three clubMINI Members and their MINIs (and one 220i whilst the owners respective MINI is in the panel shop) hit the skidpan to put their cars and skills to the test.

 Drivers were able to experience several different courses throughout the day, each focusing on a particular skill, with a trainer offering some advice on completion of each run.

If this sounds like something you'd be interested in, keep an eye on your inbox for an email from the Events Secretary,  BMWCCV will be holding another event like this later this year. 

And don't forget clubMINI are also planning our own Motorkhana too. More info coming on that one soon.

More photos can be viewed in the clubMINI Flickr page click here

Motor on!

2 Minutes of Fame - Club President Craig Webb

Name and clubMINI committee title -  Craig Webb  clubMINI President

How long have you been in clubMINI for?  Since August 2007

What MINI(s) do you have, what color is it and how long have you owned it?  Just one, MINI 2007 Cooper S - Lightning Blue with white roof/stripes, chequered mirror caps (also has the GOK4RT plates - editor)

Have you modified your MINI, if so what have you done to it? Not really a mod, changed from white Bridge spoke wheels to Sidewalk's

What is your favorite song to listen to when driving your MINI?  Too many to name

So if MINI didn't exist, what would be your next choice?  Money no object, Porsche 356 (pre-A), F series 911 RS ducktail, 930 or any 911 really...  (editor approves! )

So you find a genie in a bottle and she grants you one brand new MINI, which one do you choose? Just one, I thought I got 3 wishes, 2014 JCW GP, JCW Hatch, JCW Coupe   (our genie is stingy - editor)

What other cars do you have?  I also drive a 2010 Nissan X-Trail

First car?  1970 VW Beetle, white, worked 1640cc, lowered, chrome 356 replica wheels  (ahh can see the air-cooled love started here - editor)

 This is Craig, be sure to say Hi when you see him at the next event!

April 19 2015 - Lilydale to Pancakes

Rain, hail, more rain... a bit of sunshine, more rain... and more rain... rain rain and some wind and rain. That pretty much sums up the April 19th run from a weather standpoint.

It takes more than some lousy weather to keep the clubMINI team down.  Sure we had to take things a bit slower (like under the speed limit slower in some spots) but the roads were still great, the company was great and our MINIs are great regardless of the weather!


It all started at Lilydale McDonalds. From there we drove around the back of Lilydale and onto Beaconsfield via some really lovely twisty roads.

At Beaconsfield Upper having a short break

From Beaconsfield Upper the troupe continued onto the Pancake Parlour at Doncaster for refreshments where the cruise finished.

Another fantastic run organised by Peter Williams.

Photos courtesy of Momoe Photography.

Beechworth Bakery Cruise

Confusing I know, but we didn't end up in Beechworth, we ended up in Healesville,  I shall explain.

It's 8:15am on a magnificent summer morning, and the Diamond Creek McDonalds car park is full of MINIs.  Blue, silver, red, black.. you name it, even yellow MINIs were all present. 


*Photo by Momoe Photography

Black R58 JCW Coupe
*Photo by Momoe Photography

I mentioned it was a stunning morning, starting off with some fog which lifted as we drove through rolling hills, tight corners all whilst sharing the roads with our cyclist friends

*Photo by Momoe Photography

Sixteen MINIs in attendance, a fantastic turnout that managed to turn heads everywhere we drove.

Here we are having a little break about 90mins into the drive at Kinglake
 



*Photo by Peter Williams

Yellow MINI representing!
*Photo by Peter Williams

From here we headed to Healesville to have breakfast at the Beechworth Bakery in, yes you guessed it Healesville. It's actually one of six stores in Victoria.

 *Photo origin unknown taken from the internet - thank you

From here, everyone did their own thing before heading off home.

This was another fantastic run organised by the Events Director, Peter Williams. Thanks for a great morning Peter! 

To view more photos from this run - click here

 

Feb 7 2015 - clubMINI Photo Shoot

Time to get artistic!  The time was 7pm at Bivio Pizza Bistro in Kew. MINIs, with their owners, tripods and cameras ate some Pizza and then jumped into their 'go-karts' ready for some long exposures.

The backdrop was the Melbourne City Skyline - looking stunning as always. We all know Melbourne is like the BEST city in Australia.. but I digress..


*Photo by Peter Williams

MINI's posing

*Panorama by Peter Williams


*Photo by Momoe Photography

Light Painting - Achieved by dragging a strong light source over your subject during a long exposure
*Photo by Peter Williams 

And finally a stunning GP JCW R56 MINI Cooper with Melbourne as the back drop
*Photo by Momoe Photography

To view the entire gallery on Flickr go here 

Jan 17 2015 - Strawberry Farm to Phillip Island Cruise

Today's clubMINI cruise began at the Sunny Ridge Strawberry Farm in Main Ridge on the Mornington Peninsula. Eleven MINI's and their owners, well erm the owners at least.. picked strawberries, looked under bonnets  and chatted about MINIs, MINIs, maybe the odd BMW until they hit the road for Phillip Island at 9:30am.

The next stop, after some twisties of course, was at the Nobbies on Phillip Island. And then to the Beach for a photo shoot...
 The lovely summer sun was out in force, making for some great photo opportunities!


I agree.. this is is a HOT JCW! Then a pit stop in Cowes for lunch and a gentle cruise home. 

*Photos by Momoe Photography. The entire gallery can be viewed on Flickr by clicking here

clubMINI Picnic in Ballarat - January Fun!

What started as a grey day ended with a lovely drive, beautiful hot sunshine and a picnic by lake Wendouree, Ballarat. 9 MINI's made their way to Werribee South for breakfast at Wyndham Cache, who coped wonderfully with 15 people turning up unannounced! The cars looked great parked next to the lake with our new banners on display!

clubMINI at Lake Wendouree