Planning Committee Chair Report 2025
April once again proved to be a month of stable weather, for 39 of our members, to enjoy the walking opportunities along the Surf Coast, with our base at Anglesea.
This year we had a different style of accommodation, compared to the exclusive self-sufficiency of the lodge style with which we have in recent times become accustomed. This latter has become difficult to find for our number of participants, so this year a large holiday park was our home base.
The Anglesea Family Caravan Park is nestled between surf coast beach and the silted up river mouth, enabling choices of walking on the coastal tracks, swimming, or a five minute walk into town for coffee.
It was a well-organized, well laid out and landscaped area, with clean and plentiful amenities, and we experienced a period of relatively low occupancy, which was very pleasant. The many resident eastern grey kangaroos were very watchful of us walking about, but really not moving aside.-. we were the interlopers.
We accommodated 24 members in four cabins, each with three bedrooms and one bathroom, and a further 15 members booked their own caravan sites.
Marita had done a great job of keeping our travelers informed, and on the first evening we met at a new, large, well-equipped camp kitchen, where we had happy hour and dined.
To the rear of the camp kitchen there was a large, unoccupied children’s play room, which we commandeered for discussions about the three levels of mostly circuit walks, in the same area, which Sandie had planned for the next day. This we were able to repeat each evening.
The first day, the Anglesea perimeter walk was offered, second day was Aireys Inlet (Distillery Creek), third day destination was Point Addis/Bells Beach, then two walks instead of three at Lorne/Erskine falls/Kalimna Falls. The fifth day was Aireys Inlet/Urquart Bluff, and finally the last walk was changed from Moggs Creek/Aireys Inlet/ Lighthouse, to Anglesea to Point Addis, due to burn offs.
Our “Intentions Book” was put to good use as a few folk took a “rest” day to pursue other activities available while in the vicinity. The three, self-described “Little Friends”, came back very satisfied from their choice of walking another part of the surf coast. Others chose fishing as a special diversion, or opp-shopping, or finding old haunts and family homes, which pulled a few heart strings.
Each evening Melanie had rostered a catering group, with complete instructions for catering a designated three course menu for the group, including a shopping list if necessary. The elaborateness of the menus had been scaled down due to the limited availability of fridges, and having to share preparation areas.
Two nights we had BBQ and salads, another night we had lasagna, and another was very good take-away fish and chips. Then there was a personal choice night, and our last meal together was at the golf club. This club ran special guided kangaroo tours, and as we arrived there were more than 50 ‘roos to be seen, grazing on a long, very green, fairway below the clubhouse. You could even have your photo taken through a cut out kangaroo.
The evaluation forms had an extra couple of questions this year. People had plenty to say in response to the importance of our goals of finding a place to self-cater, facility to socialize and acceptable sleeping arrangements. Requests for comments in the past, have been less forthcoming. Thanks Marita for the initiative.
The consensus from these showed that our capacity to socialize is extremely important (99%), and several missed having a communal lounge.
Our folk prefer vans and cabins in a park such as this, to be closer together next time.
A few of our newer members asked for people to wear name tags for easier communication.
Several requests were made to have notification before leaving home, of names of all attendees, plus the walks schedules and maps. This is partly to plan rest or excursion days.
Two responses were for the club to ensure all walkers have their own first aid kits, and emergency health information, in their backpacks.
A few comments noticed catering is difficult with so many dietary restrictions.
36 out of 39 forms were returned completed, and of those 88% thought the walks were very good. The accommodation received very good acknowledgement from 89%. The meals provided received an 88% very good vote.
This year, for the first time, our expenses will not be fully covered by our income. This is partly due to unexpected costs such as a parking fee for five cars, and an invoice for printing costs, plus the difficulty of anticipating food costs in our current global economy. The budget is incomplete due to one outstanding invoice at this time.
The week away budget is not intended for profit making, but for each of the last four years 300 – 400 dollars surplus has been deposited in the WRBW account, as a result of rounding up fees and selling surplus supplies, with the intent to cover unexpected contingencies. ($1000 last year.) This has been more complex for 2025.
A consequence of these feed back responses is that the dates for the 2026 week in the Yarra Valley, have been moved forward to 28/4/26 – 5/5/26, thus avoiding school holidays, Easter and Anzac Day. This is another large holiday park, namely BIG4 Park Lane at Healesville. We have booked 6, two bedroom, two bathroom cabins , holding four people each. Marita has sent out to the membership the numbers of the cabins, and the numbers of the powered sites for vans, nearest to the camp kitchen, to enable early bookings of the van sites.
We conducted a straw poll of our gathered company before leaving Anglesea, to find out preferences for future planning into 2027. The Blue Mountains scraped in as most popular, possibly in Autumn. The new subcommittee members will make inroads to researching suitable accommodation, firstly, as we know there are plenty of walks. Peter will initially contact local bushwalking clubs and Parks NSW .
Finally, thank you for the encouragement and collegiality of the members of the sub-committee, who have been a great team for the last three years, to make it all happen.
The new sub-committee consists of Cheryl Hoysted as chair; Marita Samuelsson doing communications, while mentoring Cath Brennan; Shirley Mills catering with Anne Browne, and Peter Davis, who will tackle walks with many willing mentors in the club.
Cheryl Hoysted, 23/4/25