Ulysses group to give huge tourism boost

More than 130 members of the Ulysses RV Club are set to converge on Cobar next week which will give Cobar’s tourism economy a huge boost. ▪ Photo contributed
More than 130 members of the Ulysses RV Club are set to converge on Cobar next week which will give Cobar’s tourism economy a huge boost. ▪ Photo contributed

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cobar’s tourism economy is set to get a big boost when more than 130 members of the Ulysses RV Group converge on Cobar next week for their Annual General Meeting.

Rick Bedford, the national coordinator of the Ulysses Members RV Group said members were very much looking forward to visiting Cobar next week.

“Our event is being held at the Cobar Caravan Park where hosts John and Karen Dineen, and staff have promised that our stay at their park will be not only enjoyable but also one to remember for long into the future,” Mr Bedford said.

The Ulysses Members RV Group is an offshoot of the Ulysses Club Inc. (for motorcyclists over 40 years old), which came about in late 2007 when a few of riders realised that as they grew older, many were quitting riding due to a number of reasons.

“Some were no longer feeling confident when riding as old age crept up on them, or ill health meant that they could not embark on club rides any more,” Mr Bedford said.

“We decided to form an RV club for members of the Ulysses Club to enable those members to still maintain the friendships and camaraderie that had formed in their younger years in the Ulysses fellowship, providing rallies and events for them to travel to in the RV’s and catch up with old friends and make new ones.

“Our very first rally took place in Brooms Head, NSW in March 2014 where 34 Ulysses members gathered to validate the embryo club that had existed online since November 2007.

“At that first meeting we decided that to join the RV Club you had to be a member of the Ulysses Club at the time of joining, and that our club management would be very informal.”

The group only has two rules: Rule 1 Come along and have a great time; Rule 2 There shall be no other rules than Rule 1.

Mr Bedford said members plan to spend a week looking around Cobar before their meeting on Saturday morning and then join in the Festival of the Miner’s Ghost celebrations over the weekend.

A host of events have been planned to welcome the Ulysses members including a bus tour of the town and mines, a pot luck dinner, a barbecue catered by the Rotary Club of Cobar, catered breakfasts and camp oven dinners.

He said the dinners will of course by followed by “compulsory Happy Hours” which seem to happen every afternoon when a bunch of caravanners and motor-homers and camper-vanners get together.

There were 55 members at their first AGM in Cowra in 2008 and that number has grown over the years.

“Over the week of our event you may see us wandering around the town in our bright apple green shirts, spending a bit of money and enjoying everything that Cobar has to offer, so stop us and say g’day.

“Like most people of our age, we all enjoy a chat,” Mr Bedford said.