Vol 1, No 6 Editors:

December, 1962 Ian Carron

Len Shearer

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Once again this year the M.S.A.V. is to present the orphans of the Salvation Army Boys’ Home at Bayswater with a Christmas Treat. Any of our members who have attended this function know what it means to the kids, who would otherwise have nothing for Christmas. But we do not only need our own club members to come along to this worthy cause. An open invitation is extended to all scooterists who ride a machine of over 100 c.c., regardless of make, and whether driven by male or female. Even if these riders do not wish to actually join the M.S.A.V., they are still welcome to come along for a few hours on this date. What we actually do is this: Over the Melbourne Cup weekend we worked as traffic controllers and parking attendants at the Ferny Creek Rhododendron Festival near Fern Tree Gully. From this we earned an amount of money, all of which is donated towards the treat. Toys, soft drinks, ice cream and sweets are purchased for the boys (ages range from 6 to 14 years). They are also presented with a Santa Claus. Following the distribution of these items, the boys are then taken for rides on the scooters. This is carefully supervised and undertaken at low speeds, for safety’s sake. The more energetic members then play the youngsters in a very short football or cricket match. The number of lads to be entertained varies from 45 to 60. We are at the home from approximately 2.00 p.m. to 5.00 p.m., three very short hours which go very quickly for the boys. Therefore, the more scooters that are present, the more fun the boys will have. If you can spare a few hours for someone less fortunate than yourself, then come along by all means. If you have a spare helmet or can borrow one for the day, then bring it along too, as we all want all the boys to be protected by them when travelling as pillions. This event is to take place on Saturday, December 8^th. We are meeting at Alexandra Avenue at 1.00 p.m., and proceeding to Mont Albert Tram Terminus to meet other members at 1.30 p.m. We would like to have you with us for the afternoon. Enquiries can be made to Mr F. Carron, 38 Valentine Street, Ivanhoe, Phone JX 2776, or to Mr Alex McLean, 524 Brunswick Street, North Fitzroy, Phone JW 7184.

We extend our thanks to Mrs J. Tompson, for her donation of £1 towards the Christmas Treat at Bayswater.

Three Sydney part-time university students, riding 175 c.c. Heinkel scooters, recently completed at 15,000 mile Round Australia tour when they arrived home on July 30 after an absence of ten weeks. They are Ken Travers, a science and engineering graduate now employed by a gas company; Michael Fraser, of Mosman, and Trevor Rutter, of Paddington, both Arts Degree students. All three are only 22 years of age and are members of the Metropolitan Scooter Club of Sydney. Primarily a sight-seeing tour, the route closely followed the coastline of Australia but made provision for some quite long inland detours to places of interest. The towns visited, in order, were Bathurst, Wagga, Tocumwal, Adelaide, Port Augusta, Port Lincoln, Ceduna, Eucla, Norsman, Kalgoorlie, Albany, Bunbury, Perth, Geraldton, Carnarvon, Onslow, Marble Bar, Port Hedland, Broome, Wyndham, Darwin, Tennant’s Creek, Alice Springs, Ayers Rock, Mt. Olga, Camoweal, Mt. Isa, Cloncurry, Normanton, Cooktown, Cairns, Mackay, Rockhampton, Brisbane and back to Sydney.

The scooters, with o.h.v. 4-stroke engines, of 329 lb. unladen weight, carried (with its rider) a load of 450 lb. CASTROL oil was used throughout the whole trip. Interest in the scooter "marathon" was intense and before the trio left Sydney on May 19 they received such essential equipment including food supplies (canned), blankets, waterproof suits, fruit juices, portable gas stove, electric shaver, Yakka overalls, Porta-gas, Plastalon suits, etc. The Heinkel scooters were purchased from Taylor’s, of Newcastle, in April. Travers, the club captain, is an experienced scooter rider with some 150,000 miles behind him. Fraser and Rutter are also "old hands", having taken part in a non-stop scooter record in 1960. Enthusiasm will be gauged from the fact that Travers, unable to travel to Newcastle with the other two to take delivery of his scooter, rode up one night during the week from Sydney, arriving at 10.30 p.m. and rode the new scooter back immediately on the coldest night of the month, clad only in an ordinary suit.

All three machines stood the test remarkably well. The only serious mechanical trouble was experienced by Travers, who lost the engine drain-plug in the Kimberleys (Western Australia). The engine was repaired at Wyndham, but unfortunately the valves were replaced back-to-front and the motor had to be rebuilt at Katherine (Northern Territory). The scenery in northern Queensland was described as magnificent — something that one had to see to appreciate. Roads, however, were of the bullock-track variety and a severe test for both rider and machine

Reprinted from the "Australian Motor Cycle News",
August 24, 1962 (The Green Horr).

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Friday, November 30: Club Social, Club Hall, 8.00 p.m.

Sunday, December 2: Combined Club Excursion to Carrum Beach. M.S.A.V.,

Vespa Club and T.M.S.C.A. will participate. Meet Alexandra Avenue, 9.00am.

Saturday, December 8: Christmas Treat to Boys’ Home. Meet at Alexandra Avenue 1.00pm, or if closer, Mont Albert Tram Terminus, 1.30pm.

Friday, December 14: Our 7^th Birthday Party Night, Whitehorse Inn, Balwyn.

Tickets 25/- single, available from Secretary.

Sunday, December 16: Another trip to the beach — as yet unnamed.

Saturday, December 22: Night at trots, showgrounds. Meet at Alexandra Avenue, 7.00pm.

December 23: Christmas Camp begins. Details from Peter Philferan.

Friday, January 4: Club Social, Club Hall, 8.00pm.

Saturday, January 5: Night at Tracey’s Speedway. Meet at Alexandra Avenue, 7.00pm.

Friday, January 11: Night at Albert Park Table Tennis Centre. Meet at Alexandra Avenue, 7.15pm.

Sunday, January 13: Rosebud for a swim. Meet at Alexandra Avenue, 9.00am.

Weekend, January 26-27-28: Camp to be arranged at Torquay or Lorne.

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14 machines gathered at Alexandra Avenue to begin our "new beach just found" excursion on Saturday afternoon, November 17. A new face appeared by the name of Alex Safran (we’ll have to call him Alex No. 2). He rides a 175 c.c. Lambretta. After leaving Ron L. and Len to fix Ron’s Lambretta’s points, the main bunch proceeded to Rickett’s Point, where we met Alex No. 1, and also Ray and Anne in Ray’s VW. Ron and Len caught up and we went to the water’s edge for our swim. Once again all the girls (except Wendy K.) proved themselves to be the weaker sex, when Ken K., Ron D., Jerry, Peter and Len went for a swim, if that was what it could be called. The rocks and seaweed made it very difficult, but we did get our ankles wet. Following this, 14 of us decided to go to a drive-in theatre for the evening. Unfortunately, most people decided on a different meeting place, different theatre, different meeting time and so on. Arrived at the Preston drive-in to find "house full" anyway. Returned to Burwood for the late show and settled there quite comfortably (?) Wish it had been "house full" there too. — Len.

Or perhaps a dry-out, as we all had to do after the initiations ceremony. Dear friend Danny showed her talents with a grand display of water-throwing after the lights went out. The hall looked like a swimming pool afterwards. We were pleased to see a few new faces there, too. First was Rex O’Keefe, who owns a Lambretta. Second was Hans Bongers, an ex-member of the T.M.S.C.A., who rides a Vespa. Speaking of Vespas, it was nice to see Margaret and Doreen along again. They both now have 125’s. Last time we saw them was at the September three-clubs social. We extend a raucous welcome to these people. Janet B. and Tom B. were also present; nice to have these friendly inter-club relations. Mr and Mrs Munro made their first club appearance as such. Richard entertained us with a blindfold game, and we had a few slides shown (mainly of Maurie’s wedding and the Healesville Sanctuary, not to mention our night at the ice skating in August). Danny tried to teach Peter W. how to twist; but then we couldn’t untwist him. A number of us went to supper after the club supper, where we behaved in the usual elegant manner. Met an old member there (Alec Crombie). He has sold his Diana and now murders a model FJ Holden. Getting married next year he tells us — another one that can be claimed by the club, as he met Heather on a weekend camp with the club at Balnarring in January this year.

If any Lambretta owners have removed the rubber strip from their leg-shields and have had trouble replacing it, then soak it thoroughly in a solution of soap and water. The suds will make the rubber pliable and it will slip into position without a great deal of effort.

On Sunday, November 25, 14 scooters gathered for our trip to Belgrave. Amongst these were two new faces, namely Laurie Edgar from Adelaide (now living in Melbourne), and Cynthia Noble (Vespa G.S.), who hails originally from New Zealand. We extend a warm welcome to these two people. The trip through to Ferntree Gully was uneventful, except for meeting the Vespa Club. Nice to see we doubled their numbers. We spent an hour or so lazing around at the lookout tower, stretched out in the warm sun. The fine weather certainly brought out the camera bugs — Alex, Anne, Cynthia, Rae and Rex were snapping all and sundry. Hope we see all the results at a club social sometime. On proceeding to Belgrave we met Dennis and Libby W., and we all boarded "Puffing Billy" to go to Menzie’s Creek. It was a pleasant trip apart from smoke and soot coming in through the "windows", but we all enjoyed it. Left for home at 3.30 or so and made our own individual ways from Dorset Road. A group of us met Ron F. and Elaine W. at Vermont, where the usual chin-wag took place. Arrived home in good time, that is, still daylight.

Maicoletta, 250 c.c., bright red duco, pannier bags, good tyres. Mileage approximately 25,000. This machine has more trophies to show for itself than any other in our inter-club sports. Enquiries to Mr Ian Carron, 38 Valentine Street, Ivanhoe, Telephone JX 2776 after hours.

Lambretta, 1960 model, 125 c.c., good duco, 8,000 miles on speedo (genuine). Owner going overseas early next year and must sell. Price £150 or nearest offer. Enquiries to Miss Joyce Goldsmith, 12 Panorama Avenue, Highett, Telephone 95 3013.

Vespa 150 c.c., Reconditioned motor, tyres very good. Price £110. Enquiries to Mr Jerry Seifert, 114 Riversdale Road, East Hawthorn.

The parking duty and traffic control at Ferny Creek was once again a successful club "do". The three days we were there gave us many tears, many laughs, and many new words to our vocabulary. It may go better to report on each day separately, as follows:

SATURDAY: Fourteen scooters turned up to help make the tangle worse than what it should have been. Noticed very early that Rae was flirting with the male species; even walking hand-in-hand with one of them after having met him only five minutes beforehand. I think a three-year-old is just a bit too young for you though, Rae. "Where’s the road to the Olinda show?" someone asked Len. "Down there, there’s a fork in the road. Ask the bloke at the gate", replied Len. "And don’t run over the fork, you’ll get a flat tyre", broke in Alex. All round, the day itself was fairly slack. They were all waiting for Sunday, we all thought. They were.

SUNDAY: Altogether, 17 machines put in an appearance. Margaret, Len and Mr Carron had a grand time putting up a great length of rope as a fence. Ever tried to throw 100 yards of rope over a limb 10 feet high? Don’t. Then there was Rex, waving madly and shouting that he had enough space for two or three cars. Ken K. sent him ten. "Where will I put them all?" he cried in desperation. To which came the reply "Hang ‘em on a sky-hook". Rex went for afternoon tea. Actually, it was fairly peaceful up until 2.45 pm. Then the mad rush started. Everybody wanted to come in. Nobody wanted to go out. They all wanted to park in the shade. Len got a flat tyre. Someone led a pack of other someones out the back gate. What a mess. Finally sorted out the cars and called it a day.

TUESDAY: Twelve machines and several car loads of us set out for the last day. We appreciated the help given by Lynn and her brother; also two married couples, Dennis and Libby Weaver, and Maurie and Joyce Munro. Ron F. "had a ball" riding everyone else’s machine around the arena. Co-editor Ian was enjoying himself too, touring the place on Richard’s Diana. Tom and Janet from the Vespa Club also lent a hand. This is an example of true scootering club spirit. The morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea were appreciated by all (especially as they were free). Over the three days we were asked dozens of times what "M.S.C." meant on our club jackets. Here is a rough list of the ones which I overhead:

One group of people, after watching Jerry and Ron F. performing at the main gate (yelling, blowing whistles, waving, running, jumping, sweating), decided on the name "Melbourne Society of Chimpanzees". -Len