Saturday 6 June We all met at Yan Yean Reservoir to kick off our Kings Birthday Long Weekend adventure to Echuca. With 16 cars and 28 members, plus four children along for the ride, it was already shaping up to be a fantastic trip. It was wonderful to see everything from historic classics to modern hybrids and full bettry electric vehicle lined up and ready to roll.
UHF radios on, smiles all round, we set off toward Tahbilk Winery for our first rest stop. A few photos, a little wine tasting, and plenty of laughs later, we were back on the road and heading to Nagambie Distillery for lunch. What a venue, delicious food, brilliant service, and a gorgeous view over the lake. We even had a bit of free time to explore the town, although we missed the market by just 30 minutes… my timing wasn’t perfect, but the company made up for it.
From there we cruised to Rushworth, a charming historic town and a great spot for more photos and a quick drink. Next stop was Girgarre, where the new botanical gardens were a lovely surprise, peaceful, beautifully designed, and another perfect backdrop for car photos (as always!).
We rolled into Echuca and checked into the Mercure for the weekend. I’d arranged dinner onsite for the first night, so no one had to travel, and it was lovely having the restaurant to ourselves. We handed out a few missed presentation‑night awards, enjoyed a great meal, and watched new members start forming friendships. The kids were absolute superstars, beautifully behaved and a joy to have with us. After a big day, everyone headed off for a well‑earned rest.
Sunday – Choose Your Own Adventure
Sunday was deliberately relaxed so members could explore at their own pace. Graeme and I decided to visit the Torrumbarry Weir, and a few others had the same idea. While we were there, we got chatting to a young fellow who’d been out on his jet ski. Half joking, we mentioned going for a spin… next thing I knew, he’d called his boss and I was getting ready to hop on!
No wetsuit, no swimmers, just me, fully dressed, removing only my good jumper, socks, and shoes. I was sure I’d end up in the lake, but they looked after me like royalty. And what an experience — 118 km/h and only wet toes! I’d never been on a jet ski before, and it was absolutely brilliant.
Back in town, we wandered through the shops before boarding a 4 pm paddle steamer cruise. If you’ve never been to Echuca, it’s full of history, great cafés, and charming little shops, you could spend days exploring. The cruise was a highlight, with a fantastic commentary from the skipper.
Dinner that night was at the 1895 Royal Hotel, and this one was fully covered by the club thanks to the RACV regional grants we’re fortunate to receive each year. We sometimes top it up, but that’s what our club is about, giving back to our members and supporting regional communities. Another wonderful night of great food, great company, and great stories from everyone’s day out.
Monday – Homeward Bound
After a good night’s sleep, most of us met in the car park to begin the journey home. Two cars stayed behind, one for an extra relaxed day in Echuca, and another heading west to SA for more exploring.
Our first stop was Rochester to admire the incredible silo art. We’ve done several silo art trails as a club, and these are still my personal favourites. After the obligatory photos, we continued to Colbinabbin for morning tea and more silo art (and yes, more photos). Hot drinks and cake hit the spot perfectly.
From there, a few cars peeled off home early while the rest of us continued to Redesdale for lunch. We stopped just before town at a beautiful historic bridge where Peter went ahead to capture photos of every car crossing, a magic moment. The pub welcomed us early with true country hospitality, huge servings, and delicious food.
After lunch, everyone made their own way home, wrapping up another fantastic long weekend away with both familiar faces and new friends.
Why Our Trips Work So Well
The beauty of our weekends away is simple: You can do as much or as little as you like. Nothing is compulsory, our itinerary is a guide, not a rulebook. We love seeing members explore on their own or join in with the group.
We’re also thrilled with how well TourBoss is working for us. The trip notes popping up along the route, combined with UHF radios, mean members can travel at their own pace, stop for photos, or take detours without worrying about getting lost. The app keeps improving, and it’s making our adventures even better.
Join Us Next Time
If you haven’t yet joined one of our away weekends, have a look at our upcoming events, we run at least two a year, some longer than others, and they’re always memorable.
Thank you to everyone who came along and made this weekend such a joy. Here’s to many more adventures together.
Jo Mawson #2
Well, it certainly doesn’t feel like we’re slowing down for winter, and with the fantastic attendance at our events, why would we! May was another bumper month for BMW Drivers Club Melbourne, full of great people, great cars, and plenty of laughs.
2 May – Murder Mystery Presentation Dinner What a night! Our Murder Mystery Dinner sold out quickly and absolutely lived up to the hype. Almost everyone dressed up and got right into character, which made the whole evening a huge amount of fun. It was something completely different for us, and it gave our events team a rare chance to relax and enjoy the night too. And who would have guessed our Treasurer, Lawrence Glynn, would end up being the murderer classic! Of course, the main purpose of the night was to present our annual awards, and it was wonderful to congratulate our winners in person.
9 May – Traction Tyres/Yokohama Drivers Championship Round 3 at Sandown Another great day at Sandown, with one of our members completing his OLT and becoming a new racing driver. These days are perfect for licence testing and always full of excitement. The day started a little damp, but the track soon dried out, and fun was had by all.
16 May – Bunyip to Kilcunda Drive Our afternoon start proved popular again. We began with afternoon tea at the beautiful Lady Lavender’s before splitting into two groups for another brilliant Peter Williams drive through Gippsland. We had comfort stops, photo opportunities, and even picked up a few extra cars along the way. The weather was perfect mid‑20s and sunny, so a few convertibles enjoyed the day with their roofs down. A special highlight was seeing a young L‑plater confidently lead the second group. It’s moments like these that make me so proud of our extended BMW family. We ended the day with a lovely dinner at the Kilcunda Hotel before heading home.
17 May – National Motoring Heritage Day A soggy start didn’t dampen anyone’s spirits. We still had a great turnout and a great drive, proving once again that our members are a hardy bunch. Thank you to the Geelong Motoring Enthusiasts Club for inviting us to join their drive for National Motoring Heritage Day.
27 May – Coffee & Chat Drop‑In Night These casual evenings are becoming a favourite for a small but enthusiastic group. A relaxed night of cars, coffee, and conversation what more could you want.
31 May – Coffee & Cars at Pier 35 A few of us attended this event hosted by Classic Car Owners of Victoria. A fantastic venue with room for lots of cars and a great café. A very enjoyable morning out.
Events Coming Up
With such a busy May, things will ease slightly as we head into the cooler months, but our events are still going to be fantastic.
June
• 6–8 June – Monarchs Long Weekend Echuca Trip
• 24 June – Coffee & Chat (Geelong area)
• 27 June – Fox Museum
Mark Your Diaries
• 5 July – Traction Tyres/Yokohama Drivers Championship at Phillip Island
• 9 July – Members Meeting at Waverley BMW
• 19 July – Christmas in July
• 26 July - Winton Festival of Speed Race Meet and 50 Years of M3 Car Display
• 30 August – Come & Try Calder Park
• 30 August – Parade Laps Thunder Dome
• 25 October – Oktoberfest
• 18–22 November – Challenge Bathurst (Officials Required)
• 12 December – Christmas Show & Shine Family Picnic
• 11–14 February – Bathurst 12 Hour
• 18–21 March – BMW Clubs Australia Nationals (BMWDCNSW)
• 24 April 2027 – Variety Stars on Track – Calder Park
These are just the events already booked, with some still waiting to be released. Bathurst 12 Hour will sell out quickly, especially if Max Verstappen comes to the Mountain. Accommodation is already disappearing fast, so make sure you’re booked and deposit paid.
Keep an eye out for more exciting events as they’re finalised.
Club Updates
We have a new social media person joining us this week, so expect a fresh new look across our socials.
We’re also very pleased to have filled most of our sub‑committee roles, giving our hardworking committee more time to focus on what they do best. Look out for more roles coming if you are interested in assisting us.
Our Winter Merchandise Sale is now on, with great bargains available. Pre‑orders are essential check the website and grab something at the next event.
A Personal Note
Thank you all for your kind messages regarding my health. On Thursday 28th we had a follow‑up visit with the oncologist, and he is very happy with the results of the treatment and follow‑up scans. So, it looks like the months of treatment and discomfort were worth it. I can’t express my appreciation enough for the doctors, nurses, and support staff at Peter Mac and Monash Cancer Centre for their wonderful care over the last six months. And of course, Jo her support and love through it all has been amazing. To everyone who called or messaged, you don’t know how much it helps to have such a great support network.
Jo and I have a few short trips planned over the coming months, something we both really need. Time to relax, finish my recovery, and get back to enjoying life.
Hastings is open again, but I may not be there every day, so please don’t just turn up. With appointments and some time off coming up, we may be closed on certain days or weeks. A quick call to Jo or myself will save you a wasted trip. Thank you for your understanding it has been a challenging time, but we are slowly getting back to normal.
I want to thank every one of you for making the start of 2026 such a strong and enjoyable one for the club. To those who stepped in when needed, and to those who kept an eye on Jo while she nursed me back to health your support means the world.
Looking forward to seeing you all at the next event.
BMW Drivers Club Melbourne Inc.
PO Box 81, Tyabb VIC 3913 Incorporated in Victoria #A0102695G BMW Drivers Club Melbourne Inc is a member of: BMW Clubs Australia and the BMW Clubs International Council Motorsport Australia Affiliated Motorsport Club
National Motoring Heritage Day is an opportunity to get as much of our motoring heritage in front of as many eyes as possible.
Whilst some choose to celebrate the day with static car shows, the preferable option is to have vehicles on the move, going past those who do not attend car shows.
To make such a cavalcade work the cars involved, at least at the front, need to be obviously "heritage" (ie classic, not neccesarily vintage!) which most BMWs with their timeless styling are not!
In my role as a committee member of the Association Of Motor Clubs (AOMC - Victoria's peak body for motoring clubs) I have assisted my local Geelong Motoring Enthusiast club extend their monthly coffee and cars style meeting (which coincides with NMHD) into a cavalcade.
This year we drove past two of the main "cafe strips" in Geelong and Torquay to the Aireys Pub, in diminished numbers due to threatened heavy rain which did not eventuate until after the event was finished.
Nonetheless, we attracted a reasonable amount of attention and enjoyed each others company whilst having a nice cruise.
Lawrence Glynn #3
This drive was something a little different, starting later than usual with a lovely late‑lunch and afternoon tea at Lady Lavender’s in Bunyip. Many of us arrived early to wander the beautiful grounds before stepping inside to what felt like stepping back into the 1800s, a charming, old‑world tearoom serving a proper English Devonshire Tea (or Cornish, depending on whether it’s jam first or cream first). The scones were freshly baked and absolutely worth the wait, with fruit, plain, and of course lavender varieties to choose from.
After tea, we gathered in the car park, surrounded by a stunning line up of BMWs including a fully electric BMW, which is great to see, with a perfect without having to recharge. We had a few special guests: a gorgeous Jaguar, a Mercedes, and a BYD. It’s always wonderful to see members bring their “other” cars out to enjoy the day, too.
Once the drivers’ briefing was done, we split into informal lead and rear groups. Peter led the front group, while Graeme and I took the rear, although technically, young Ben ended up leading our group in his Dad’s L‑plated BMW E39 540i. And might I say, he did an exceptional job. I handled the radio calls in our car, but Ben was our true lead car, and it was lovely watching his confidence grow throughout the afternoon. A big credit also goes to Simon, his Dad, who was the perfect instructor in the passenger seat. Well done, Ben! You made us all proud.
Ben said of his day, “It was a fun day, seeing all the nice cars and fast BMWs lined up. The roads were nicely winding, and it was a great driving experience. I enjoyed leading the second group. The pub at the end of the drive was great, and a nice dinner to finish the day. It was fun to see everyone, and I look forward to the next drive”
We made a couple of comfort stops and took a few photos along the way. A few cars left us part‑way through, but we also picked up a few more, so our numbers stayed steady.
The weather made the day even better, a perfect Victorian autumn afternoon in the mid-20s. A few convertibles had their roofs down, soaking up the sunshine. The roads were exceptional, winding through some of the most beautiful scenery this part of the world has to offer. With Ben leading, Graeme and I even had a chance to relax and enjoy the countryside, another thank you to Ben.
We all arrived at the Kilcunda Pub, with the first group about 15 minutes ahead and already ordering. Some of our group headed home from there, while the rest of us joined the others for a wonderful evening of good food, great company, and plenty of laughs.
One of the things that makes me so proud of our club is the families who join us, kids in the back seats, kids on the radios, kids learning to drive with confidence and care. Young Tilly on the UHF today was a delight. When the next generation wants to be part of our events, we know we’re doing something right.
A quick reminder: we strongly encourage everyone to have a good-quality UHF radio, ideally 5 watts and, if possible, with an external antenna. It makes a huge difference to communication and helps keep the whole group safe and together.
Thank you to everyone who joined us, our new members, our regulars, and the families who trust us enough to let their kids take the wheel on these drives. And a special thank you to Peter for organising such fantastic driving roads. He and I make a great team. He handles the route planning, and I take care of the bookings and make sure everyone gets where they need to be on time.
Graeme and I thoroughly enjoyed this drive, and it was wonderful seeing him looking so well and enjoying everyone’s company. We’re already looking forward to the long weekend in June for our next club adventure.
Thank you all for making today such a memorable and happy day out.
April has been an absolutely outstanding month for our club, filled with community spirit, fantastic attendance, and some truly memorable events.
I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved together and grateful for the support I continue to receive as my health improves. It has been wonderful to be back out at more events, seeing familiar faces and enjoying the camaraderie that makes this club so special.
3 April – Good Friday Appeal Display, Black Rock
We kicked off the month with our annual Good Friday Appeal Cars and Coffee/Display, proudly supported this year by Christopher George from Flavours Patisserie in Black Rock. We had a capacity turnout, with members and the public coming together to raise much‑needed funds for the Royal Children’s Hospital Good Friday Appeal. The generosity shown was heart‑warming, and I thank everyone who attended, displayed their cars, or donated. We raised over $1800 on the morning, going straight to the RCH Appeal. Your support truly makes a difference. This was my first event back out in the world after three months of treatment and it was wonderful to get back out and see you all again. Thank you to everyone that came up and said “hello”.
7 April – Geelong Area Coffee & Chat
Our Geelong Coffee & Chat night once again proved why it’s one of our most popular social gatherings. Members dropped in and out all evening for a warm drink, a chat, and plenty of laughs. It’s always a relaxed, friendly night, and we love seeing both regulars and new faces.
26 April – Variety Stars on Track
Our major event for the month and one of the highlights of our entire year was the Variety Stars on Track Ride Day at Sandown. This event has been a long time in the planning, and thanks to the help of some truly amazing sponsors and volunteers, we pulled off something incredibly special. Thank you to Jo for all her hard work, long phone calls, late nights, emails while sitting in hospital waiting rooms, all done while caring for me. After all the expenses to run the day, we managed to donate $9000 to Variety to help their work with looking after sick and disadvantaged children in the community. So very proud of everyone involved in the club and the Motorsport Community that came together for this wonderful day.
Some of the sponsors that need a big thank you were BMW Australia, Waverley BMW, Wurth Australia, Shannons, Evolve Technic and Andy Hall’s Cup Car Engineering that took people for Hot Laps in between the kid’s sessions. Club member, Peter Knight, needs a very special mention too, your push to bring this event to fruition and benefaction of the day was the inspiration for such a wonderful event, Thank You!
We were joined by several car clubs, creating a spectacular display of vehicles from all marques not just BMW which was a real treat for the eyes and ears. The atmosphere was electric, with smiles everywhere you looked.
A huge highlight was the arrival of Will Brown from Red Bull Racing, thanks to Wurth, who generously gave his time to sign autographs, talk and take photos with people and then take guests for hot laps in his shiny new Mustang was amazing. The excitement he brought to the day was unforgettable. Will is truly a great ambassador for Wurth and Red Bull Racing.
Our lunchtime Course Car Parade Laps, proudly sponsored by Waverley BMW, were another crowd favourite. They supplied two stunning course cars to lead the laps, and once again, the smiles said it all. Our Parade laps are always popular, and this time was no different, needing 4 separate parades to accommodate everyone.
If you missed this year’s event, please mark 24 April 2027 in your diaries, we will definitely be doing it again, and we plan to make it even bigger and better next year.
Upcoming Events – May & Beyond
Membership & Personal Update
Our membership continues to grow every month, which is a testament to the strength and reputation of our club. I am also pleased to share that my health is improving steadily. I’m now attending more events and truly looking forward to seeing everyone out and about again. Your support during my illness has meant more than I can ever express.
Thank you all for your dedication, enthusiasm, and friendship. Let’s keep building on this month’s momentum and make the rest of 2026 just as memorable.
Stay safe, enjoy your driving, and I hope to see you at an event soon.
Read the report here
A brilliant day we called the Variety Club ‘Stars on Track’ - a high speed ride around the Sandown race track for lots of sick and underprivileged children and their families in conjunction with Variety - the childrens charity.
The day was only possible because of a huge contribution from volunteers, drivers with their cars and officials and our generous sponsors :
BMW Group Australia, Waverley BMW, Shannons Insurance, Wurth Australia, Grip Auto watches, Josco Australia, Evolve Technik, Bell Motorsport, Cup Car Engineering.
And especially Peter Knight, you are amazing.
Without you all we couldn’t have run such a wonderful event.
Thank you to Will Brown for coming down to Melbourne to join us on the day too, with thanks to Wurth. You were very generous with your time and are such a great ambassador for Supercars and Red Bull Racing.
We had over 120 kids and their families having the time of their lives with over 100 cars taking kids for rides.
As well as cars on track we had lots of amazing cars on display, including some of the "Variety Bash" participants in their wacky vehicles bound to raise a smile.
For the adults we had some great raffle prizes and proper hot laps.
Thank you to all the clubs and club members that came along to help on the day, you are amazing!
VFT, as always there helping out with flags, all the Variety people helping get kids in and out of cars.
It was huge!
We couldn’t have done better with the weather too, just a perfect Melbourne Autumn sunny day.
With all the costs of the event accounted for we have donated $9,000 to Variety Victoria to continue their amazing work with the kids too. Well done everyone for coming and making it such a success.
We will be back again next year bigger and better!
Jo Mawson #1 and Lawrence Glynn #3
Dear Jo, Graeme and the BMW Drivers Club Melbourne community,
On behalf of everyone at Variety – the Children’s Charity, thank you for your extraordinary support in delivering the inaugural Variety Stars on Track.
The day was truly special. What stood out most was the spirit of community — people coming together to create an experience that many of our children and families never imagined possible. The smiles said everything.
For many children, this was far more than a day out. It was a moment of confidence, joy, and connection that will stay with them for a long time. The care shown by your drivers and volunteers made a profound difference.
We’ve received overwhelmingly positive feedback from families and wanted to share a few reflections with you:
“Tanner and I would like to say a massive thank you to everyone involved in making the day so amazing at Sandown. He was very hesitant at first, but the amazing and supportive staff helped him feel comfortable. He ended up going in with me and had a great time. Thank you for including us in such an amazing day.”
“I wanted to express my sincere appreciation for the incredible experience my child had. The level of care, professionalism, and confidence you instilled made a remarkable impact. Chase absolutely loved it. Seeing the confidence and excitement it brought out meant so much.”
“The staff were so lovely and helpful, and the driver was very attentive. We were both grinning the entire way. Thank you for such a wonderful event — a once‑in‑a‑lifetime chance.”
“I just wanted to say a huge thank you to everyone involved with this event. It was an awesome day. I took my grandson, who has Cerebral Palsy, along with my friend and their child, and they had an absolute ball. Everyone was so kind and friendly, and the cars were incredible. My grandson rode in a Mini and was so excited. It was truly a magical experience and one they will remember for a long time. Thank you from all four of us — you do an amazing job.”
Alongside the experience itself, the $9,000 raised is an outstanding result. These funds will directly support more Victorian children living with disability, illness, or disadvantage, extending the impact well beyond the day.
We’re incredibly proud of what was achieved together. This was a genuine partnership and a powerful example of what’s possible when communities come together with a shared purpose.
Thank you again, and we look forward to building on this success with you next year.
Warm regards, Pete, Jodie & Ella Variety – the Children’s Charity
Issue 1 for 2026 of the BMW Clubs' World magazine produced by the BMW Clubs International Council is here
All official BMW clubs are part of the BMW Clubs International Council, represented by delegates from the regional and umbrella organisations - BMW Clubs Australia in our case.
Here is the report made to the BMW Clubs Australia AGM by our International Delegate - Bob Williams from BMW Drivers Club NSW.
The Royal Children's Hospital Appeal on Good Friday is a long established tradition. We have made a Coffe and Cars style event at Flavours Patisserie raising funds for RCH a club tradition.
Now based at the Black Rock store we had the run of the Woolworths supermarket car park for the 60+ cars that turned up during the morning and the 100+ people who visited for varying lengths of time.
This new location provided more passing traffic which resulted in a greater number casual, or curious, drop ins - mostly on foot but some by car.
As is our style, non-BMWs were welcome too and we had some truly fabulous cars on show.
Our talented events team were on hand to rattle collection buckets and Joesphine Holliday organised a brilliant range of great raffle prizes - helping us reach a total at the venue of $1772, $2,000 to date for the event overall.
Of course, it was not just about fund raising, there was excellent food and coffee from Flavours and many conversations. It was a great event to catch up with some of our members who are otherwise busy with their lives but can break away on a day like this.
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