Australian Wing Riders Association (Qld) Inc

I was born in the outback in South Africa in 1960. My parents had a sheep farm and I learned about nature and growing up on the farm to be self sufficient as much as possible from a very young age. We just about grew all the food for the family and the farm workers, except for things like coffee, tea, sugar, tobacco, etc. I also learned to work for what you want to achieve in life and that nothing comes free.
In those days it was compulsory for all boys in South Africa to join the army for a period of two (2) years when they leave school. I completed High school in 1978 and join the armed forces as a result. I was there for 4 years and 4 months and left at the end of April 1983.

I bought my first bike, a Suzuki GS1000 in January 1981. Dad bought a Suzuki GSX1100 about 6 months later. We lived 800 km�s apart, so did not have much time to ride together. My long distance travels started in those days. I remember doing the distance from where I lived to the farm at speeds that exceeded 140 km/hour. In 1983 Dad decided that he does not want to have the bike anymore so naturally, I sold my 1000 and upgraded to his 1100. No, I did not get it, I had to buy it.

A month after I left the armed forces in 1983, I bought a young horse and started to train show horses as a hobby. This was a very time constraining and intensive hobby and I sold the bike. I spend all my spare time training and showing horses all over the country. During the same time, I qualified myself as a computer networking technician and worked for a company who was responsible to maintain the South African Army�s computer network. I lived in a part of the country where I had to travel up to 1,500 km per day, some days, to do maintenance and repairs. Due to these distances, I used to travel more than 100,000 km per year. Working 60-70 hours per week and training horses and teaching young kids to ride horses did not leave me any free time. The highlight of my career as a horse trainer came in March 1985 when I won the South African National Championship with a harness horse.

In June 1988 I met Jeannie on a blind date. We got married in December the same year. After working in the computer industry for 6 years, I decided to try my hand on transport. After we got married, I bought a 30 ton and 40 ton truck and mostly transported livestock, sheep and cattle from farms to the abattoirs. In also transported fresh produce from farmers to the markets. It was not unusual in those days to leave home at 5am Monday morning, going to several farms to collect 600 sheep and leave at 8pm at night, driving right through the night to deliver the sheep before 6am the next morning. Then it was going back home, have a night�s rest and do it again � 3 times a week. It was hard work, long hours and no financial reward. During this time, Jeannie had a General Practitioners practice in the town close to where we lived. We lived on her dad�s farm and I was also running milk dairy. Talk about multi skill, not much sleep and no money.

Elenie, our eldest daughter, was born in April 1991 and Tanya, the youngest was born in January 1996.
In 1991, Jeannie�s dad sold the farm and we bought a supermarket. Jeannie worked for her brother who had a GP practice at the time. She decided to go back to the hospital and University to specialize in Oncology and Microbiology which she practices today. I was running four supermarkets at the time and in 1993 decided to get rid of them and I bought a hotel. Boy, what a nice job that was. Working hours was a bit long from 8am to 2am, 7 days a week. Drinking time was just about the same hours so I did not complain too much. In 1995 I bought another GSX 1100 Suzuki. Jeannie�s brother was a GoldWing rider at the time and imported a GL1500 from the USA. He sold his GL1200 to someone else and traded a GL1100 as part of the payment. I bought the GL1100 from him and that was where my GoldWing riding started.

We left South Africa in December 1996 to move to New Zealand to live there. The intention was to provide a better future for the kids. We lived in New Zealand till February 2000 when we packed up and moved to Melbourne. The �better future� thing did not work out. That�s another story and if you want to know, I�ll tell you over a camp fire and a bottle of scotch. It�s a long story.
We lived in Melbourne for 3 years and then moved to Brisbane at the end of 2002 where we lived for 2 years. At the end of 2004, we escaped the heat in Brisbane and moved to Wollongong.

Now, you would probably ask and wonder why I am a member of The Australian Wing Riders Association while living in Wollongong. In 2005, I decided it�s time to get a bike again. I am a member of GWRRA in the USA since 1996 and was aware of the Australian GWRRAA. In 2006 I send emails to the AWRA, AGA and the GoldWing Club (Melbourne). I received a response from Bevan Bradford, who was on the committee of AWRA at the time. A few days later, I also received an email from another committee member which, unfortunately, I cannot remember. If I remember correctly, it was the president, which according to records, was Clint Lovell. I do however stand to be corrected on this. I did advise him (the president) that I have received a response from Bevan. I exchange numerous email conversations with Bevan about the history of the GoldWing in Australia. Bevan was very helpful in assisting me and telling me what to buy and what not to buy. That was where our friendship started.

I bought the white GL1500 in April 2006. I immediately joined as a member with AWRA and am a member ever since. It was not until the Ulysses AGM in Coffs Harbour in 2007 before I had the privilege to meet a few members. There was a photo of that meeting in the magazine at the time. Jeannie and I have since attended the Christmas party in 2008 at Bribie Island and the AGM in Ballina in 2010. I also had the privilege to attend the AGM in Hastings Point in 2009.
Bill Carter asked me (or rather informed me) at the AGM in Hastings Point in 2009 that he could not really understand what the benefit for me is to be a member of The AWRA. The answer is that I benefit from being between good and friendly people and enjoying there friendship and company. I also informed Bill at the time that I will do my part and organize rides and I do expect a 100% attendance. The first ride was the Dinner in Narrabri in September 2009 and it was a wonderful weekend as everyone that was there would testify. On the way back from Narrabri, I rode with 2 friends who both owned 1800 machines. It was on that trip back home that I decided to buy an 1800. The blue GL1800 came into the house about 3 weeks later. I do not regret it for one moment, however, I do miss the 1500.

I am a qualified accountant and specializing in Self Managed Superannuation Funds and Business Accounting. I have two practices in Wollongong and Nowra which keep me busy. Jeannie work at the local hospital as a Microbiologist (Pathologist). Elenie is first year at University and Tanya is in year 8 at the time of this writing.
I thank every member of the club for allowing us the opportunity to be members of The AWRA and the friendship that you all offer to us. This surely is one of the highlights of our life changing experience immigrating to Australia and starting new lives. May God bless you.