Woo hoo!!
| And we slide hands raised and whooping with triumph out of September and into October!! 😊 Excuse me for my enthusiasm but the end of September and into the October Long Weekend has been the craziest ride. The greatest part of it is that the Bina Team didn’t do it alone. For weeks now we have been pushing, along with others, to make the Park ready for the weekend, the finale of the major bike riding season. It’s been a hard slog and truthfully, we weren’t on track to make it and then… Guests arrived!  Specifically, Jason & Co into Cabins 1 – 4. Long time visitors, these families came in to ride and did that and so much more. As per tradition in their five days onsite, the kids took charge of the Rec Room and spent quite some time sprucing it up and making it usable for the vacation’s planned activities… such a blessing. And the wives… the behind-the-scenes planners of fun activities like blindfold, squeaky-shoed blow-up bat hunts for example… I actually missed that night’s party but Peter said it was a hoot to watch… and listen to. Ladies, it was lovely to meet and chat with you. And then… the guys…  The work these guys did in such a short space, whilst still enjoying family and holiday, was amazing. Alongside Peter, they built a new part of the deck on 1 – 4, helped restore the Pine Run and Big Tabletop to a usable level, schooled Peter on the bulldozer and re-seated the septic tank for the Top Campground. It was a couple of day’s whirlwind of activity and it was epic.  And as they left on the Thursday, leaving the Park and us so much more prepared, we opened doors for the Long Weekend.  We went from no usable amenities for camping to three for the weekend in a way we hadn’t foreseen. The Top Camp toilets, thanx to the week’s work, became functional and with a bit of cleaning, we had our first guest stay across the weekend; a single camper without a bike, he came to simply enjoy the bush that is Binacrombi’s setting. The lower Camp toilet by the river, near the Chapel, was resurrected also when an air blower was bought for the septic and installed. Ta-dah! And last, but certainly not least, the arrival of a couple of blokes who decided that The Junction Camp was for them and then cleaned the toilets there, getting them usable (albeit with buckets of water for the cisterns). Legendary effort!  On top of this, the weekend was filled with guests coming and going and staying and behaving… It was absolutely wonderful. Lots of bikes and wheels and dust and laughter and enjoyment…  Now into our second week of holidays, just into October, the Park still has some wonderful guests onsite. Special mention to a group of new, first-time-campers that came for one night yesterday and left today. Camped by the river, it was a joy to introduce newbies to the bush and the Abercrombie River. Peter and I stood on the verandah of cabins 1 – 4 this morning, pausing in our cabin prep, listening to birdsong, the wind, the river and the chatter and laughter of these new campers with great joy.  With a few days of hotter weather, swimming has been added to the list of activities and we’ve had fisher-people and bush-lovers… We still have a couple days of hot weather before the temperature plummets and we get some rain but truthfully, it’s been such a great few weeks. And we got here because Binacrombi is more than a dirt bike park, more than a place to bring the family for a great holiday. Binacrombi, the true heart of the Park, is about community. It’s about getting people together to share experiences and life and even a bit of hard work if they’re so willing. It’s about being what we have dubbed… Friends of Binacrombi. This idea is one that allows… no, invites, you not to just to holiday but to help sculpt and build and create a better Park for yourself, your family & friends and for everyone else that has, and will, visit. It takes the enormous task of maintaining and running the Park and allows others to understand and feel the true nature of the Park and really be able to ‘get their hands dirty’ in a way that leaves a lasting legacy and often great stories… like the one’s I’ve been telling. If you’re interested in the concept of becoming a Friend of Binacrombi and want more information, then contact Father Dave, Amanda or the Park Manager, Peter, and start up a conversation.  Finally, some caution… As we head into the hotter weather, please be aware that bush fires are a reality. We’ve already had our first alert only 30km’s NW and whilst it was handled swiftly by the incredible Rural Fire Service and quickly doused, it was a telling reminder that bush fires are very real. Have fun, enjoy the Park but always listen to what the staff are telling you and know that we will always do our utmost to keep you and your family as safe as possible.  Looking forward to meeting you on your very own Park adventure… Pauline 😊 |