Written by Rowena Paterson

We couldn't have asked for a more perfect weekend with beautiful weather and a top venue. We once again met up at Murrindindi Scenic Reserve, just south of
Yea and about 100klms north of Melbourne.
I was first to turn up Friday morning and by the time I had set up my multi cab OKA and Oztent Geoff & Annette Lloyd turned up in their OKA/motorhome and set up camp behind me.
A few hours later we heard the familiar rumble of an OKA coming down the road. OKA No. 6 (single cab with camper on back) rolled then into our campsite with Geoff & Sandra Wilkinson jumping down from the cabin. Sandra then took off her hat showing off her newly shaved head (only done a few hours ago). Sandra is helping raise money for Cancer Research. We all couldn?t believe the 5 o'clock shadow that was appearing on Sandras head. It amazing how quickly hair grows. Not long after the Wilkinsons arrived we once again heard the familiar sound of an OKA coming down the road. Greg & Maree Boyle & family: Thomas, Phillip, Emma & Robert came rolling into our camp area. The Boyle family has only recently acquired their duel cab OKA so it was good for all of us to check it out for the first time.
It was getting onto dinner time, so we built up our camp fire in the centre of our camping area. I noticed a few Kookaburras hanging around the camp, keeping a careful eye on us as we cooked our dinner.
It wasn't until I was just about to eat that I realised how clever the Kookaburras were. They dived in and took a sausage straight out of my hand even before I knew what was happening. I couldn?t believe it, they were so quick.
After dinner we sat around the camp fire and watched a few Land Rovers and other 4WDs drive in and out of our camp site. We found out later that they were looking for the Range Rover club who were camped at the next camp site. They kept mistaking our camp site for the Range Rover group. Mmmm?. I would have thought OKAs looked alittle different to Range Rovers!!
I decided to head off to bed about 11pm leaving a few people around the camp fire still chatting. I was just about to go to bed when I heard that familiar sound coming down the road. Looking out the window I could see an OKA coming into our camp site with a blue & red flashing light in the window. I jumped out anxious to see who it was arriving this time of night in the pitch dark. It was great to see Geoff Alush & Peita Moss jump down from the cabin of their duel cab OKA. They were trying to scare us with their flashing light. It was there to make us think the police were here to check up on us in an OKA???
Geoff & Peita pulled in behind the Wilkinsons and set up camp. After the excitement of our late arrival we gradually all went to bed.
The next day was perfect weather. The kids were up early and stoked up the fire, which was really nice to wake up to on a cool morning. We all had breakfast with a few of us having a cooked breakfast. We warned our new arrivals (Geoff & Peita) of the little creatures in the trees watching our every movement at meal times. Geoff & Peita were cooking up a storm and were just about to eat when Geoff found a Kooraburra in his hands trying to swipe the bacon. The Kookaburra won the fight flying off with Geoffs bacon.
The rest of the morning was spent sitting around the fire talking, going for walks and fixing the idle on my OKA. Many thanks to Geoff Alush for helping my OKA run alot better.
During the afternoon I went for a ride with Greg in his OKA into Glenburn (a few klms back down the Highway towards Melbourne). Geoff Alush also came along for the ride. It was pretty cool riding in the back of an OKA, something I don't ever get to do.
That night at dinner time many camp ovens appeared around the fire. I was invited to eat with the Wilkinsons as they cooked a roast in their camp oven. It was really enjoyable, thanks Geoff & Sandra.
That night I brought out the Didgeridoo for some entertainment around the camp fire. Sandra played along with the tapping sticks. I didn't realise it at the time but the Ranger Rover club was also enjoying the music.
The next morning a lady from the Range Rover club came over to thank me for the lovely music. Wow, I didn't think the music could travel so far!
Shortly after we once again heard the familiar sound of an OKA rolling into our camp site. Paul Nott & Ian Jones came up from Melbourne to visit us for the day in Pauls dual cab OKA. Ian showed off an OKA sunvisor he recently made. I was very impressed, great job Ian!
Also on Sunday morning Peita made an announcement to the group that she is on the look out for an OKA of her very own. I noticed that Geoff wasn't so keen on the idea of having 2 OKAs parked in the drive way at home. Watch out everybody, there is no stopping Peita now!
After lunch we all started to pack up and head home. Thanks to everybody who attended, it was another sensational weekend.

A few funny things I noticed during the weekend:
1.Peita Moss's foot appearing each morning from their OKA. This was Peitas way of testing the weather before getting out of bed. Check out the photo on the website.

2.It's certainly interesting when camping with a group of OKAs parked around you. You could shut your eyes but you still know they are there, simply by the very familiar sound of the click & clunk of an OKA door. Amazing!!

Please check out the OKA Owners Group website, all photos from the Murrindindi rally have been placed on the website, including a group photo of all of us who attended.