Home
About Us
Bits and Pieces
Buy & Sell
Committee
Links
Newsletter
Photo Gallery
Ride Calender
Rode On
Supporters
Tips & Tricks
Yarns & Cartoons
Note Post

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Ulysses Club is an Australian Social Club that caters for the needs of the 'more mature' motorcycle rider. The club has been established since December, 1983 and is the largest club of it's kind in the southern hemisphere.

bullet

how it all began

bullet

Ulysses AGM venues

bullet

founding members of Lake Macquarie

bullet

meeting venue

bullet

club macquarie website link

bullet

local council website link

How it all began

The Ulysses Club for older motorcyclists, the largest organization of it's kind in Australia, is now a familiar part of this country's riding scene. The original suggestion for a club for over 50's motorcyclists was put forward in a letter by Stephen Dearnley published in the August 1983 issue of Bike Australia. This drew two significant responses: one from Rob Hill, a reader at Albion Park NSW, who suggested the present name and motto for the club: the other from Peter Thoeming, then the editor of Bike Australia who sketched the logo and offered support from his magazine if Stephen could get the club off the ground. This was done at an inaugural meeting in Sydney on 6th December, 1983 when the five people present approved a basic constitution and the Ulysses Club was duly formed.

From that tenuous beginning it has never looked back and the club now boasts a large and extensive network of members throughout Australia.

Why Ulysses ?

The name comes from a poem of the same title by Alfred, Lord Tennyson. It tells how the great Greek hero Ulysses, now middle-aged and securely in charge of his kingdom of Ithaca, is getting bored with things around him and longs to go adventuring again with his shipmates of old. It describes very well indeed the sort of person who still has enough spark to go on riding into middle and later years. Too long to quote here, you will find it in any good poetry anthology such as the Albatross Book of Verse.

What Does it do ?

It publishes a quarterly newsletter, Riding On, which contains information about forthcoming events, provides a forum for members' news and views and carries articles on topics of interest to members of the club.

The club has grown to over 120 branches spread throughout Australia, and continues to grow. Those branches arrange rides and social functions for the club members in their location. By joining the club, a member can choose to attend any branch, branch ride or function of their choice. As well, there are sister clubs in New Zealand and South Africa, and fledgling branches of the club in Canada, Germany, and hopefully in the near future the U.S.A. and U.K.

Each year, club members from all around Australia, as well as some from overseas, travel to the designated location for the Annual General Meeting, an event that has grown from a campover, meeting and meal of the early days, to a major event spanning over a week, and incorporating involvement by the major motorcycle manufacturers and suppliers putting on trade displays and test rides of the latest machinery, a Grand Parade through the town or city, several nights of various entertainment, Friday and Saturday night social events, a church service and of course the official meetings and ceremonies.

Throughout the year, members raise the club banner at rallies and events around the country as a focal point where members and their friends can join in good companionship. Our "Old Man" logo, which has been preserved from it's original hand drawn form as our registered trademark, is recognizable throughout the country and club members wear it with pride.

What are its aims ?

bullet

·  To provide ways in which older motorcyclists can get together for companionship and mutual support.

bullet

·    To show by example that motorcycling can be an enjoyable and practical activity for riders of all ages.

bullet

·    To draw the attention of public and private institutions to the needs and views of older riders.

Who can join ?

Any lady or gentleman who is over the age of 40, and who holds a current motorcycle licence, or who is a regular partner of such a person, and over 40, is eligible to join. Until you reach the grand old age of 50, you will be a "junior" member, but with full membership rights and privileges. It's just that you might have to help some of the "seniors" off their machines sometime!

There is a joining fee of $20, and 3 year membership is mandatory, currently at $60. This we feel gives a considerable incentive to long term survival ! (overseas members incur additional charges.)

How Do I join ?

Contact any Lake Macquarie Committee member and you will be provided with the necessary  membership application form - please note that membership fees are on a 3 yearly basis.

The History of Ulysses
 
DATE                      NUMBERS          COMMENTS
Mid 1983                    -              Beginnings of club
6 Dec 1983                 5              Club inauguration with general meeting, 
                                                following December 83 issue of Bike Australia  
                                                magazine with article by The Bear and logo
 
7 Feb 1984                 11             AGM #1
End Feb 1984              25      
May 1984                   41      
Sep 1984                    75+     
Dec 1984                   100+          Ol’ number 1 puts newsletter out as Riding On
 
9 Feb 1985                   -             AGM #2 at Tumut - 79 members attend
Jul 1985                       -             Bike Australia rally attended by 38 Ulyssians
Sep 1985                   250+    
Dec 1985                   300+    
 
18 Feb 1986                  -            AGM #3 at Tenterfield - 120 attend
26 Apr 1986                500+         Membership goes onto computer
End 1986                    700+    
 
28 Mar 1987                800           AGM #4, with 9 branches in 5 states
End 1987                   1300           New Zealand members form a branch
 
Apr? 1988                  1500           AGM #5
 
End 1989                   2000           (plus 900 in NZ)
 
1990                         2600   
 
Oct 1991                   3000+   
 
23 Mar 1992                 -               AGM #9 at Jindabyne – 830 members attend
End 1992                   4000            16 branches and groups
 
End 1993                   5000-   
 
30 Apr 1994                  -               AGM # 11 at Alice Springs – 400 to meeting,           
                                                   1200 for evening meal, 750 bikes in parade
Mid 1994                   5700              10 branches and 14 groups
End 1994                   6300    
 
End 1995                   8000-   
 
Mar 1997                      -                 AGM #14 at Wagga Wagga – 2500 registered
 
End 1998                  13,000              2560 new members in the year
 
End 1999                  13,517              New members joining at rate of 7 or 8 per day
 
1 Apr 2000                    -                  AGM #17 at Nuriootpa SA – 3300 for evening   
                                                      meals, 803 members for actual meeting
End 2000                  15,000+             (Financial members)
 
End 2001                  17,000+             (Financial members) nearly 100 groups & 
                                                      branches
 
23 Mar 2002                  -                  AGM #19 at Mt Gambier – 4000 for evening 
                                                      meals, 1000 bikes on the ride
 
Mar 2003                   21,374              AGM #20 at Mudgee – 4842 attended (31,668 
                                                      memberships issued)
 
End Oct 2004             24,920              Secretary’s report (38,396 memberships issued)
 
(excerpt from Ol' No 1 's Book)

Ulysses Club Inc. Annual General Meetings



2009 Penrith
2008 Townsville
2007 Coffs Harbour NSW    NEXT
2006 Cradle Coast TAS
2005 Canberra ACT
2004 Geelong VIC
2003 Mudgee NSW
2002 Mt Gambier SA.
2001 Southport QLD.
2000 Nurioopta SA.
1999 Cairns QLD
1998 Bunbury WA
1997 Wagga Wagga NSW
1996 Hobart TAS
1995 Toowoomba QLD
1994 Alice Springs NT
1993 Shepparton VIC
1992 Jindabyne NSW
1991 Glenelg SA
1990 Broken Hill NSW
1989 Wollongong NSW
1988 Nambucca Heads NSW
1987 Narrandera NSW
1986 Tenterfield NSW
1985 Tumut NSW
1984 Sydney NSW

The Lake Macquarie Branch has been around for nearly as long as the National Ulysses Club itself, starting just after the Ulysses Club’s AGM at Nambucca Heads in 1988, and many of the original members of the group are still actively riding and telling tall tales of bravado

Founding members included,
John Downes,
Arthur Charlton,
Ian Burnett,
Gordon Collins,
John Young
and Bob Grunsell.

 

From the depths of John Lydiard’s memory the first meeting was a barbeque at John Downes house. The first ride was to Lake St. Clair near Singleton, and as there were no meetings back then, the decisions for the following ride was made during breaks on the ride of the day.

 

The original Newcastle group split into the Lake Macquarie, Lower Hunter and Central Coast Branches of today.

 

 

 

Meeting places for our branch over the years have included Morisset RSL Club, Toronto Workers Club, and the current venue of Club Macquarie, originally the Sulphide Welfare Club, right next to the  railway station.

 

 

                                        Club Macquarie

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Septuagenarian motorcyclist, Andy Grennan (our Branch Patron), started mid week rides on a Wednesday, which later moved to Thursday's and you then had the task of keeping Ron Quinn in sight.

 

I remember looking at the feathered edges of Ron’s rear tyre and wondering whether he scraped the heads off his BMW let alone the foot pegs!

 

Lake Macquarie Ulysses Branch has been directed by, John Downes, Cliff Pallister, Ralph Hughes and Charlie Hughes. Our current leader is Terry Sharp.

 

We have many interesting characters in our group, ex dirt and track racers, motorcycle mechanics and, as with Charlie Hughes, an original member of  the "Wild One’s" (Spot Mob) motorcycle club, that used to cruise the streets from Wallsend and beyond in the mid 1950’s.

 

The Lake Macquarie Ulysses Branch members own and ride a wide variety of motorcycles, so there is always something interesting to look at.

 

So, if you have an interest in motorbikes and little to do on the third Saturday night every month, come along to Club Macquarie at Cockle Creek, Boolaroo (next to the railway station) and meet some of the Hunter's friendly motorcyclists and Ulysses members

Ian Parks

 

 

 

Lake Macquarie

 

 

There are long sun drenched golden surfing beaches, a vast blue saltwater lake, four times the size of Sydney Harbour and beautiful green majestic mountain backdrop.

Lake Macquarie is the first port of call when visiting the Hunter, the largest coastal Lake in Australia

A full run-down of accommodation, maps and how to get here is available from

 

Lake Macquarie City Council

 

Last Updated  17-Jun-2008