It s Nearly That Time Again

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1 October Newsletter 2 Maryborough, November 22 25, 2007 Highlights Scrutineering Supermarket on-site Site improvements Maroondah and Maryborough Qld events Traffic Changes Federal Election during EBT (see p8) INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Scrutineering 2 Ian Rogerson; Musings 3 Display & Presentation; Pushcarts; Waste Capital Works 5 BreakFEST; Traffic 6 Other Events 7 Federal Election 8 4 re you ready for the A 2007 RACV Energy Breakthrough? This year promises to be one of the best Breakthrough s with over 300 teams entered from country and metropolitan Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania, New South Wales and Queensland. It s Nearly That Time Again There has been a great deal of work taking place in school workshops over the past few months as teams get ready for this years event. There are a number of new schools entered and many returning for their annual Energy Breakthrough campaign. This year we have Nanango State High School the winner of the Maryborough Technology Challenge held in Maryborough Queensland joining in the secondary HPV event. We look forward to welcoming the team from Nanango and hope that they enjoy the experience. The Powercor Tryathlon continues to grow in popularity. We have over 35 teams entered in this category and there will no doubt be some strong competition in all classes. We are conducting a TRANSURBAN Vehicle Efficiency Test on October 20 th at RMIT University Bundoora. The focus of this day will be on assessing the efficiency of the design and construction of the vehicles. The results of this competition will be announced at the RACV Energy Breakthrough in November. An information package will be sent to you in the next few weeks providing you with all the information you need to know about the breakthrough within this package will be times for your teams to participate. Please check in the information package when it arrives in your schools that all the safety and specifications of the vehicle are adhered to. Make sure that you have a representative at the team briefing on the Friday morning see the information package for details. Have fun and we will see you all in Maryborough. John Stafford Human Powered Events 2007 Wonthaggi Salamanca (Tas) Casey Maroondah Maryborough Qld Murray Bridge SA Maryborough Vic RACV Energy Breakthrough November 22 25

2 PAGE 2 ENERGY BREAKTHROUGH OCTOBER 2007 KEY POINTS FOR SCRUTINEERING At this year s RACV Energy Breakthrough event the RACV scrutineers will pay close attention to the construction and measurements of roll bars and seat belts, the two most significant vehicle safety features in your vehicles. Main (Head) Roll Bar Clearly roll bars must be strong enough to withstand the forces experienced should the vehicle roll and impact with the barriers or the road with the weight of the rider on board. This means the bar itself must be of similar thickness/strength to the vehicle frame (consider at least 2.5cm round steel tube or 2.0cm square steel tube as a guide to minimum strength dimensions.) The bar must be braced from its highest point. (By forming a triangle the bar is resistant to bending in any direction). The bar must be integral with, or positively connected to the vehicle frame. (Any joint or connection in the bar is a potential weak point and enclosed vehicles with detachable canopies must ensure the roll bar is either separate to the canopy or if integrated with the canopy that the bar positively locks into place). Please note that No vehicle will be permitted on the circuit without a functional roll bar. Roll Bar Measurements The roll bar must be at least 150 mm above and to the side of the tallest riders head and have 50mm clearance around the shoulders and arms. (This roll bar clearance applies regardless of the type of bodywork fitted and may require the bar extending or being further extended through the body. This height has proven to reduce the tendency to barrel roll in a crash and provides sufficient clearance to the rider s head, if the vehicle is upside down) Seat Belts Scrutineers will also be looking closely at the installation of seat belts and the ease of fitting and adjustment for different riders. Organisers stipulated the use of four point harnesses some years ago to address problems relating to poorly positioned three point lap/sash belts for recumbent riders, but sloppy fitting and poor adjustment are causing belts to become loose or slip off the rider s shoulders during competition. Note the following items related to Seat Belts: * Ensure the anchor points pull the belt across the rider s hips and shoulders. * Ensure every rider can quickly tension the belt to sit firmly against the body. * Avoid the use of soft foam seat padding which can slip and alter belt tension. Riders that are firmly held in place can deliver more power to the pedals as well as being safer in the event of a crash. Ernest Litera. RACV Vehicle engineering team he manager of the T Maryborough IGA Supermarket is a long serving member of the local planning committee and sponsor of the RACV MARYBOROUGH IGA ON-SITE SUPERMARKET Energy Breakthrough, and in 2006 he also assisted the event with the creation of the Maryborough IGA On-Site Supermarket. Jefferson Hoober, Maryborough IGA The Maryborough IGA On-Site Supermarket is back again in For those returning again this year the On-site IGA will be located in exactly the same position as last year. For those new to the event, it will be located at the North-west corner of the Maryborough Outdoor Pool. Providing milk, bread, water, ice, and a few special treats in 2007, the Maryborough IGA On- Site Supermarket is central to all campers, and reduces the need to travel to purchase these essential food and camping items whilst at the event. This new innovation to the event also reduced the number of shopping trolleys moving into the event in 2006, and it is anticipated that providing this service again in 2007 will continue this trend. The RACV Energy Breakthrough Local Planning Committee would like to thank Jefferson Hoober for his on-going support and involvement in this fantastic youth event.

3 OCTOBER 2007 PAGE 3 an (Rogo) Rogerson I sadly passed away on Sunday July 29 th after an 15 month battle with Motor Neurone Disease. Rogo was involved in the Energy Breakthrough from its inception in He was a great contributor, a hard worker and one of the real personalities of the program. Rogo was always prepared to put his hand up to help out. Many people will remember Rogo as the short, VALE - IAN (ROGO) ROGERSON stocky guy who coordinated the Display and Presentations from Rogo always went about his work with a high degree of commitment and was incredibly thorough. His attention to detail and accuracy was first class which made him the ideal person for the Display and Presentations. Rogo also worked with, supported and encouraged the Hopetoun Secondary College team each year that they participated in the Breakthrough. Rogo taught at Hopetoun SC for over 30 years and was a stalwart of that community. Rogo was actively involved with the Country Education Project in the Mallee Track Area and at the statewide level for close to thirty years. He held nearly every position and was a key player in CEP s survival through the 1990 s. He had a deep passion for rural education and rural community life. Those of us who had the privilege of knowing and working with Rogo will miss him deeply, along with his wise counsel, his sense of humour, his incredible memory and knowledge and his ability to organise. All the Breakthrough community wish his wife Kathy and children Caela and Tom our deepest sympathy. JOHN STAFFORD ntries for the 2007 E RACV Energy Breakthrough are at an all time high again with record participation levels expected. Camping space will be close to capacity, and all teams should be planning their camp and the type of accommodation they will bring to ensure that they minimise the area required to stay at the event. The Camping Details Request Forms have been distributed to all schools now by , so if your team has not received this correspondence please call Alisha Chadwick on to obtain a copy. Important points for camping: MARTY S MUSINGS Power in the camping areas is for lighting only. Campers will require gas fired cooking equipment. Car parking space is at a premium please plan to car pool or use buses to travel to the event. Tents are preferred on all camping sites. The Central Goldfields Shire Council would prefer no caravans or campervans on the ovals. Maryborough is still under Stage 4 Water Restrictions. Please use water wisely and don t waste this valuable resource. A Traffic Management Plan will be distributed to all participating teams prior to the event. Please study this plan (especially if you are new to the event), and distribute to all the people planning to transport participants, sup- port staff, or visitors to the event. This will enable you to efficiently move around Maryborough and ensure you enter the precinct at the appropriate place to easily access your camping site....please plan to car pool or use buses to travel to the event The RACV Energy Breakthrough is a Waste Wise Event. Please monitor your rubbish generation, and utilise the recycling or litter wheelie bins appropriately to help assist with recycling and meet the landfill reduction objectives of the event. Noise generation can be challenge for campers and local residents. The RACV Energy Breakthrough Planning Committee is proud of the reputation its campers have of cooperating in keeping noise levels down. May this continue in Enjoy the experience, and all the excitement the event has to offer in November The Central Goldfields Shire community, and especially the community of Maryborough, look forward to providing friendly country hospitality for all the participating teams again in Let the energy be yours in 2007, Martin Mark RACV Energy Breakthrough Local Planning Coordinator

4 PAGE 4 ENERGY BREAKTHROUGH OCTOBER 2007 Display and Presentations he set up for Display T and Presentations will be similar to previous years with the 2 sided locations and alternate areas used at the one time. 1. Please note that No PA systems will be allowed. Any music must be such that it does not disturb other panels being judged. 2. Make sure that you arrive on time. 3. Please practice away from the judging area. 4. The judges make it a priority to find out what the students understand. Therefore schools using the same presentation will be at a disadvantage particularly if they are judged by the same panel. he RACV Energy T Breakthrough celebrates 8 years as a Waste Wise event. Wow! This is a significant achievement and it is you, the participants (teams, support crew, parents and teachers), who have made this possible. When we first started on our waste minimization journey in 2000, approx 15 tonnes of total waste was generated of which 10% was recycled. In 2006 the total waste generated was tonnes and 21.7% was recycled. This in itself is an excellent achievement in recycling but let us put this in true perspective. In 2000 there was one track and 155 entries (0.09 tonnes/entry) in 2006 there were two tracks and The use of data projectors is to be avoided as the area cannot be darkened. It is an outside area. 6. Where possible, each category is judged by a small group of judges so that consistency of scores is obtained. 7. It is compulsory for schools to complete the Display and Presentations component of the event. Teams that treat this flippantly may be excluded from the Trial. 8. The Committee plans this year to give feedback to each team as to their Display and Presentations. Laurie Preston Coordinator Display & Presentations WASTE MANAGEMENT AT THE BREAKTHROUGH entrants (0.047 tonnes/ entry) this is a 50% reduction in total waste per entry. Never has this been more important than in In the past, due to the generosity of the Central Goldfields Shire the RACV Energy Breakthrough has been able to dispose of its waste free at the municipal landfill. This landfill has chools across the state S are gearing up for their big trip to Maryborough towards the end of November. Students, teachers and parents are all putting the final touches to their pushcarts, developing their presentations and honing the team skills that are required to have a good time in Maryborough. St Josephs Primary School in Rochester is one such school. They have been involved in the breakthrough for the past two years with their pushcart. In 2007, the year 5 and 6 students have been working hard at developing their machine to show off in Maryborough. In the last week, all the students have travelled to now been closed and so for the first time the committee will have to pay for the disposal of the waste. This is estimated at over $70 per tonne. Please help us to make 2007 another Waste Wise Winner. Bring reusable and recyclable food containers Put recyclables in the yellow topped bins and special recycling crates Put waste in the red topped bins or dump skips Do Not Litter DO NOT leave large items behind such as old chairs, wet carpet Return supermarket trolleys Pushcarts one of their families farm to learn about welding and engineering, with the local mum and dad helping them to construct the pushcart they had designed. They are all itching to test drive the pushcart once it is complete in the next week or so. Within the classroom the students are documenting their learning from the project and are starting to put their presentation together. All the students, and more so their parents and teachers, are keen to get to Maryborough, show off their cart, compete with others from across the state and make new friends. Phil Brown Pushcart Coordinator Don t forget to tell the judges about your Waste Wise initiatives as part of your presentation The RACV Energy Breakthrough is not just about energy efficient transport it is also an opportunity to make environmental awareness part of our everyday lives. So reduce waste, save energy, save water save the planet and tread lightly on the earth. Waste Wise is a program of Sustainability Victoria supported locally by the Highlands Regional Waste Management Group. Contact Rosemary Angus, phone or rosemary@issltd.com.au

5 OCTOBER 2007 PAGE 5 ach year the RACV E Energy Breakthrough Committee in conjunction with the Central Goldfields Shire Council undertakes several capital works projects to continually improve the Breakthrough site for campers and participants. In 2007 there have been some major upgrades. The Holden Track will now have a Track Administration Building. BREAKTHROUGH SITE GETS A FACELIFT The Maryborough Hockey Association, Central Goldfields Shire Council, and the RACV Energy Breakthrough have joined forces to develop a clubroom facility for hockey which will double as the Headquarters for the event on the Holden Track. Power supply upgrades will also occur on the Holden Track, with underground power being Administration Facility at Hockey Pavilion installed on the Hockey Fields to the north and south of the Hockey Clubroom Facility in A new Netball Changeroom has also been constructed at the Princes Park Netball Court. This new facility will be utilised as a female toilet and shower facility for the female campers on Princes Park Oval. This is a great capital improvement for the growing camping contingent on this oval. Lake Victoria, once ravaged by the drought, is full to capacity, thanks to a storm water diversion scheme initiated by the Shire Council. A walking track around the lake has also been completed this year. This has ensured that this already beautiful section of the RACV Energy Breakthrough site is even more stunning, and certainly a place to sit and take time out from the excitement of the event. Please do not be fooled though by the full lake, Maryborough is still on Stage 4 Water Restrictions and as such all participants should use water wisely. The RACV Track is also receiving maintenance work in The track section between Lake Victoria and the Jubilee Oval camping area is being completely re-constructed, with a new base and seal being applied. This will make for smoother riding and a safer event. It is the RACV Energy Breakthrough Local Planning Committee s mission to continually improve the experience for all participants each year, and these capital improvements will certainly assist in these endeavours. Weeroona powers ABC at Conference he recent Renewable T Energy & Regional Australia Conference was given a 'breakthrough' by Weeroona College, Bendigo. The ABC Radio's outside broadcast was powered by the school's hybrid energy charger. Long serving Weeroona Team Manager John Taylor, presented during one of the sessions, "It was encouraging to see the efforts of the whole EB community so well recognised and received by the conference organisers and participants, including some from overseas." John said. "Its affirming to know we are 'world leaders' in this activity which has effectively been delivering hands-on sustainable energy education for 16 years. Images & full story at: ugh.net/news.asp? Action=MoreEvent&EventID =226& Team and Camping Details eam lists and Camping forms check T your . All entrants into the 2007 RACV Energy Breakthrough should have received a request, via the , for team and camping details. The forms via proved a great success last year by providing a more efficient service and improved operation flow and we aim for the same result this year. Team managers are asked to complete these forms in the Excel file and return the Camping Form, before the 19 th October, and the Team List, before 26 th October, to breakthrough@cgoldshire.vic.g ov.au. If you have any problems with accessing the file, completing the form or don t receive the please call Alisha (03) We also request entrants confirm their team names as soon as possible for inclusion into the Event Program. Alisha Chadwick

6 PAGE 6 ENERGY BREAKTHROUGH OCTOBER 2007 Sustainable Energy BreakFEST he Sustainable Energy BreakFEST will T again be alive with colour, interactive displays, games and attractions in While several organisations are still being approached, a number of great attractions have already indicated their intent Repeat Products Spider Trailer to display at this years event. The expo s naming rights sponsor, the Sustainable Energy Information Partnership, will again be an attraction within this busy area, as will the Victoria Police Operation Countdown Multi-Media Mobile Display Vehicle, the Department of Defence, the Repeat Products Spider Trailer and the Go for Your Life Education Centre. There will be no shortage of food and beverage sites either with a number of applications for this area already being received The hugely popular carnival component of the event will return and is expected to operate on Friday 23 rd November 6:00pm 10:00pm, Saturday 24 th November 10:00am 6:00pm, and Sunday 25 th November 10:00am 2:00pm. Hybrid and Tryathlon Trial Primary Scrutineering Pushcart Obstacle TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT he traffic management component of T the RACV Energy Breakthrough is an area that continues to grow with the demands of the event. It is great to welcome back a near-identical team of traffic management attendants as Local employment agency, Tracy the Placement People, will again be providing and training our traffic management attendants for this years event, in addition to contributing to the production of the event program. Pay stations and fee s ($5 per vehicle for the whole event) will remain the same as previous years, as will the option of free parking for buses. Please consider the option of shared bus travel as it not only supports the principles of the RACV Energy Breakthrough and sustainable transport but can also save your group money and time. For example, if 20 people shared a bus instead of individual cars, their immediate saving would be $100 of parking...shared bus travel. supports the principles of the RACV Energy Breakthrough and sustainable transport fees. Their secondary saving would be in fuel, since 20 car tanks of fuel would outweigh one bus tank of fuel. Thirdly, bus travel could save time, due to everyone arriving at the same site at the event at HPVA Trial one time and people not looking for parks and walking from all different areas of the event. Finally, it will help our environment by reducing emissions and may even help you arrive at the RACV Energy Breakthrough energised after a relaxing bus trip. Something to consider Please note a slight change to the event access plan which will have all vehicles travelling from the Ballarat direction entering the site a different way. Please check the 2007 access plan for details and follow the appropriate signage upon entering Maryborough.

7 OCTOBER 2007 PAGE 7 AROUND THE EVENTS Maroondah Race Report The Bridge Builders Youth Organisation ran a smooth and relaxed EIEP Maroondah GP on a fine, beautiful day in front of the back drop of Mt Dandenong. Mum & Dad Racing from Staughton were super quick and reliable throughout the 6 hr event with their electric/ pedal hybrid. The downhill pit straight is counter-acted by the up hill start/finish straight making every lap of the 1.1km circuit a test. Event Convenor, Ryan Sykes, indicated possible changes to the circuit for 2008: "We'll be looking at extending the track for next year. There's some great roads down the back and a fantastic banked hairpin - but we'll see." It is a 6 hour entry level event with a track that is appealing to beginners and open to community teams. It offers new participants HPV race experience in a relaxed atmosphere while allowing others to tune their vehicles for the Energy Breakthrough. Images and full story at: ugh.net/ eventmaroondah07.shtml Maryborough Qld Race Report Nanango State High School has won the 6th Holden Maryborough Technology Challenge (QLD) by 19 laps and scored $1000 towards an entry in the RACV Energy Breakthrough. Nanango is a small town situated roughly 2 hrs west of Maryborough, QLD, and the crew was elated by their success in the 24 hr event. The all boys team completed 445 laps or 667km to become only the second team ever to beat the locals from Maryborough State HS (MSHS). The event is held in and around the MSHS grounds, and the all-boys local entry - AllWeld Rhinos' - set a new fastest lap of 2 mins and 35 seconds. The 'non-faired' fastest lap was recorded by Team 'Rohloff' from Tannum Sands. Seventy-two starters from 29 schools took on the hilly course, which is considered the steepest in Australia. Images & full story at: ugh.net/ EventMTCQLD07.shtml Mum and Dad Racing from Staughton College Nanango s winning vehicle Stawell Maryborough Qld track Kingswood College MSHS entry AllWeld Rhinos'

8 RACV Energy Breakthrough Maryborough, Victoria " more than an event, it's a passport to a sustainable future." RACV ENERGY BREAKTHROUGH MAJOR SPONSORS 2007 Voting in the Federal Election on November 24, 2007 The Federal Election is to be held on Saturday, November 24 which falls on the weekend of the RACV Energy Breakthrough. Voters attending Maryborough on November 24 will need to vote in one of the ways described below. The Maryborough Town Hall on the corner of Neill and Clarendon Streets is one of the local polling centres. A Shuttle Bus will operate again this year and the route will include the closest Polling Booth. We will provide more details at Registration to assist all teams and their support crews. Experience from last years State election informs us the best option is the Early Vote. This can be done before you leave home at a Pre Poll Voting Centre or by Postal Vote. It will not be possible to do an Early Vote or Interstate Vote at Maryborough. Ways to Vote Ordinary vote An ordinary vote is a vote cast in a polling place in the elector s home division on election day. This is the simplest way to vote and the method used by the majority of electors. Absent vote An absent vote is a vote cast by an elector out of their home division but still within their home State or Territory on election day. Early vote Electors can cast an early vote in person or by post in the following two ways. A pre-poll vote is cast before election day at a pre-poll voting centre. A postal vote is cast before election day by post. These types of votes can be cast by an elector who will not be within their home State or Territory on election day, is seriously ill, infirm, unable to leave work, or for religious reasons is unable to attend a polling place. Interstate vote on election day Interstate people MUST vote by either a Postal Vote or at a Pre Poll Voting Centre prior to the event. Maryborough will not have an interstate voting centre on Election Day, the closest being Bendigo or Ballarat. Further information can be obtained from the Australian Electoral Commission website at