Events

PLEASE NOTE: CHANGE OF DATE DUE TO POOR WEATHER Come along to share in a day of doof, dancing, lawn bowls and music at St Kilda Sports Club. GRADE: Social ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION: A free event to enter into spring in Melbourne featuring drags, snags, DJs, dancing and lawn bowls.   BOOKING: By Saturday 10 October or just turn up on the day. To register with The Nomads, click on Get Tickets. Unsure if you've already booked with The Nomads? Click View my bookings. MORE INFORMATION: See Facebook Event. MEETING TIME | LOCATION: From 1pm at the venue on the day.  MAP REFERENCE: Google map - St Kilda Sports Club: maps.app.goo.gl/jzdaaQJLqUw3h8Jo7. PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Three primary tram routes run from the Melbourne CBD directly to St Kilda: Route 96 (the fastest light rail via Bourke St), Route 16 (down St Kilda Rd to Fitzroy St and Carlisle St), and Route 12 (via Collins St to St Kilda West and Fitzroy St). Also Any tram to St Kilda Junction will get you close; the 3, 5, 16, 64 or 67. FOOD: Food and drink availble for purchase or bring a picnic. NO BYO alcohol permitted. APPAREL | FOOTWEAR: Comfortable casual. Dress according to the weather forecast.  LEADER: | Email LeaderBryanS@nomads.org.au if you have any questions. Members can access leader contact details under Members | Leader Contacts when logged in to the website.   HOME   BACK TO LIST OF EVENTS   MEMBERSHIPS  

Participation in the annual Federation Walks event is one of the benefits of our membership of Bushwalking Victoria.   GRADE | LENGTH | TYPE: 20+ different walks are available. The walks range from Grade 2: Easy 5 km to Grade 4: Hard 23 km. Some walks have canoe/boating possibilities also. ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION: The FedWalks weekend happens in a different part of Victoria each year - this year it will be based in Portland to do sections of the Great South West Walk. Detailed maps and descriptions of all the walks on offer will be provided.  The Great South West Walk (GSWW) is a 250-kilometer, 12-to-15-day loop hiking trail beginning and ending in Portland, Victoria, offering a diverse, challenging journey through forests, along the Glenelg River, and across rugged coastlines. It's an epic showcase of the natural beauty of far west Victoria. Meander through tranquil forests of the Cobboboonee, enter the limestone gorge of the Glenelg River and the long, lonely coast of Discovery Bay. It winds through the diverse landscapes of Lower Glenelg National Park, Discovery Bay Coastal Park, Cobboboonee National Park and Cape Nelson State Park. Starting from the township of Portland in south west Victoria, the walk takes you on an unforgettable journey across rugged cliffs carved by the Southern Ocean, over remote beaches, past ancient, pristine lakes and through majestic, tall forest. Memorable features include the highest sea cliffs in Victoria, blowholes, Petrified Forest, and seal colony at Cape Bridgwater, historic Cape Nelson Lighthouse, Princess Margaret Rose Caves, Aboriginal heritage places and the beautiful seaside village of Nelson, where the Glenelg River meets the sea. Along the way you’ll discover a diverse variety of plants and wildlife such as koalas, kangaroos, Blue and Southern Right Whales, and a huge variety of native birds, including the Australasian Gannet. The walk is maintained through a partnership between volunteers from Friends of the Great South West Walk and Parks Victoria. Many thanks to those volunteers as well as to the volunteers taking on responsibility for organising this FedWalks program. The Nomads has booked the 4-bedroom Roantree House, 17 Julia Street, Portland for Friday and Saturday nights at a total cost of $721.56. The accommodation cost will be divided equitably depending on how many people are staying in the house.  BOOKING: By 31 August, or ASAP to ensure you don't miss out! This event is only open to members of clubs affiliated with Bushwalking Victoria. Visitors should get a 1-month Temporary Membership prior to booking their tickets. Nomads tickets are free to book - the leader will collect accommodation fees directly from the attendees. The steps for booking are: Check out the BWV Walks Program to decide which walk(s) you would like to do. Click the TryBooking link to select the walks you wish to do on Saturday, and on Sunday and also select the Saturday Night Dinner option if you wish, then pay the FedWalks Registration Fee. Select Get Tickets on this Nomads events listing, so we know who is attending, to help with coordination. IMPORTANT: You must book, select the FedWalks walks you wish to do, and pay per walk ASAP. A ticket with The Nomads is not sufficient to grant you access to the weekend! NOTE: If travelling by public transport, the bus leaves Portland at 3:32pm on Sunday. If you don't get back from your walk in time to catch that, you should be able to get a ride to Warrnambool to catch the 5:32pm train from there to Southern Cross. Unsure if you've already booked with The Nomads? Click View my bookings. FURTHER INFORMATION: FedWalks website: Detailed information is available on fedwalks.org.au. Overview Map (PDF): shows the location of each walk. MEETING TIME | LOCATION: Meet the other Nomads at Roantree House, 17 Julia Street, Portland. Note that you will also need to register for the FedWalks program once you arrive in Portland - details will be provided here once they're available. MAP REFERENCE: Google map - Roantree House: maps.app.goo.gl/6nuvbTFmLAEudiXZA.  DISTANCE | TIME FROM GPO: 350 to 400 km (depending on the route), allow 4 to 4.5 hours to drive from central Melbourne.  PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Public transport is highly recommended - Car pooling will be organised to get you to and from central Portland to the start of each FedWalks walk. Catch a V/lIne train to Warrnambool and a coach from there to Portland: OUTBOUND (Friday: Southern Cross to Portland) 7:26am Southern Cross - 10:49am Warrnambool | 10:59am Warrnambool - 12:31pm Portland 10:12am Southern Cross - 1:44pm Warrnambool 1:10pm Southern Cross - 4:35pm Warrnambool | 4:55pm Warrnambool - 6:32pm Portland 5:09pm Southern Cross - 8:35pm Warrnambool | 8:46pm Warrnambool - 10:11pm Portland 7:25pm Southern Cross - 10:37pm Warrnambool | 10:47pm Warrnambool - 12:12am Portland (Saturday morning arrival) RETURNING (Sunday: Portland to Southern Cross): the only feasible option is: 3:32pm Portland - 5:08pm Warrnambool | 5:27pm Warrnambool - 9:00pm Southern Cross COST: WALKS: The minimum cost is $25 per person per walk, payable to FedWalks, which includes participation in your selected Saturday and Sunday walk. ACCOMMODATION: The accommodation cost will be divided equitably depending on how many people are staying in the house, and the type of bedding you have. A private room will be costed as "2 bed spaces".  SATURDAY DINNER: The optional Saturday night FedWalks dinner and entertainment costS $50 (and is recommended).  ACCOMMODATION: The house has 4 bedrooms and 1 bathroom. Three bedrooms have either a king or queen bed, and the fourth bedroom has two single beds. There's also a double sofa bed in living room 2 and an L-shaped lounge in living room 1. FOOD: BYO breakfasts. For your walks, you will generally need to carry lunch, snacks and drinking water. Afternoon tea will be provided at the end of each walk. You can book and pay for a Saturday evening meal (cost $50) when you book with FedWalks for the weekend. There are also supermarkets and lots of dining establishments in Portland. APPAREL | FOOTWEAR: Comfortable walking boots/shoes and dress according to the weather forecast. Be sure to bring plenty of warm, waterproof layers. The weather in Portland can be quite changeable, and is often very windy. LEADER: The walks will be organised by various leaders from the FedWalks team. For queries about participating in activities with other Nomads over the weekend, email Alan D. on LeaderAlanD@nomads.org.au. Members can access leader contact details under Members | Leader Contacts when logged in to the website. HOME   BACK TO LIST OF EVENTS   MEMBERSHIPS  

Our regular monthly social night - this month at the Postmaster Hotel in Kew. The Hotel was the original Kew Post Office completed in 1888 in the Queen Ann style as part of a civic complex including a Court House and a Police Station on the High Street side. NOTE: Access to the hotel is via sets of bluestone stairs. GRADE: Social.  ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION: The Nomads hold a social night each month, where members and guests can enjoy a meal, talk about upcoming events, compare notes on past activities and float ideas on events they would like to see run. Everyone is welcome to these monthly Nomads social evenings. Tuesday night is parma night - chicken parmas for $20, or see the Postmaster Hotel Menu for other options.  BOOKING: By Sunday 4th October. To register, click on Get Tickets. Unsure whether you've booked already? Click View my bookings. MEETING TIME | LOCATION: 7pm at the Postmaster Hotel, 186 High St, Kew. MAP REFERENCE: Google map maps.app.goo.gl/4UbJmPEuC1yrZ7rT8. PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Take tram #48 to stop 33 (Kew Shopping Centre/High St) or tram #109 to stop 34 (High St/Cotham Rd). Tram #16 terminates at Cotham and Glenferrie Roads and is a 5-minute westerly walk to the Hotel. Buses #200 and #207 stop at Kew Junction with a 4-minute easterly walk LEADER: AlanD. | Email LeaderAlanD@nomads.org.au if you have any questions. Members can access leader contact details under Members | Leader Contacts when logged in to the website.   HOME   BACK TO LIST OF EVENTS   MEMBERSHIPS  

Preparing the draft Summer program of events - online via Zoom. GRADE: Social.  ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION: The bulk of the planning for the upcoming Summer program will be done in this pre-planning meeting via Zoom in readiness to present the draft program the next night at the Social Evening, where attendees will be invited to provide additional suggestions and help fill any gaps. BOOKING: By 5pm Monday 5th October. To register, click on Get Tickets. Alternatively, simply click on the Zoom link in the reminder email sent to members a few days prior to the event. Unsure if you've already booked? Click View my bookings. DRAFT PROGRAM: Nomads Draft Program. You may add your suggestions to this online spreadsheet - be sure to click to some other cell once you've finished, so that your suggestion gets saved. MEETING TIME | LOCATION: 7pm online via Zoom. Those who registered will be sent the Zoom link by 6pm on Monday evening. LEADER: Alan D. | Email LeaderAlanD@nomads.org.au if you have any questions. Members can access leader contact details under Members | Leader Contacts when logged in to the website. Photo by Bich Tran from Pexels.   HOME   BACK TO LIST OF EVENTS   MEMBERSHIPS

Follow the Yarra River from Federation Square to Victoria St, Abbotsford with an optional short extension to Collingwood. GRADE | LENGTH | TYPE: Grade 2: Moderate 10.8 km point to point walk (graded according to the AWTGS: Australian Walking Tracks Grading System).  ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION: After meeting at Federation Square, we head off along the Birrarung Marr walk, formally Batman Avenue before the development of Federation Square. This shortly becomes the Main Yarra Trail and we will walk along the north bank of the Yarra River. There is also a Main Yarra Trail on the south bank that goes from St Kilda Rd to Burnley, where it crosses the river to join the north bank trail. These are shared paths with many cyclists using them. The first half of the walk mostly follows Citylink out to Burnley which is above the walking trail. Our lunch break will be at McConchie Reserve, with Herring Island across the river. After lunch we continue walking along Yarra Blvd for 3 km then a further 2.4 km on the walking trail. After-walk refreshments can be had at the Terminus Hotel or the Victoria Gardens Shopping Centre. (An optional 1.4 km walk to Collingwood Station can be done if we are early). BOOKING: By Friday 2nd October. To register click on Get Tickets. Unsure if you've already booked? Click View my bookings. NOTE: Daylight Saving starts on this day, clocks FORWARD 1 hour. FURTHER INFORMATION: Transport Victoria  MEETING TIME | LOCATION: 11am, Birrarung Marr Walk, Federation Square at Princess Bridge.  MAP REFERENCE: Google map goo.gl/RnYiBebtJZmFgLfm7.  DISTANCE | TIME FROM GPO: 400m, approximately 15 minutes.  PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Catch a train or tram to Federation Square, Swanston Street. Return to city by tram #12 or #109 (Train from Collingwood}. FOOD: Carry lunch, snacks and a litre of water. APPAREL | FOOTWEAR: Comfortable walking boots/shoes and dress according to the weather forecast. LEADER: Paul K. | Email LeaderPaulK@nomads.org.au if you have any questions. Members can access leader contact details under Members | Leader Contacts when logged in to the website.   HOME   BACK TO LIST OF EVENTS   MEMBERSHIPS  

SORRY WALK IS FULL NOW.  Explore the enchanting Dandenongs on a 16.5 km hike starting from Upper Ferntree Gully Railway Station and ending at Mt Dandenong Hotel, Olinda. This event is ideal training for the December overnight hike in Victorian Alps. It is not technically difficult, but we need to keep up 3-4 Km/hr to complete it. GRADE | LENGTH | TYPE: Grade 4: Medium to Hard 16.5 km point-to-point walk (graded according to the AWTGS: Australian Walking Tracks Grading System), with public transport access at each end. There is quite a bit of climbing, and descending, on this walk, though there are no prolonged climbs. The total vertical climb is 967 m, and total descent is 588 m. The walk is expected to take at least 6 hours. ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION: Is there a more enchanted forest than the Dandenongs? Tall mountain ash stretch to the sky whilst Gondwana ferns decorate the mossy gullies. With such Tolkien-like scenery, the bushwalker soon becomes convinced that pixies must surely live among the ferns. This hike follows little used trails from Upper Ferntree Gully Railway Station to Mt Dandenong Hotel. Mainly on track, with the occasional wombat trail, the route has a total elevation gain of almost a kilometre. Thankfully, not all this elevation comes at once. Rather there's a little uphill, then a little downhill, and so it goes until you reach your destination. On the way there are several sights including One Tree Hill and the Doongalla Picnic Ground, set in an English garden next to an historic homestead. It's probably the most romantic picnic ground you can find. There's also a number of hillbillies who live on the route and if you're lucky to get one talking, you will be spun a yarn about the history of the area. From the end of the walk, a bus will take you back to the start (or to Croydon Station if you prefer) following a charming route that is worth the price of the Myki pass alone. On weekends buses leave hourly. First though, a refreshing beverage at the Mt Dandenong Hotel is strongly recommended.  BOOKING: By Friday 02 October. To register click on Get Tickets. Unsure if you've already booked? Click View my bookings. FURTHER INFORMATION: TrailHiking.com: The Dandenong's Pixie Waltz. MEETING TIME | LOCATION: 9:20am at Railway Ave, at the top of the exit ramp (northern) exit of the Upper Ferntree Gully Railway Station (though an earlier start is being considered).  MAP REFERENCE: Google map (starting point): maps.app.goo.gl/H6PaBXCHQGG7dZMD7.  Route Map: TrailHiking.com Dandenongs Pixie Waltz DISTANCE | TIME FROM GPO: 40 km, 1 hour 10 mins by train from Flinders Street Station.  PUBLIC TRANSPORT:  GETTING THERE: Take the Lilydale line train that departs from Flinders Street at 8:06am and change at Ringwood (on the other side of the platform) to the Belgrave line train, arriving in Upper Ferntree Gully at 9:15am. RETURNING: From the Mt Dandenong Hotel take a #688 bus from Ridge Rd/Mt Dandenong Tourist Rd (Olinda) to either Croydon or Belgrave, then catch a train back to the CBD. The bus stop for Upper Ferntree Gully is in front of the Mt Dandenong Hotel, and for Croydon is in front of Kelly's. Potential PT options: Olinda 3:55pm-5:27pm Flinders Street Station via Upper Ferntree Gully and Belgrave line Olinda 4:47pm-6:17pm Flinders Street Station via Croydon and Lilydale line Olinda 4:59pm-6:27pm Flinders Street Station via Upper Ferntree Gully and Belgrave line Olinda 5:45pm-7:17pm Flinders Street Station via Croydon and Lilydale line Olinda 5:54pm-7:36pm Flinders Street Station via Upper Ferntree Gully FOOD: Carry lunch, snacks and two litres of water. APPAREL | FOOTWEAR: Comfortable walking boots/shoes and dress according to the weather forecast. The Dandenongs are generally cooler than central Melbourne, but you won't be! Wear layers that can easily be added or removed. Bring a waterproof layer if there's any chance of rain. LEADER: RogerH. | Email LeaderRogerH@nomads.org.au if you have any questions. Members can access leader contact details under Members | Leader Contacts when logged in to the website.   HOME   BACK TO LIST OF EVENTS   MEMBERSHIPS