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17 May 2006, 11:14 (Ref:1612466)
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#1 | ||
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Veteran
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 1,661
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Hidden Valley. How do you get there?
Group of six reprobates headed for the Top End for the first time this year. Have accomm booked in the city (Parap) but we are thinking about hiring a car for the weekend.
This presents two problems. 1 Who will be sober enough to drive it? 2 Is there a better way? Therein lies the big question. Is there any sort of shuttle bus that runs out to the Valley from the city? Any idea how many million people are trying to catch it? How early does it start running? Sizzle are you there? BTW marcus and Big Trev. We're off to Winton as well. Two motorsport meetings in one month. Man that's going to be expensive as my wife has retaliated with a shopping weekend with the girls in Melbourne......... |
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__________________
Punters Beer Fest. Indy 02, Clipsal 03, Winton 04, Paperclip 05, Darwin 06, Oran Park 07, Phillip Island 08, Sandown 09, Townsville 10, Symmons 11, Eastern Creek 12, Winton 13. Townsville 14. Paperclip 15, Sandown 16, Symmons 17, PI 18, The Bend 19 
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17 May 2006, 13:18 (Ref:1612576)
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#2 | ||
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Rookie
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 43
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I am heading to Hidden Valley, should be a great weekend. I haven't made arrangements as yet, I would assume that now would be a good time to do this.
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"Everybody talks about the weather, but nobody does anything about it."
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17 May 2006, 20:04 (Ref:1612913)
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#3 | ||
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Veteran
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 774
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The NT Government runs a series of bus shuttles from selected pick-up points through out Darwin and suburbs to the front gate of the hidden valley track.
There is no need to drive a car on race weekend! And make sure you wear a decent hat and a long sleeved cotton shirt otherwise you'll be red raw in 20 minutes and I can tell you you'll be very bloody sick and sorry!! Been there done that!! Great race meeting Mike |
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__________________
Mike McInerney
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17 May 2006, 20:21 (Ref:1612930)
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#4 | |
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Rookie
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 5
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Average Punter, a few of us here in Auckland are thinking the same thing, but doing it next year. First kid due in 10 days, so that puts this year out of the question, for me at least. Would be very keen to see how you get on, as we too will have similar issues. We have worked out the track is apparently only 10-12km from centre of town, so were thinking taxi's, or shuttle, but would have no idea what accommodation is like, or where.
A group of us, that fluctuates from 4 to 12, are slowly picking off the circuits, and Darwin is hopefully the next one, all be it next year, but that's not to say we don't sneak in a closer one, somewhere on your east coast, in between. Have done Perth, Bathurst, Sandown and Puke, any suggestions on another good one, that we can fly in and out of easily? Cheers |
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18 May 2006, 03:21 (Ref:1613122)
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#5 | ||
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Rookie
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 5
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Quote:
NT Government provided FREE Shuttles Buses run at least on the Saturday and Sunday (I'm not sure if they run on the Friday). They start EARLY on Sunday, but not too sure on the exact time. LOTS of people catch them, bank on standing room only, packed in like sardines, especially early Sunday, and again late on Sunday once the last V8 race is finished. If you are staying in paid accomodation in Parap, you'd most likely be staying at the Parap Village Apartments... I'm pretty sure the nearest shuttle bus is the one that goes straight up the highway. There may be a shuttle bus that goes through Parap that will have a bus stop really close to where you are staying. If not, the highway is maybe 400 metres up the road, and the bus stop is only a few metres off to the right once you get to the highway. IMHO you are absolutely WASTING YOUR TIME (and money) hiring a car for the w/e. Darwin is really quite small, the buses are easy to catch and you generally dont have to walk far to get to where you are going from a bus stop. The weather that time of year is fantastic too. Other tips (fom a local that has been to the race every year since its inception!)... Sunscreen, hat, more sunscreen, more sunscreen. Sunburn attained on Friday only gets more painful come Saturday and Sunday. Kinda like compound interest. Friday is generally not that packed, Saturday is getting up there. On Sunday you want to get your spot early (ie before sunrise, I think gates open somewhere between 4 and 6am) because the good spots fill up really quick. There is some (limited) portable grandstand seating but it tends to feel a little cramped. Bring portable foldup chairs. If you like a drink and some live music, I'd suggest setting up somewhere near "Shennanagins" - fairly good view of the track a fairly small section of the track (unfortunately there are not many places that offer a good view of anything other than a fairly small section of track), there's usually a big TV screen facing you, a reasonable percentage of the action happens there (both on and off the track...), there is a bar and food within stumbling distance. Best bet is to wander the track on Friday and/or Saturday and see what suits you the best in terms of viewing/amenities etc, in preparation for Sunday. Oh yeh, one more thing that is probably not that widely publicised... This yrs V8 round also hosts the 2006 HQ National titles. The last race on the program will be the HQ National final, stick around for that one... |
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18 May 2006, 06:13 (Ref:1613153)
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#6 | ||
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Veteran
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 824
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You will have a ball in Darwin.
Great city and a great race meeting. Parap is not a bad place to stay. There is a Motel in Parap near the shopping centre ,not sure of the name of it though. And the Parap Pub is a good spot! |
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18 May 2006, 06:58 (Ref:1613164)
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#7 | |||
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Veteran
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 1,661
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Quote:
Didn't count on the chairs. Wonder if Mr Branson's Virgins will let us take them on the plane???? And what is Shenanigans? Sounds like an Irish Pub. Is that a corner? A grandstand? Or a beer swiller... |
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__________________
Punters Beer Fest. Indy 02, Clipsal 03, Winton 04, Paperclip 05, Darwin 06, Oran Park 07, Phillip Island 08, Sandown 09, Townsville 10, Symmons 11, Eastern Creek 12, Winton 13. Townsville 14. Paperclip 15, Sandown 16, Symmons 17, PI 18, The Bend 19
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18 May 2006, 07:15 (Ref:1613179)
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#8 | ||
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Racer
Join Date: Dec 2001
Posts: 432
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yep good irish pub
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if only Valiants had brakes
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18 May 2006, 07:22 (Ref:1613184)
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#9 | ||
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Rookie
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 5
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Quote:
Shenannigans is indeed an Irish pub. They set up a decent sized bar in as indicated in "Section 2" (Check the link below) http://www.nt.gov.au/majorevents/v8s.../track_map.pdf There are actually 2 "Shenannigans" on the map, the one I'm suggesting you check out is the one on the left, closer to the "Gravel Trap Platform". The "Gravel Trap" usually sees a bit of action... The map doesnt do the track any justice either - its really set in a bit of a natural ampitheatre. The centre section of the track (Section 4) is also raised. As a result, you cant really see much of the main straight from anywhere but the parts of section 4 close to it. You cant really see much of the straight at all after the tower. FYI, the Shuttle buses to get to and from the track are called "Pitlane Express" you can see where they stop down the bottom right of the map. They enter the complex from Gate B. |
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18 May 2006, 10:03 (Ref:1613307)
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#10 | |
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Racer
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 116
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We stayed @ the Para Vista in parap. 1min walk to the pub, 3 min walk to the main road, free busses every 15-20 min. Try the trailer boat club down @ mindle beach, great feed, have a few beers & watch the sunset.
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19 May 2006, 03:33 (Ref:1613920)
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#11 | ||
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Veteran
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 3,527
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[QUOTE
Sizzle are you there? [/QUOTE] Taylz has just about covered everything AP. I agree totally about the gravel trap. If you can position yourself so you can see the big screen provided for the corporates then you shouldn't miss much at all. Unfortunately the corporates are infringing more and more every year. Bus is the best method of getting to the track. You will need a taxi on Friday. Parap apartments to the city is a fair walk but taxis or minibuses are not usually a problem. As GK says the Trailer Boat Club has fantastic food and sitting on the beach front with an ice cold Crownie in the Northern winter is just about as good as it gets. Not long to go and with the late rain we have had the fishing is even better than the motor racing!  Cheers. |
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10 Jul 2006, 11:58 (Ref:1652177)
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#12 | ||
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Veteran
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 1,661
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Thanks for your input guys!
What a week! Ducks Nuts, Deck Bar, won the trivia night and the crab races at the Fox and Fiddle, dinner at Trailer Boat Club, Casino, Mindil Beach markets, Raging Bull Tavern at Parap, Shenannigans, Boat Club, Ski Club, Rorke's Drift, The Vic, Parap markets, Howard Springs, Humpty Doo pub, Globetrotters, fireworks all over the place, Wisdom Bar and Cafe and plenty of other joints lost in the beer haze. Oh. And we went to Hidden Valley too. I believe Lowndesy won... What a hoot! |
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__________________
Punters Beer Fest. Indy 02, Clipsal 03, Winton 04, Paperclip 05, Darwin 06, Oran Park 07, Phillip Island 08, Sandown 09, Townsville 10, Symmons 11, Eastern Creek 12, Winton 13. Townsville 14. Paperclip 15, Sandown 16, Symmons 17, PI 18, The Bend 19
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