Browsing articles tagged with " victorian bushfires 2009"

Suzuki eBay Auction Opens!

Apr 24, 2009 // by Colin Yeung // Interesting & Noteworthy // 1 Comment

bg-supersport

Following on from my post on April 6th 2009 about Suzuki Australia’s ebay auction putting up for grabs a plethoria of Suzuki Motorbike original and authentic factory, this is an update of the Auction which started last night on eBay.

http://shop.ebay.com.au/merchant/suzukiaustralia

All net proceeds to the Australian Red Cross Victoria 2009 Bushfire Appeal

Start Bidding!

Suzuki Australia eBay Auction – 2009 Victorian Bushfire Appeal

Apr 6, 2009 // by Colin Yeung // Interesting & Noteworthy // 2 Comments

Team Joe Rocket Suzuki

Bid On Champion Items At The ‘Suzuki Victorian Bushfire Appeal Charity Auction’

I got word recently from a former work colleague who has moved onto Suzuki Motorcycles Australia that they will be hosting “The Suzuki Victorian Bushfire Charity Auction” on eBay from Thursday 23 April 2009 until Sunday 3 May 2009. Net proceeds will be donated to the Australian Red Cross.

A motorcycling enthusiasts dream range of signed memorabilia, factory equipment and experiences are up on offer. Included in the Items up for Auction are:

Team Rizla Suzuki MotoGP ‘Mechanic for the Day’ (Europe and Australia)
Team Rizla Suzuki MotoGP ‘Mechanic for the Day’ (US or Malaysia)
VIP Day at a MotoGP of your choice for 2 people
GSX-R750 Champions Jacket – Signed by Suzuki riders Peter Goddard, 1996 Australian Superbike Champion and 1997 World Endurance Champion, Shawn Giles, 3 times Australian Superbike Champion, Craig Coxhell 2003 Australian Superbike Champion and Robbie Bugden 3 times New Zealand Superbike Champion.
Motocross Jersey – Signed by Suzuki’s Chad Reed, 2008 Australasian SuperX Champion and 2 times World and AMA SuperX Champion.
Nylons – Signed by Suzuki rider Chad Reed, 2008 Australasian SuperX Champion and 2 times World and AMA SuperX Champion.
VMX Suzuki Classic Dirt 5 Framed Poster – Signed by Suzuki legend Joel Robert, 250cc 1970, 1971 and 1972 Suzuki Motocross World Champion.
VMX Suzuki Classic Dirt 4 Framed Poster – Signed by Suzuki rider Brad Lackey, 500cc 1982 Motocross World Champion.
Suzuki Off Road Cap – Signed by Suzuki legend Robert DeCoster, 500cc 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975 and 1976 Motocross World Champion.
Suzuki Off Road Cap – Signed by Suzuki champion Chad Reed, 2008 Australasian SuperX Champion and 2 times World and AMA SuperX Champion.
History of GSX-R Book – Signed by Suzuki riders Kevin Schwantz, 1993 500cc GP World Champion and Shawn Giles, 3 times Australian Superbike Champion.
Pre-Test Riding Leathers – Worn and signed by Team Rizla Suzuki MotoGP rider Chris Vermuelen during 2009 testing in Jerez, Spain.
Riding Leathers – Worn by Team Rockstar Makita Suzuki rider Mat Mladin, 6 times AMA Superbike Champion.
Rugby League Jersey – Signed by Suzuki sponsored Melbourne Storm, 2007 NRL Premiership Team.
Motocross Team Shift Motul Suzuki Shirt – Signed by Team Shift Motul Suzuki riders Matt Moss, 2008 Australasian SuperX Champion and Cameron Taylor, multiple Australian Motocross and SuperX Champion.
Ride Day – Eastern Creek Ride Day or Phillip Island Ride Day, to be used in Australia only.
Scorpion Helmet – Worn and signed by Team Rockstar Makita Suzuki rider Mat Mladin, 6 times Suzuki AMA Superbike Champion.
Riding Leathers – Worn by Team Suzuki Alstare Brux rider Max Neukirchner.
Riding Leathers – Worn by Team Suzuki Alstare Brux rider Max Neukirchner.
Riding Leathers - Worn by Team Suzuki Alstare Brux rider Yukio Kagayama.
Riding Leathers – Worn by Team Suzuki Alstare Brux rider Max Neukirchner.
Pre-Test Riding Leathers – Worn by Team Suzuki Alstare Brux rider Max Neukirchner during Phillip Island 2008 and Kyalami 2008 testing.
Pre-Test Riding Leathers – Worn by Team Suzuki Alstare Brux rider Yukio Kagayama during Phillip Island and Kyalami 2008 testing.
Shoei Helmet – Worn by Team Suzuki Alstare Brux rider Yukio Kagayama.
Shoei Helmet – Worn by Team Suzuki Alstare Brux rider Yukio Kagayama.
Suomy Helmet – Worn by Team Suzuki Alstare Brux rider Max Neukirchner.
Suomy Helmet – Worn by Team Suzuki Alstare Brux rider Max Neukirchner.
Kpd riding Boots – Worn by Team Suzuki Alstare Brux rider Yukio Kagayama.
Kpd riding Boots – Worn by Team Suzuki Alstare Brux rider Yukio Kagayama.
Riding Boots – Worn by Team Suzuki Alstare Brux rider Max Neukirchner.
Riding Boots – Worn by Team Suzuki Alstare Brux rider Max Neukirchner.
MotoGP Team Shirt – Signed by John Hopkins, former Suzuki MotoGP rider, size Small.
Riding Leathers – Signed by John Hopkins, former Suzuki MotoGP rider.

A full list can be downloaded here.

Bidding opens at 8:00pm on Thursday 23 April 2009.

A tribute to our firefighting men and women

Feb 13, 2009 // by Colin Yeung // Interesting & Noteworthy // No Comments

This week has been a tough one for country & regional Victoria. Bushfires (Wildfires for you US folk) have devastated the state, indiscriminantly destroying land, life and hope in their path. They are still raging albeit amongst mild weather, with the official death toll halted until formal identification of the bodies can be carried out by specialist teams being bought in from Interstate and as far afield as Indonesia and the USA. Throughout this suffering, the political recriminations and finger pointing are starting to emerge, with Germaine Greer passing comment overnight in London.

Superlatives abound – number of lives lost: 181+, intensity of the heat which was the prelude: Melbourne 7/2/09 46.8 degrees Celsius/118 degrees Fahrenheit and the sheer volume of goodwill by way of donations from corporate australia and the general public exceeding $60 million AUD to date.

However, at the core of this tragedy with loved ones lost and the memories of what was possible, the valiant courage and tireless efforts of those people in our community who appoint themselves to join the CFA: Country Fire Authority rate a special mention.

A particularly poignant & concise tribute of the CFA’s actions and as reported in today’s The Age.

A tribute to our firefighting men and women – David Marr
http://www.theage.com.au/national/a-tribute-to-our-firefighting-men-and-women-20090212-866s.html
February 13, 2009 – 12:04PM

THEY don’t know how long they’ll be around.
They’re not clear where they’ll be tomorrow.
They’ve put other lives on hold.
They’re here to work.
Ask them why they do this and they say it’s what you do if you live in the bush.
Long lines of fire trucks bring them down from the hills at the end of each shift to the staging area in Whittlesea.
Like regiments in a small war, the trucks carry the names of the communities that have turned out to help: Talbot, Riddells Creek, Kalkallo 2, Hastings, Woodend, Newstead, Wendouree.
The firefighters’ gear is a complete disguise. Is this a lawyer, a nurse or a plumber in yellow clobber?
Right now it doesn’t matter a damn.
This is a bunch of dirty, tired, cheerful and hungry people taking a break from the horrors up in the hills.
They’re very hungry.
The time between getting off the trucks and into a steak is short.
Here’s a sign of the times.
Not only in Whittlesea but up at Yea, there are expresso machines and volunteer baristas.
Before setting out for the fires or after a hard day backburning in the hills, a “firey’’ can know a good flat white is at hand.
And it’s free. Of course, it’s all free.
The mood is subdued.
They smoke and talk quietly.
The television is blaring.
The firefighters need the news.
Those in the thick of it are the last to know what’s happening.
They aren’t in a rush to leave.
After a few hours sleep they’ll be going out again and this will continue until the fires are no danger.
That moment isn’t in sight.