Just saying hello

[Bladez]

Hello to you all in Aussie

Tim

[SniperWolf]

Hmmm maybe they don't wanna talk to us Brits??? Or perhaps there is only a few Blokes doing it in Oz???

Hello anyway :D

It would be cool to know wot the flyin scene is like out there?

[markp]

Hi, we're here, just not many of us yet. Hopefully this sites takes off as it looks quite good. Looks like it only been up a few days.
Kites don't seem quite as popular here as in england yet. Less people i guess. But with our beaches it shouldn't take long to really take off.

[SniperWolf]

Ow you gotta get out there and get seen by all the good folk of Oz then...

Am sure it will kick off in a big way once a few buggys and kites get seen howling down the beach at 30MPH :D

The sport has grown pretty rapidly over here, ane we are lucky to have some kick ass beach's to use.

Wot sorta length beach's have you got over there?

Pendine and Black Rock are probably our best over here both about 7miles long.

There are stretchs of coastline where you can go further but thats wot we call a Safari over here :D and it's a damn good blast

[markp]

hehe 7mile. There's a nice beach with no-one on it (except for a few fisherman) that goes for around 90mile in south australia :shock: . Haven't buggied on it yet, but i intend to. It will be awesome. Have to strap the tent on the buggy I reckon!

[SniperWolf]

90 miles!!!!!! :shock: i'll be over this w/e mate. I'll bring tent and a shed load a kites and a few buggy's with spares you supply the amber necter and we'll be sorted....90miles!!! feck me sideways that would be a safari and a half.......wonder if BA would charge me extra for carrying me big buggy?

Now u gone and done it...90 miles!!!! wot a dream :D

[markp]

I reckon. It's an awesome beach but you need a 4wd to get to it really. I've been fishing there a couple of times. I only hope that they allow buggying there!

[SniperWolf]

Just check with the local PLOD they should be able to help.

What's the sand like? Hard packed or soft?

If it's soft Make sure you're running on Bigfoots then you will cruise all the way :D

Get some pic's and post them up here, would be cool to c such a huge feckin beach.

[markp]

I reckon. I've been fishing there a couple of times but you need a 4wd to get to it really. I only hope they allow buggying there. But then again, theres no-one there to stop you!

[SniperWolf]

A big feck off kite and a buggy with bigfoots is way better than any 4wd....i can normaly be found playin in the dunes with my big bug...thats when i'm grinin the most whenthe buggys at 45degrees and the kite pullin for all it's worth.

Get a few of you together and go do a SAfARI.... we've used quad bikes as support vehicles front and rear they are a good blast to ride so you all take turns... that way everyone's happy :D Take a BBQ and beer and thats pretty much a recipe for a good time.... GO ON DO IT 8)

[Gav]

These guys are doing a decent trek next month:

http://www.birdsville.kite-house.com/

A 500km buggy trek! well done guys.

[SniperWolf]

Bloodey hell....wonder if i can persaude my Mrs to cahnge our hols, that happen to be on those dates, from where ever it is she booked to OZ :D

Hmmm wot can i bribe her with.......

[iancl]

Hey guys,

I've been here nearly since the beginning (made the second ever post). But anyway there are more people from the UK on this forum that aussie's aren't there.
I'm the same iancl as the one talking about this site on the flexi forum if you hadn't already guessed.
Still on my holiday in England for...2 hours and 15 mins. Taxi arrives soon.
I've got a Blade III on order and it sounds like it might come soon and get sent to aus so i might be the first person in aus to have one!! how cool.

Ian

[schmik]

OK.... Another aussie joins. Based in sydney, my kite bag consists of :
2.1m Little Devil
4.0m Firebee
4.9m Blade II (coming soon)
BHI FibreFlex ATB

Can't wait to see more Aussies join this site.

Whats the huge flat area near canberra called ? Is it lake george ?
Now some kite ATB on there would be cool for some insane speed runs.

schmik

[Gav]

OK.... Another aussie joins. Based in sydney, my kite bag consists of :
2.1m Little Devil
4.0m Firebee
4.9m Blade II (coming soon)
BHI FibreFlex ATB

Can't wait to see more Aussies join this site.

Whats the huge flat area near canberra called ? Is it lake george ?
Now some kite ATB on there would be cool for some insane speed runs.

schmik

Great to see another aussie join! Don't know what that area is that you're talking about, but iancl should be able to tell you. He's currently on his way back to oz at the moment i think. He lives in Canberra.
Gav

[nigel]

G'Day gang.
Yes new dude here.
Ok from the top.
Yes the beach is 90 miles long and you can buggy it, as I have done so.
I am one of the nuts doing the Birdsville Track.
First for Blade 3, don't think so. Goshan at Kite Power in Geelong I think.
Yes it is lake George.
MTB for speed. NO. Get a dirtsurfer. Much faster and stable at high speed.
Any more questions?

Nigel

[highflyer]

That's what we like to see; some answers. That Birdsville track thing looks awesome. Is it a regular thing or a one off?

[nigel]

So far it is a oneoff thing.
But if the trip goes well and there is more interest displayed at a later time then who knows what might happen??
The Birdsvil trip was going to be a practice run for the Transat Des Sables. This is a race in Morocco, over 5 days through the sands just using maps and GPS's
This years Transat was cancelled due to the Gulf war, I think.
I would love to have an event here in Australia like they do in the States on the dry lakes. We've got lots of dried lakes and even some salt ones.
No body on them, and the only thing to stop you is your chicken factor. The speed where you say I am going fast enough. 100+ if you dare.

Nigel

[iancl]

I moved to Canberra in January so I don't know the surrounds very well but I asked my dad and he says that it is lake george. I don't know what it is like though. I'll try to find some info/pics on goole or something. If it's a good hard surface (is it sandy muddy stuff or what) then it'll probably be great.

Ian

[schmik]

If you can get some info I'll come down from syd for the day. I have driven past it at least 10 times and it looks awsome. See if you can find out how to gain access to it.

cheers
schmik

[iancl]

Does the surface look good? Is it hard packed? Unfortunately, being 13 years old I can't drive myself there but I might go some day when my mum or dad decide they'll take me. Probably when i get my Blade III :D

The only info i found about kiting at lake George was kitesurfing on lake George. I don't have a wake/kiteboard or LEI kite so if the waters high it might be boring

Ian

[nametik]

Queenslander here

My kit contains
2,4 and 6 mt RM JoJo
2.2 C-Quad
Standard PL Buggy
Bigfoot PL
Very customised Pl ( Libre side rails, Suspension rear axle, Modified downtube.)
Hope to get down south early next year and meet some of you guys.

[dickie]

just to say hi
and a big thanx , as it was when i was in oz that i got hooked on power kiting cheers to the lads and lasses in townsville that made me welcome on their beach and letting me have a go with their kites and boards

take care
dickie

[schmik]

Hmmm... I have never seen water on the lake. I'll have a look at some maps and see if it is lake george I am talking about.

Wow... 13 and flying a 4m blade III! You are are gonna fly!

Have you seen anyone else in canberra flying foils ?

schmik

[iancl]

I havn't flown my kite in Canberra yet and the only kite i've seen f;ying was a tiny single liner but i do know that there are people around. yeah i will be flying literally, not only am I only 13 but I'm small for my age lol. I've flown my bro's 4.9 in light-mid winds and was fine.

For my birthday (today :D), one present was my mum enlarged and framed the picture that i scanned and put onto this website. I'm gonna hang it on my wall.

Ian

[Steve]

I havn't flown my kite in Canberra yet and the only kite i've seen f;ying was a tiny single liner but i do know that there are people around. yeah i will be flying literally, not only am I only 13 but I'm small for my age lol. I've flown my bro's 4.9 in light-mid winds and was fine.

For my birthday (today :D), one present was my mum enlarged and framed the picture that i scanned and put onto this website. I'm gonna hang it on my wall.

Ian

Hi Everyone
Well I am one of the oldies of power kiting out here. 90 mile beaches are common in Oz, there are dozens, and some are even longer. I managed to clock up over 13.000klms on one of my buggies before the speedo died. I guess I have done somewhere around 15,000klms or more in the several years I was into them. I still love to buggy but with 3 shops and water 50M from the front door I tend to go kiteboarding now.
I went on the first outback buggy safari to Lake Gairdner, which is a huge salt lake in SA, it is a place worth visiting. Many land speed record attempts are held there, it is dead smooth, when you get out into the lake proper it is eerie, you can hear your own heartbeat when there is no wind (yes we discovered no wind on one expedition needed a tow back). Very aggressive surface for tyres and skin! I wore out a set of rears over approx 200klms I did on the lake on that trip!
Lake George, is the name of the big flat area on your left just before you drive into Canberra. It does fill with water, on the odd occasion when we get rain! The locals used to access it from the road. It can be violently gusty depending on wind direction, I think S was the worst?
Qld is buggy mecca if you like long sandy beaches, so is north western Australia.
Check out my website gallery (pics and vids) for some great shots of the terrain in Oz.
2hrs drive north of Sydney, we have Stockton beach, approx 30klms long and up to several klms deep, all sand dunes and long curved beach with a shipwreck at approx 23klm from Anna Bay, the most popular acess point.
Just sold a Blade 2 6.4 to one of the long term rangers in the area, so I think kiters will always be wellcome in the area while he is there!
If you are into any sort of traction kiting on water or land then Australia is THE destination, get your butts out here, before it is all sold to the USA or Asia!!
:shock:

[Steve]

G'Day gang.
Yes new dude here.
Ok from the top.
Yes the beach is 90 miles long and you can buggy it, as I have done so.
I am one of the nuts doing the Birdsville Track.
First for Blade 3, don't think so. Goshan at Kite Power in Geelong I think.
Yes it is lake George.
MTB for speed. NO. Get a dirtsurfer. Much faster and stable at high speed.
Any more questions?

Nigel

Hi Nigel
Have you seen the new MBS boards, they can be tuned to go really fast, the new truck and sealed bearing king pin design is awesome, so is the snowboard type deck on the Pro Comp 16 and 26, they look like they could give a dirt surfer a run for the money in speed but leave it for dead in freestyle and manouverability? Borrow one from Goshen, give us a report maybe?

[aussiewalrus]

hi everyone

nice to see an Oz forum, dont have to rely so much on the flexi forum now.

Anyway, Im in Adelaide. Only a humble 5 km of beach to buggy on here :D but quite a few people into it. Probably about 8 to 10 people on a good day.

And it is soo much better then the uk, where I was living for 13 years.

16 degrees, clear skies and sunny. I think i'll go buggying 8)

tom

[iancl]

Hi Nigel
Have you seen the new MBS boards, they can be tuned to go really fast, the new truck and sealed bearing king pin design is awesome, so is the snowboard type deck on the Pro Comp 16 and 26, they look like they could give a dirt surfer a run for the money in speed but leave it for dead in freestyle and manouverability? Borrow one from Goshen, give us a report maybe?

What's different about the new boards that the Sol 16 doesn't have? Is it the 'Matrix' trucks?

Ian

[Steve]

Hi Nigel
Have you seen the new MBS boards, they can be tuned to go really fast, the new truck and sealed bearing king pin design is awesome, so is the snowboard type deck on the Pro Comp 16 and 26, they look like they could give a dirt surfer a run for the money in speed but leave it for dead in freestyle and manouverability? Borrow one from Goshen, give us a report maybe?

What's different about the new boards that the Sol 16 doesn't have? Is it the 'Matrix' trucks?

Ian

Yep its the trucks, but also the deck, bindings (full ratchet type liike on snowboards), the fact that you can adjust the spring tension with an allen key from the top of the deck, lighter wheels and tyres (= less swing weight for rotational tricks).
They are a completely new board, and big step up from the Sol 16, which is still an excellent board.

[goshen]

yes, it's the Matrix truck. haven't been able to get them to wobble yet.
great turning. I do agree with Nigel, only in that if you want pure straight line speed, you'll go faster with a Dirtsurfer. But that's about it.

[Gav]

Steve, what a life! You've sure done some miles on a buggy. You make me feel bad about my office job.
Great to see people that have so much experience on these forums.
Gav

[nigel]

Thanks Goshen,
Yes if you want to go fast I don't think any thing you stand up on is as fast as a Dirt Surfer.
They have just had a comp in Switziland for the down hill nuts. Luge and also a division for the Dirt Surfer.
Dirt Surfers are quicker than even long boards. But not the Luge boys.
There's a thought, Luge with power kite !!!!!!!!!!! :D :D
Any one have an old Luge board hanging around I want to try it out!!!
Nigel

[bear]

News Flash....
Kitepower dominates new Aussie kite forum.....
Just got hooked on kite-atb (goshen's term) more as a winter/light wind alterbative to kitesurfing, and also i'm a little insulted at the "finally an aussie forum" comment :) (still member poaching) as http://www.kitingaustralia.com has been up for almost 12 months now with the forum at http://forum.kitingaustralia.com
my bag consists of - anything i can sneak out of kitepower geelong with at the end of the day :twisted:
cheers
ps bloody love the comp16 pro (mbs) as a newbie it's by far the nicest board i've tried!

[Robecq]

another Aussie here, based in Melbourne, but I used to Kite in Brighton, Bath/Bristol and weston super-mud (ops I mean super-mare!!) <-- sorry private joke, but if you've been there you'd get it :lol: .

[Gav]

another Aussie here, based in Melbourne, but I used to Kite in Brighton, Bath/Bristol and weston super-mud (ops I mean super-mare!!) <-- sorry private joke, but if you've been there you'd get it :lol: .
Hey Robecq, great to see another from Melbourne. Where abouts in Melb do you usually fly?

[Robecq]

Mainly down at elwood forshore in a west or southerly wind. sometimes at albert park. I went down to altona the other week and there is a massive area there

[kitebuggykev]

HI there to our collegues in UK :-)
Kevin from Brisbane (Queensland), yes I have seen pics first hand of 90mile beach....very nice indeed guys :-) definately wide enough to buggy on subject to winds.
We have some good spots up here in the South eastern parts of Queensland too. Had some trouble with a local authorities on the northern beach of Bribie but the southern parts of Bribie are fine to use & on low tides we generally have more than enough space to do a reasonable run around 1 or 2 of the bays.
There is probably 5 regulars who try to get out as often as possible on weekends & have a buggy run & say another 4 -5 other buggy pilots who try to get out perhaps every 2nd or 3rd weekend.
Yes the scene in Queensland is still quite small by comparison to the o'seas contingent. I think we have a bigger following down in Victoria/Sth Australia states.

Cheers
Kevin