Tag Archives: NSW tourism

Freak Show and HOG rally cancelled

The organisers of the Freak Show Festival of Motorcycles to run alongside the national Harley Owners Group (HOG) rally in Walcha, NSW, have gone into liquidation and the events cancelled.

We are yet to learn if refunds are guaranteed for those who have paid for tickets and accommodation for the event scheduled from November 15-17, 2019.

The event was being organised by Inside Line Events International who was behind the aborted TT events planned for either the Oxley Highway or the Sunshine Coast.

Freak Show Festival organiser David Rollins sent us this formal statement:

The organisers of the Freak Show Festival of motorcycles regret to inform that the event has been forced into voluntary liquidation due to difficulties maintaining ongoing support from sponsors

The organisers are personally and financially devastated by this outcome, having poured considerable money into the event as well as time.

A liquidator has been appointed. All ticketing and trade enquires should be addressed to Wexted Pty Ltd, Level 12, 28 O’Connell Street, Sydney NSW 2000. E: [email protected]

He says there is “not much I can add to it for legal reasons”.

More than 1000 tickets had been sold and they claimed they were expecting about 5000 to attend.

HOG rally also cancelled

National HOG rally to return in 2019
HOG rally axed

The associated HOG Rally has also been cancelled.

Harley-Davidson Australia issued this statement:

Harley-Davidson Australia has been informed that Inside Line Events, event organizer for the “Freakshow of Motorcycling”, is in voluntary liquidation and will cancel the rally. The event was scheduled for November 15-17, 2019 in Walcha, NSW.

As a key sponsor of the event, Harley-Davidson Australia is extremely disappointed with this outcome. We are committed to delivering the very best experience for our H.O.G members and we’re focused on delivering an alternative event in 2020,” Keith Waddell, Marketing Manager for Harley-Davidson Australia, commented.

We are working with the event organizer on the refund process.

H-D will be looking to arrange an alternative in the coming year.

The loss of the HOG national rally will be difficult for members to take as the last was held in 2015 at Tamworth.

It was followed by open Harley Days rallies at Wollongong in 2016 and 2017 which did not impress HOG members unhappy with the open format.

There was no 2018 national rally.

Freak show

The Freak Show Festival was to include a flat track, a dirt hill climb, custom motorcycles, the Globe of Death, wheelies, stoppies and burnouts, a ride-in cinema playing motorcycle-themed movies, live music and food and beverages.

It was scheduled for one weekend after the Australian Motorcycle Festival (formerly the Sydney Moto Expo) in Wollongong from November 8-10.

The show and rally were also sponsored by NSW Tourism Department who expected it to deliver more than $1.7 million in visitor expenditure to the region.

Walcha Mayor Eric Noakes had said the town was “100% behind the Freak Show Festival of Motorcycles”.

Protestors line up at Walcha Royal Cafe business on the Oxley Highway
Riders in Walcha at the Royal Cafe

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Motorcycle festival and HOG rally in Walcha

A “freak show” of motorcycling will combine with the return of the national Harley Owners Group (HOG) rally in Walcha from November 15-17, 2019.

The Freak Show Festival of Motorcycles is being organised by Inside Line Events International who was behind the proposed TT events for either the Oxley Highway or the Sunshine Coast.

David Rollins on his Ducati Panigale - Getting an Aussie TT event over the line Walcha Freak Show motorcycles HOG rally
David Rollins

Founder David Rollins says those events have not been completely shelved, but they have given birth to this new event.

“We developed a good relationship with the people of Walcha in that time, we’ve earned their trust and now we want to repay it,” he says.

“The town is providing us with first-class facilities so that we can stage an event to remember.”

Among the attractions for the weekend will be a “Hell Climb” hillclimb, custom show, flat-track exhibition racing, stalls, music, outdoor cinema, trade show, globe of death, donuts and burnouts in a closed-off arena.

HOG will have guided rides and HOG members will lead off the Thunder Rally.

Punters will be invited to have a go at the flat track like Brisbane’s Dust Hustle event on a purpose-built track on vacant land next to the town’s racecourse.

“The Freak Show of Motorcycles will be like the Summernats for motorcycles,” David says.

“We’re expecting about 5000 attendees a day for the three days of the event.”

HOGs and more

National HOG rally to return in 2019
Thunder Run at the last National HOG Rally in Tamworth

HOG members should be glad to see the return of their national rally.

It was last held in 2015 at Tamworth and followed by open Harley Days rallies at Wollongong in 2016 and 2017.

HOG members were unhappy with the open format so there was no 2018 national rally.

Now the national HOG rally will return at Walcha to run alongside the Freak Show which is described as a festival of motorcycles of all types.

Harley-Davidson Australia customer experience manager Gaz Luxmore says the partnership between the Freak Show Festival of Motorcycles and Harley-Davidson is “a perfect way of bringing together different riding communities and incorporating the national HOG Rally”.

“The lovely, motorcycle friendly town of Walcha and the fantastic roads of central NSW will create a magnificent backdrop for a truly unique and spectacular event,” he says.

Walcha crossroads

Walcha was chosen for the event because it sits at the crossroads of some of the best motorcycling routes in NSW taking in the Oxley Highway, New England Highway, Waterfall Way and Thunderbolts Way.

Member for Tamworth Kevin Anderson says Walcha is “known for being popular with motorcycle tourists”.

The rally will be held in the Walcha racecourse and sale yards with various levels of camping right up to five-star “glamping”.

“All accommodation has been booked out in Walcha already, but there is still heaps in Armidale and Tamworth. Plus we will have on-site camping options from standard tents to Lawrence of Arabia style,” David says.

Shuttle buses to and from events, accommodation and the town centre will be provided.Walcha Freak Show motorcycles HOG rally

Harley Owners Group spokesman Andrew Kidd says Walcha is a “reasonable size town with good facilities”.

“Much like the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, the surrounding towns will be more than able to handle the volume of riders coming to the event,” he says.

“The local roads are renowned as some of the best riding roads in the country so come along and enjoy a great event and some fantastic roads.”

Protestors line up at Walcha Royal Cafe business on the Oxley Highway
Riders in Walcha at the Royal Cafe

David says the one ticket will gain access to all areas and sites that Freak Show Festival of Motorcycles has to offer.

Tickets go on sale at the end of March and David says they will be “competitively priced”.

Event website, Facebook and Instagram are now online.

David says they have major sponsorship support from Harley-Davidson Australia and the NSW Government’s major events agency, Destination NSW.

Minister for Tourism and Major Events and Member for Northern Tablelands Adam Marshall says the motorcycle event will deliver more than $1.7 million in visitor expenditure to the region.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com