Canberra Convenors’ Run and BBQ

10 February 2013 / Words by Bob Judd; Photos by Jill Wicklander and Bob Judd

So what does a paper hat, a picture of a Queen, an ice cream wrapper and a feather have in common? They were all ‘treasures’ that needed to be found on the Mystery Run that took 26 members and a guest on a 70 km run through the suburbs and surrounding countryside of Canberra on their way to an unknown BBQ site. Along the way, there were 20 questions that needed to be answered and an ‘artwork’ that needed to be completed.

On their roundabout trip, our trekkers were questioned about Billy Hughes, photographed with an ‘iron lady’, encouraged to make and wear a paper hat, and directed to visit and artistically interpret the new ACT Bushfire Memorial.

The puzzled trekkers ended up at fellow members Jill and Dennis Wicklander’s country home at Murrumbateman. Here the treasures were evaluated, the answers toted and the artistic interpretations, er, interpreted. The winners were David Goble and Sue Finn, largely on the strength of their magnificent stylised rendering of Canberra’s most recent Memorial. The wooden spoon (courtesy of the ACT Emergency Services) was awarded to new members Michael and Rosemary Dunning, who promised that divorce proceedings were not on the cards.

The participants then became the honoured luncheon guests of their Co-convenors. As a ferocious storm battered the house, our guests settled safely indoors for a BBQ lunch of gourmet sausages, hot potatoes and mixed salads, topped up with fresh homemade pavlova, tea and coffee.

As the weather cleared, our 15 or so cars departed for home. Major thanks go to Jill and Dennis Wicklander for the use of their lovely home.

Next year, we’ll have to make the questions a little harder …

Bob Judd
Canberra Co-convenor