Geist Owners - The World of Geist Caravans & Motorhomes

GG in Maleny

geistrunner — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 13:11:54 +0000

We arrived on Tuesday and found 4 other Geist vans here. It was great to catch up and now two days later we have 18 Geist vans here. Tomorrow we have another 21 vans coming in giving us a total of 39 Geist caravans plus one ring in Aussie van. This is turning into the best get together to be held with Geist caravans in the world!!. Having just chatted to Geist UK, we seem to be on the money with this.

For those that couldn’t make it this time, we hope to do it again next year.

If you’re not a member though, you are really missing out as we keep getting great reports of new friendships, loads of fun being had and just great mateship.

We’ll have a new announcement on Saturday about where Geist UK come in to the mix with helping out Aussie Geist owners.

We’ll have the next newsletter out after this GG.

Catch you on the track.

Peter Treasure (Geist Runner)

Launch of new Food

geistrunner — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 23:14:25 +0000

Are you a happy camper when you go on your caravaning trip? Well we’re about to make it a whole lot happier with the launch of a very special, easy cook food for when you get to your free camp spot and just want to relax and have a drink or a cuppa. It is an all Australian product with a variety of scrumptious recipes for you to choose from. It will be available FIRST at the GG at Maleny and will be available to all www.geistowners.com members at generous discounts before hitting the open market. Rachel and I have worked hard to get this product ready for all at Maleny and yes, we are going to cut it fine with the FIRST pellet arriving on Thursday from the factory ready for us to take with us on Saturday on our trip north. With no artificial preservatives or additives, no added MSG and all Australian meat, we aim to support our Australian Farmers. We can’t wait to unveil it to you all.

See you at the GG

Peter Treasure (AKA Geist Runner)

Count down to the BIGGEST GG Ever!!

geistrunner — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 10:14:42 +0000

In just 18 days there will be the largest privately owned gathering of Geist Caravans ever to gather together anywhere I know of in the world. This may seem a bit of an overstatement to some but to achieve this in Australia is unique since their is no importer of Geist or management of Geist products within its borders. www.GeistOwners.com has opened the flood gates to what appears to be a stand up and be heard mentality within the Geist community. A member only event, it is subsidised in part by www.geistowners.com so that true members benefit again for their loyalty to the group. We will be having some big announcements at this event as well as one or two very special guests. The bus tour is nearly booked out and the Saturday night BBQ is going to be 70 strong (still need a couple of more cooks). The golfers will be gob smacked by the awesome trophy we have this GG.

It will be a great GG and I just can’t wait!!

Catch you at the GG.

GG upcoming for Maleny

geistrunner — Sun, 23 May 2010 05:29:44 +0000

It is great to be a Geist owner when people flock to get on board. We have had a great response for the next GG in Maleny with over 15 vans confirming already they will come along from the 27th – 30th of August. If you didn’t read the email or missed it and would like to go then let me know and I will send you the details. Rachel and I will be arriving the day before and heading out the day after, if you want to extend your stay you can. We are subsidising some of the costs associated with this GG but it is still a $30 per van cost to members for the four days.

We are also planning the annual FREE GG at Lindenow South for 2011 and hope to have some further good news on that event. Dates for that will be around the 18th – 21st of March 2011.

Don’t forget to order your caps and shirts, we still have some from the last GG.

Catch you on the track.

Geistrunner

Geist Gathering a Success!

geistrunner — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 11:28:21 +0000

Just over 24 hours since everyone left the gathering from the weekend, I am still trying to come back down to earth. It was a great success with Geist vans inundating the small town of Lindenow South in Victoria. Everyone joined in to hear the latest of what is happening and meet many new friends. We also had the great opportunity to put faces to the names we hadn’t previously met and were excited by the positive comments coming out of the weekend. A full wrap up of the weekend will be sent out to everyone once we finish collating it. The newsletter for this month will encompass the GG in full. Thank you to all that attended and we hope to have an even bigger GG in September. The time and place is still to be decided with much controversy within members as to where is the best place to have the GG, it will be a hard decision to make, but more info in the newsletter.

Catch you on the track.

New Year – New Direction

geistrunner — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 00:26:14 +0000

In 2010 Geist importation into Australia is at a crossroads. If a new importer takes on the product, and there are several options here, then some spectacular new vans and possibly motorhomes could come into the Australian market towards the end of 2010. The only problem is, will the factory produce less quantity than it is currently requiring for the wholesaler to buy, to accommodate this. Even though the RV industry in Australia is going very well, a minimum order of 1,000 units per year over the UK and Australia may be outside what is feasible to sell. As a premium product, the Geist just doesn’t cut it in the budget market arena and hence the volume is unlikely to move. Will the factory consider a flat pack unit to be shipped and assembled within Australia like some of Australia’s most popular brands are now doing? It certainly would force the RVMAA lobby group to shed some of their own members off if they were to go up against the new Geist brand then. Lets just say that there are many very reputable people within Australia who would love to go this way. It is now in the hands of the factory in Germany. Don’t expect many changes until at least mid 2010 though as this would be a major investment to tool a factory in Australia to accommodate the Geist brand. The UK is focusing on motorhomes this year and don’t rule out some hitting Australian shores. A lot of interest remains with the Phantom range. Those people wanting a NEW Geist Phantom Motorhome in Australia in 2010 should let me know via email, support@geistowners.com . I am told the door is now on the other side to comply happily with the ADR’s in Australia instead of special approvals. Prices have not been released as yet.

Most parts for existing Geist stock are readily available within 1-2 weeks now through our supplier network at www.geistowners.com . Any one having problems with insurance should consider either changing to CIL or AAMI who I believe are supporting the brand. Readily available parts are always the issue with insurance premiums rising or lowering. All Geist owners should inform their insurance companies of the new availability of parts within Australia. Feel free to quote the support@geistowners.com email address to insurance companies who doubt the availability.

The www.geistowners.com membership continues to grow and with your funds we are starting to make some inroads to securing the brand again within Australia. So far in our first 6 months we have been able to:

1. Convince businesses in most states to start bringing in Geist parts to Australia.

2. Help hold a reasonable price at the auctions in Sydney and Brisbane.

3. Encourage new owners and support their finding of parts.

4. Represent the members to the Dept. Transport & Roads (Federal) – Ongoing with the coupling

5. Organise FREE Geist Gatherings (1st one in March 2010)

6. Link owners for emotional and physical support.

7. Join members with repairers in breakdown situations

8. Provide ongoing information to members regularly.

9. Administrate the forum for all Geist Owners.

Still to come in 2010 we hope to:

1. Establish an importer in Australia.

2. Provide more information to media on Geist.

3. Talk further with Geist UK and the factory on new product and the future.

4. Provide at least two GG’s (Geist Gatherings) in Australia

5. Create a comprehensive Geist manual for Australia.

6. Build the Geist service centre network.

7. Create a new Knowledge Centre for members.

What we need from you.

Just be a www.geistowners.com member and support the businesses around Australia who bring in your parts. By doing all this we make the interest for an importer or re-assembler to re-establish themselves in Australia a likelihood. If we walk away, so does the Geist brand and your investment in your van or motorhome.The Recreational Vehicle Manufacturers Association of Australia (RVMAA) would love us to walk away as their lobby group pushes the import & safety fear card onto the public and the Australian government. As owners we know the quality of the product we tow and the safety it has over many RVMAA members vans, but does the Australian public? It seems the baffle them with B**l S**t method still works on some overwhelmed buyers.

Support www.geistowners.com and help fight to keep Geist vans on the road. Donations can also be made to aid the fight and travel to the UK and Germany for further discussions when the timing is right.

Catch you on the track.

Peter Treasure (GeistRunner)

General News

geistrunner — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 23:06:07 +0000

It has been a pretty busy month or so, with the auctions, LMC’s (factory) stance and hitch issues to try and sort. In all though we are heading into Christmas with what seems to be a good supply of parts accross Australia. The UK have helped out our suppliers quite a bit. We are very close to announcing that March 19-22, 2010 will be the first official FREE GG(Geist Gathering) for our members. It will be in Eastern Victoria. Members attending will also be able to vote where they would like the next one later in 2010 with an offering of $1,000 to run it. We have had a good uptake of members since the auctions and we hope more will come on board. This is a letter from one new member.

Hi Peter

My wife and I purchased our van ( XK 660 ) from the Brisbane auction, we were the couple that had traveled up from Melbourne, your answering of our questions at the time were invaluable. Our planning to buy a Geist van started back in 2006 after seeing them at the Melbourne Caravan and Camping Show, we were both disappointed when Oakhurst went into Liquidation, but still determined to buy one we had been watching the second hand market for a XK 660 when we came across the auction in Brisbane.

So the plans were made, we drove to Ipswich on the Thursday before the auction, it was a long 18 hour drive, Friday morning 9 am we were at the auction yard viewing the vans, we were only there to purchase a XK 660 of which their were two, lot 21 was only missing the decorative curtains , lot 22 was missing the awning , DVD sound system, spare tyre, Gas bottles, mattress and microwave, so lot 21 had to be the one for us.

We took down the VIN number and all other details and headed off to the Queensland Transport office in Ipswich to obtain a 4 day unregistered vehicle permit thus allowing us to tow the van back to Melbourne, later Friday afternoon I purchased and installed the 12 pin connector needed as my original was only 7pin.

Saturday arrived we headed to the auction, spoke to yourself and met Alan from Toowomba who gave us a complete hands on question and answers session in the XK660 caravan, both yourself and Alan were very informative many thanks.

The bidding started for lot 21 at $**,*** and finished with our bid at $**,***, to say we were happy was an under statement, at the completion of the auction we hooked the van up and headed for Warrick ( stopping at the front gate to get an insurance cover note with aami ). Our second night saw us stopping at Gilgandra then on to Cobram for the third night , leaving a short trip on the final day to home.

We had no problems with the van traveling from Brisbane to Melbourne and have since had a weekend stay at Wilson’s Prom.

Many thanks again Jan and Peter.

It is great to receive these good stories, and to be fair 90% are good stories. It has started a terrible year for Geist and has finished with an upbeat that can hopefully continue us on to 2010.

I’ll leave you with a little poem that I wrote just yesterday, it talks about one babys reception that might of been, if born at Flaggy Creek (where we are now). It involves a little happy banter with the local council too over a bridge that has been closed on us for the next 12 months. It is also dedicated to my grandfather who died 6 December 1969. I hope you enjoy it.

Safe travels, Merry Christmas and Blessings on your family.

Catch you on the track

Geist Runner

A Flaggy Creek Christmas

What if baby Jesus was born at Flaggy Creek

By crikey mate, It’d be a great bo peep

All the locals, they’d gather in the hall

Of course they’d dress it up a bit, like, before a fancy ball

We wouldn’t fuss a lot, that’s just not in our local genes

As long as everyone’s comfy, that’s well within our means

Why not invite some friends around

Like Roo or Wombie and even Billy’s hound

But you know, I can’t begin to tell you, just how the Wise men would fair.

Roaming round the district, following detours that just aren’t there

“The bridge is out at Wuk Wuk”, a local cries, “you’ll have to go around”

“That’s not wise” says one of three, the King is born, just upon that mound

“Can’t we go a different way? That’ll be a solid haul”.

“Not unless you can walk on water mate, the council’s got the call”

After extra hours of travel time, the wise men would arrive

To bare gifts of loving gratitude, to the King just born alive

There wouldn’t be much more fuss than that

Maybe a barbie, then a passing of the hat

Yeah, I think God, he’d be happy too

No fuss, just a bunch of Aussies, fair dinkum through and through

By Peter Treasure – Flaggy Creek

In memory of Charles Langford Treasure who passed 6 December 1969 – A Flaggy Creek Pioneer, Wuk Wuk Resident, Bush Poet and Servant of Christ.

Geist Auction – Sydney

geistrunner — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:11:51 +0000

The last of the auctions is about to happen this weekend at Pickles Auctions – near Bankstown airport. On Saturday I will be in attendance to help potential buyers out and catch up with existing Geist owners. If you would like to attend and ask some questions, please feel free. If you are after a Geist, this is the last opportunity to get one. The auction starts at 11:00 am on Saturday 14th November. Going off Brisbanes auction, this will be well attended but a great opportunity to get a very good van at a fair price.

Catch you on the track

Geist Auction – Brisbane

geistrunner — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 05:53:18 +0000

For anyone wanting to catch up with me this weekend, I will be at the auction of Geist Caravans at Devlan Auctions 68 Industrial Avenue, Wacol QLD on Saturday morning. I will also be inspecting the vans Friday afternoon to check for missing items etc.. anyone wanting to buy a Geist should really consider being there and talk to me on what they require. Existing owners should be happy that these vans are finally being sold as this will clean the market of any cheaper stock once and for all. I will be promoting the benefits of owning a Geist to all that will listen on the day. Hope to see you there.

Catch you on the track.

Geist Runner

Back on the road

geistrunner — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 00:45:38 +0000

This week we have been at Ansu Leisure (Pimpinio) looking after Andy and Sue’s caravan yard whilst they have a break in Sydney. Sue has been diagnosed with MS and we wanted to give them a break away. It has been surprisingly pretty busy and I haven’t managed to put the tractor through any caravan sides yet. Must be alright. We head back on Monday to the Geist Retreat. The October newsletter will be out soon with some more info on Geist auctions and an owner who is going to start importing some UK Geist vans. Yay!!! Also update on parts, yes I have found a supplier in Europe and our new importer is bringing in some larger molding very soon for our 4 main repairers. It is starting to happen. I will also be talking to the contributors of our donations to see which way we go from here. Lots to talk about, I’ll be notifying all members this week so if you are not a member yet then it is time to join. Oh did I mention about the 2010 Geist Gathering? No I didn’t, well I will by an email out to all members. Keep an eye on your email.

Catch you on the track.