Words by Josh Reeve; Pictures: Chris Quirke
On Thursday 26th January, our lovely hosts Chris & Leigh opened their home up to a large number of Motafrenz participants to celebrate Australia day as Aussies do best with good food, good banter, and a couple of lemonades.

The coordinators went above and beyond with a huge range of finger food for starters, BBQ’d meats, multiple salads, and some delicious desserts for those of us with a sweet tooth (those mini pavs… Chef’s kiss!)
The invite read, bring your swimmers for a paddle in the pool. However the weather was overcast and mild and most elected to remain dry and chat with friends new and old, and of course, the car-park walks where a wide range of vehicles spanning many years and many makes filled the streets surrounding our hosts’ home. Even the neighbors appeared to appreciate the fine array of metal parked out front with some coming out for a chat with stories of “I had one of these back in the 90s..”
The BBQ was a huge success with the indoor, patio, and outdoor seating all taken up as everyone enjoyed their lunch and swapped seats as they mingled and caught up with each other after the festive season rush.




As the afternoon carried on, people began to say their goodbyes with comments of “See you at the next event” and head off home.
While Australia day can be a point of controversy for many, the BBQ represented what Motafrenz does so well, celebrate inclusion and sharing. A big thank you to our hosts Chris and Leigh, and the coordinators!