Date posted: Thu, 25 Jul 2024
Posted by: Jess V
Hi OXOs!
INFO DUMP! Please read all of this if you’re new.
For those of you who have just joined us, welcome!! I’ve been informed there were some things mentioned at our club meeting on Tuesday night that some of you missed, so I’ll mention them again here.
General info
How to become a member of MUMC:
- Head here and pay $20 (for UniMelb students) or $92 for everyone else, online or pay cash at the Tuesday meeting.
- Membership lasts till the end of February 2025.
Where to see upcoming trips:
- On our website here.
Join our Facebook group, once you’re a paying MUMC member:
- Search “OXO club rooms” on Facebook (here it is too). We’ll let you in once we verify that you’re a member with us! This is where we share general announcements (also on our news page).
- There's a bunch of chats you can join through oxo club rooms, including Monday night climbing, The Nitty Gritty (outdoor gear buy/swap/sell), Women's Climbing Chat, Canoe Polo, and more.
- Also follow us on insta (@m.u.m.c).
Tuesday meetings:
- We meet every Tuesday night at 7pm at our clubrooms on Berkeley St for trip meetings and head to the Clyde afterwards for dinner.
- There’s usually people bouldering at the clubrooms from about 6:30pm on Tuesdays. Come along! :)
Monday night climbing:
- Every Monday night at 7pm a bunch of us climb at Urban Climb Blackburn. Through our oxo clubrooms Facebook group, there’s a Monday night climbing group chat.
- Join the chat to organise a lift there and find a climbing partner in advance. You can top-rope, boulder, or lead climb!
Discounts at local outdoor stores:
- We receive great discounts at local outdoor stores, including Paddy Pallin (20% off), Climbing Anchors (12.5% off), Bogong Equipment (10% off), Backpacking Light (10% off), Urban Climb ($19 casual entry), and more.
- For more info, head here.
Becoming a leader
As I mentioned at the meeting, we’re an entirely volunteer-run club. If you’re interested in becoming a leader for any MUMC activity, head here for info (credit to James for preparing that document) and fill out our expression of interest form here.
- You’ll need to do a level 2 first aid course (HLTAID003) to become a leader - I’m in the process of organising one. Email me if you’re interested in attending ().
- Ask the relevant sports officer/s or any committee member or deputy to send you the relevant leadership documents to become a leader for each sport.
- If you don’t have much experience in an activity, but want to participate more/lead trips, consider applying for a training grant and you could get money back for participating in a course (link here). This includes first aid courses.
- Note: This document is currently being updated with more info about reimbursements and other possible courses. If there’s a training course you’re keen to do that’s not mentioned in the document, definitely still apply!
- To apply for a training grant, email the relevant sports officer. Your application will then be assessed by the training grant subcommittee.
Relevant club contacts
Gear available for hire/rent
- You can hire a large range of gear for trips for all the activities (aka sports) we do at MUMC from our clubrooms, with a week-long hire period.
- It costs approximately $5-$10 per item to hire, except for backcountry skiing gear which is approximately $100 for a set for the weekend.
- The easiest way to hire gear is to do so after your trip meeting (usually on Tuesday night) for a trip you’re going on.
- For more info, head here - if that doesn't help, try emailing the relevant activity/sports officer.
Here’s a non-exhaustive list of gear available for hire, to give you the gist of what we do and don’t hire out:
- Tent (2, 3, 4, and 12 person tents)
- Sleeping bags (including a limited number of sleeping bags suitable for alpine conditions).
- Sleeping mats
- Sleeping bag liners
- Some rain jackets (probably best to get your own though, as they are required for participation on club trips).
- Some hiking packs
- Hiking poles
- Trangias (hiking pot set) for cooking
- Harnesses, helmets, and shoes for climbing
- Trad climbing gear (ropes, nuts, cams, etc.), only for those ticked off in the MUMC climbing framework
- Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs)
- Boats and paddles and other paddling and canoe polo stuff
- Canyoning wetsuit and harnesses
- A range of mountaineering gear, only for independently-certified mountaineers
- Lots of cross-country and back-country skiing gear
- Compasses with whistles
- First aid kits (must be taken on all club trips).
- An extensive library collection for hire, including several maps and guidebooks. $20 refundable deposit for all books hired.
What gear MUMC won’t supply, and you’ll need to buy yourself to go on any overnight MUMC trip [again, a non-exhaustive list!]:
- Head torch
- Walking/hiking shoes. Get yourself a good pair of waterproof hiking shoes or boots. (Tip: use the MUMC discount at Paddy Pallin or Bogong or Backpacking Light to buy them!)
- Our sleeping mats aren’t amazing. I’d suggest buying your own for a comfy night’s sleep!
- Lightweight outdoor crockery and cutlery for overnight trips.
What do all the trip levels (beginner, intermediate, advanced) mean?
Let’s use bushwalking (AKA hiking) as our basis for explaining this.
For more info/clarification, contact our Walking Sports Officers, Molly and Bernhard (). They have the final word on this bit.
- Although we don’t choose who can come on trips based on friendships, you may not be allowed to come on a particular trip if the leader has reason to believe you are not fit for it (eg, if you have inadequate fitness, gear, or navigation skills for an intermediate/advanced trip).
- Beginner trips: Little to no hiking experience. We’ll look after you. You’re a dependent participant. Just please bring a rain jacket, head torch, and good hiking shoes/boots! You can hire the rest at the meeting. You'll be cooking and bringing your own food.
- Intermediate: You have been on at least 1 (preferably more) overnight hike (ie, camping in a tent during your trip) before. You are reasonably fit, and fairly comfortable managing yourself (keeping warm and dry, staying fed, setting up a tent, knowing what gear to bring, etc.), but this is not absolutely essential. You might have some navigation skills, but these are not essential to participate in intermediate trips.
- Advanced: You are experienced and fit. You are self-sufficient, and have good navigation skills using a map and compass. You are entirely comfortable managing yourself and knowing (and communicating) your limits/what you're not comfortable with. Often, the leaders will select who can come on these trips based on experience.
Big cool exciting trips/things coming up soon:
Midnight ascent 16th - 18th August.
- Hike up Mt Feathertop (1,154m elevation) to MUMC’s hut at midnight, lit by the full moon. It’s an annual tradition.
- Good fitness is required, as are 2 previous overnight hikes with the club (or an existing leader who can vouch for you). Snow camping experienced is desired but not essential.
- This hike is hard - it’s the most direct route up the mountain.
- We’ll compete in a MasterChef competition, each group cooking a 3-course meal, have a fancy dress competition, and other fun shenanigans. Info here.
Pie and slide (annual photography competition) Tuesday 3rd September, at the Ernie Cropley Pavilion.
- Organised by our wonderful General Members, Rhea and Luke, we eat pies, drink beers, and look at club members' photos.
- Vegetarians will be catered for too.
- Many different categories.
- Any club member can submit any number of photos, and the pics don’t have to be from a club trip. Pics just have to have been taken within the last 12 months.
- $10 entry (TBC) for the event. It will be a ticketed event. Info here.
80th anniversary dinner Friday 11th October.
- 2024 is MUMC’s 80th year of existence. Join us on Friday 11th October at 7pm at the Woodward Conference Centre to celebrate 80 years of MUMC.
- It’ll be a formal sit-down dinner with a keynote speaker.
- Tickets will be around $120 (TBC; as cheap as we could make it!). Tickets will go on sale shortly! Stay tuned.
Annual General Meeting Thursday 19th September.
Consider running for something! It’ll be fun! :)
Attendance policy
We have an attendance policy that essentially states that once you sign up as “committed” to a trip on the website, you are saying you will go on that trip and attend the meeting.
- If you sign up to a trip, we expect you to come to the trip and the trip meeting (usually on the Tuesday of the week the trip is running), unless you inform the trip leader/s in advance that you can’t make it. For more info, please read our attendance policy.
- The leaders of each trip, as stated under the page for each trip on our website, are the only ones who can decide whether or not you have a spot on a trip you have signed up to. The committee does not have the power to let/not let someone on a trip (other than in extraordinary circumstances, such as for disciplinary action).
- If you’re signed up as “committed” to a trip on the website, and you either don’t attend the meeting (without telling the leader in advance that you can’t make it), or you cancel your signup after the meeting has occurred, you will receive a “strike”. After three “strikes” within a 6-month period, you may face a 3-month suspension from signing up for future trips.
- Exceptions will be made for emergencies or unforeseen circumstances.
If you have any further questions about how the club runs, about anything at all, feel free to email me () or any other committee member/deputy! Alternatively, consult our website (mumc.org.au).
Happy adventures!
Jess :D
MUMC President
Back to list of posts