The Objectives
To gather the widest possible cross section of the motorcycling community for a celebrity led ride to Canberra's Parliament House.
To draw positive public attention to the safety needs of motorcyclists in the new millennium.
To raise financial support for the national Celebration television campaign.
To increase political awareness of key motorcycle safety issues

Rationale
On Saturday January 27, 1996 14,000 motorcycles descended on our nations capital not to protest but to celebrate motorcycling in Australia. 
Former World 500cc Champion Michael Doohan said he had never seen so many motorcyclists together in one spot. He was right! At the time this gathering of an estimated 20,000 was the biggest ever motorcycle ride in Australia.

Since then much has happened. Funds raised on the day led to the hugely successful Celebration driver awareness television campaign, which is still running across Australia.  Many have called for a second ride of this stature, rider groups, motorcycle media and even the motorcycle industry.

At a recent meeting of the Motorcycle Council of NSW and with the support of the Federal Motorcycle Coalition, the decision was taken to plan a second ride for exactly five years after the first.

Rides from Sydney, Cooma, Brisbane, Adelaide and Melbourne are being organised to meet in North Canberra on Saturday January 27, 2001 from 12noon to 1pm on the Federal Highway near the Carotel Motel and Campground.

At 1pm this celebrity led ride will head through the streets of Canberra and, to the cheers of local residents, will reassemble at 2pm in front of Parliament House. The expected huge crowd of motorcyclists will then hear from celebrity riders, the stars of the Celebration commercials, led by Foxtel's Kevin Magee, and some sympathetic politicians from all sides of politics, who will draw attention to that which is positive about motorcycling in Australia. 

This positive focus proved hugely popular in 1996, not only with the motorcycle community but with local authorities as well. 

Interstate Rides
To get to Canberra for the Celebration Ride several large scale rides have been organised:

• Sydney: meet 9am Saturday, 27 January at the Crossroads Hotel at Casula. The ride will leave at 10am for a leisurely ride down the Hume and Federal Highways to Watson ( Nth. Canberra).
• Melbourne: meet at the Sky High Café, 301 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne on two days, Thursday ,January 25 from 9am to leave at 10am or Friday January 26 at 8am to leave 9am.Organised by the Melbourne based MRAA further details can be obtained by calling 03 9 699 1811.
• Adelaide: meet Friday January 26 at 7am at the Maid and Magpie Hotel ,Stepney ( in the centre of Adelaide) .Organised by MRA SA , it is hoped that riders from WA will also join in at this point.
• Cooma: meet in the main Street on Saturday, January 27 from 9am to leave at 10am. Organised by MRAA ,this ride will be a meeting point for riders from the southern coastal areas of NSW.
• Brisbane: meet Friday January 26 at 8am for a 9am start from the Shell Garage at Ipswich Road, Gailes. The stop over will be at a camping ground near the Putty Road and from there to Canberra by midday Saturday. Should be a meeting point for riders from Central and Northern Queensland as well.

Camping in Canberra
The Canberra Carotel Motel and Caravan Park has agreed to act as the official campground of the 2001 Celebration Ride. A commercial arrangement is being finalised so that a portion of the charges for rooms, caravans and camping will be donated to the Celebration Committee for use with it's long running national 'motorcycle safety' television campaign.

Camping cannot be pre-booked but rooms and caravans can by calling on 02 62 411377 and quoting a/c number 34418.

The Carotel is situated on the Federal Highway at Watson at Nth Canberra, 7km north of the city Centre, and has a huge amount of room for campers as well as a pool and all necessary facilities on it's sprawling 22acre rural setting. 

The Marshaling Area
The Federal Police and the ACT Department of Urban Services have approved a two-lane road closure on the Federal Highway at Watson , in front of the Carotel. Set between Wells Station Road and Antill Street on the South bound lanes of the Federal Highway ,the site is two kms north of the marshaling area in 1996 but is larger and covers the entrance into the official campground .

This area will be open for riders on Saturday, January 27 from 12noon to 1pm before heading of to Parliament House under Federal police escort for a 2pm start.

Conclusion
The Celebration Committee believes this will be a fantastic opportunity to draw attention to all that is positive in the motorcycle community. With support from celebrities, politicians, industry and national riders groups it is expected that there will be a huge turnout on the day, something that will draw people out of their homes along the route, instill a sense of pride amongst those riders present and attract a lot of positive media coverage.

For further details call Greg Hirst on 02 9635 0761.