Off-Grid Living Festival 2024
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First stop, Marmalades in Yea, on the way to Chiltern
First stop, in Yea, on our way to the Off-Grid Living Festival. We stopped for lunch at Marmalades – delicious fritters and a cheese waffle dish, which was new for us.
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Battery-powered coffee at the Off-Grid Festival
Battery powered coffee at the Off-Grid Living Festival. No diesel generator noise or fumes. How’s the serenity!
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Catching the EV panel at the Off-Grid Festival
We arrived at Off-Grid Living Festival at about 2:30, to catch a few of the talks in the Border Regional Electrification Events electrification tent. We caught the tail end of a panel discussion of EV owners answering some audience questions, then Michael from the Electric Vehicle Council covering a range of issues. And finally an eye opening discussion on recycling measures in place for lithium batteries in Australia. The tent was appropriately powered by V2L (vehicle to load) from the MG EV parked next to it. We found our names in the presenters list for tomorrow! See you at noon.
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EVs and conversions at the Off-Grid Festival
Many electric vehicles at the Off-Grid Living Festival this weekend, in the Border Regional Electrification Events area. New cars from Tesla, MG, Hyundai and others. Test drives on site. We spotted a few converted cars including a VW Beatle and a Mini. A Zero motorcycle. Dozens of electric mowers from small to huge. The place of huge!
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Marvin meets Husqvarna at the Off-Grid Festival
On our way out from the Off-Grid Living Festival, we checked out some of the displays in the Border Regional Electrification Events area. We had a chat with Paul about the Husqvana robot mower that was quietly cutting a patch of lawn next to us. All Seasons Garden Solutions: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100091464130556 We chatted with Matt from Clenergy about a possible portable battery for camping, which can charge from the Tesla car’s 12V supply and from portable solar panels, to then use it for high power cooking such as induction stove tops. It pains me that this is needed because our Tesla doesn’t have vehicle to load (V2L) which could power the stove directly. Other EVs have this feature.
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Yackandandah Motor Inn has EV charging sorted
The Yackandandah Motor Inn has got it sorted! It has a power point outside the room, next to the parking spot, specifically for EVs and e-bikes. Brilliant! Before you point out that the sign says to “park front in“, we checked that with management. As we’ve seen in other motels, that’s to reduce the fumes and noise of ICE vehicles filling the rooms, which of course is not a concern for EVs. Even the bedside charging is set up properly, with USB-C, USB-A and a power point high enough for a laptop plug pack. Dinner is a very short walk away at the Star Hotel Yackandandah. We had mushroom fettuccine and eggplant parmigiana.
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An eye-opening talk on EV conversions
Eye opening talk today at the Border Regional Electrification Events electrification tent, about converting existing cars to EVs. New life for classic cars. Improves torque, reliability and longevity. No fumes or noise. Love it.
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The vibe at the Off-Grid Living Festival
Great vibe at the Off-Grid Living Festival. Street musician and entertainers, cuddly animals, amazing artwork, lots of delicious food options. No disposable plates! Impressive.
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Slides from our EV road-tripping talk
Some of the slides from our presentation on EV road tripping at the Off-Grid Living Festival, in the Border Regional Electrification Events electrification tent.
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Past The Big Shovel, ending at Yack's Bottom Pub
We stopped by “The Big Shovel” as we left the Off-Grid Living Festival in Chiltern. Francis tried to make a friend out of a skittish young bull. We finished up back in Yack, this time at the ”Bottom Pub”, complete with appropriate (or inappropriate) photo.
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A $10 squeegee solves an EV-charger gap
We figured out that the one advantage of having an ICE car is having access to a window washing squeegee at the service station, a feature that is not provided at EV chargers. Problem solved: We bought a $10 squeegee at Mitre 10, and keep it in the car boot. We set off this morning with a clean windscreen and a full “tank”.
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Beechworth sweets, then Newton Falls
Like a kid in a candy store at The Beechworth Sweet Co. But we showed restraint… until we went next door to the Beechworth Bakery. We took a couple of vege rolls and a cuppa down to Newton Falls, which are pretty spectacular for something right in the middle of town.
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A not-so-flat detour to Flat Rock
We took a stab at the on screen map by tapping “Flat Rock”. It took us out the back of Beechworth, past the correctional center, along a dirt road. The path to the rock was not flat, so we groaned in the photo. The moss on the rock was like carpet for bare feet.