2003 Aurora Open Day

AURORA'S SUCCESSFUL OPEN DAY

5 OCTOBER 2003

So what would you expect Aurora to do just before setting off for Darwin to compete in the seventh World Solar Challenge? Well, how about an Open Day.

Aurora is now well established at the stand alone facility of 47 Howleys Road, Notting Hill in a building owned by Australia's leading scientific organisation, CSIRO. This site backs on to the 'Bushells' factory where Aurora had its operations before.

Having an Open Day means that everything gets cleaned up and everything is on display. And so it was. Even the vehicle support fleet supplied by Ford was ready to go with the proud display of the 37 companies backing the Aurora 101 bid for victory in the world championship of solar cars.

David Rand, CSIRO battery technology expert with John Vejins of Scorpio Technologies	Stella Ngondi with visiting friend

The sponsors and friends invited to attend were extremely interested in how the volunteer team of Aurora members did their thing. Aurora experts were on hand to explain solar cells, panels, electronics, low rolling resistance Michelin tyres, CSIRO wheelmotors and so on. A snappy display of slides gave the visitors some idea of what solar car racing is all about. What it is like to stop overnight within 10 metres of the Stuart Highway, to go 5 days with no shower, no toilet and no electricity except for what we generated ourselves.

Julia Burns and food helpers	Cristina Liley - Aurora enthusiast

We will have another Open Day. At this one 18 people joined Aurora's 'Back a Winner' campaign. Lots of sausages and drinks went down. We saw old Aurora members.

And we got the workshop clean.

The following morning 5 support vehicles and 2 trailers rolled out of the workshop to be delivered to TOLL, our longstanding domestic logistics provider to commence their three day journey to Darwin.

Cathy Quealy and friend - organiser of Aurora's 'Back a Winner' program	Ford supplied tow ute with Aurora trailer ready for Darwin