Rimstone Cooperative Ltd -
a brief history.
Members and friends of the Victorian
Speleological Association formed the Rimstone Cooperative Ltd. in 1974.
People have been interested in the caves
around Buchan for many years and had stayed at a variety of
locations throughout the area but never with a secure tenure. In 1974,
it appeared that the owner of the building that was then being used by
cavers for accommodation, the 'VSA Hut' was about to reclaim the land
to erect a new house. Many members of the VSA were prepared to put
money into the purchase of a place to stay, but were unwilling to
channel this money through the VSA which at the time was not a legal
entity. As a direct result, Rimstone Cooperative Ltd. was formed to be
the legal entity required to support the endeavour.
Later in the same year, the Cooperative
commenced the purchase process of "Homeleigh", a former guesthouse and
the original Buchan Pub. The final payment was made about five years
later and funds are now being channelled into the maintenance and major
renovation projects aimed at improving facilities for both Rimstone
Cooperative Ltd. members and their guests.
The Rimstone Cooperative is a Community
Advancement Society registered under the Victorian Cooperative Act
1958. The society is run by a board of five directors, elected for two
years (in two groups) at the annual general meeting, usually held in
September or October each year.
New Member Information
An information sheet for the benefit of New
Members has been produced, and is available to download
here (as a PDF file - you can view it with Adobe
Reader). It
explains a little about the Rimstone Cooperative, and provides some
information about how things work around Homeleigh. A must-read for all
new visitors to Homeleigh.
Accommodation Prices
Considering the extensive facilities
available, "Homeleigh" provides low cost accommodation while exploring
the caves in Buchan and surrounding areas.
| Members |
| Adults
|
$10.00
AUD per night. |
| Family
|
$20.00
AUD per night. |
|
| Non Members |
| Adults
|
$20.00
AUD per night. |
| Family
|
$40.00
AUD per night. |
| Full-Time
Students |
$13.00
AUD per night. |
|
Rimstone
Cooperative - Membership
Interested in becoming a
member? Contact Rimstone Cooperative Ltd. either by
copying the following email address into your email program and sending
an email with your enquiry
or send us a letter containing your details
and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
| Rimstone
Cooperative Ltd. |
| P.O. Box
2543 |
| Mt.Waverley,
Victoria, 3149 |
| Australia
|
Location
- "Homeleigh" is located in Buchan, about 330km east of Melbourne in
the South-East Gippsland region. It provides a unique hostel-style form
of accommodation with all the modern conveniences and is only a short
drive away from the major caving areas.
What to bring
- While "Homeleigh" has a fully equipped kitchen and bedrooms sporting
double and bunk beds, it is important to remember to supply a few
necessary items of your own; sleeping bag and/or bedding, pillow case,
towelling, toiletries and food.
How to get there
- Travel from either Bairnsdale or Orbost and follow the signs to
Buchan. When arriving at Buchan, keep travelling north through the
township and across the infamous Buchan River bridge. Once over the
river bridge, "Homeleigh" is the last house on the left. If you go too
far, you will end up in Murrindal, or perhaps
eventually in Jindabyne.
Facilities in town
- In the small township of Buchan, a few facilities are present
including a General Store, the Caves Hotel which also
serves meals and a Post Office. (When you visit the pub, tell the hotel
staff that you are staying at Homeleigh, for an extra "smile".)
Bookings are absolutely
essential - We do not currently have a resident
caretaker, so there is often no one on site and the place is securely
locked. To make a booking for your stay at Homeleigh, contact the
bookings officer by copying the following email address into your email
program and sending them an email detailing your request:
Upon making a booking, the Rimstone Booking
Officer will reply, and will email to you a Booking Letter. The email
will advise of your successful (or unsuccessful) booking. The Booking
Letter contains some information regarding what is expected of you and
of every other guest (ie. Terms and Conditions) - it is very important
reading. All guests are expected to comply with the terms in the
Booking Letter.
Please take time to view Homeleigh's
floorplan
and request suitable rooms for your stay in Buchan. If you would like
to get in contact with guests currently residing at Homeleigh, please
call 5155 9520. Note that this number should not be used for bookings,
enquiries or outgoing calls while staying at Homeleigh.
Duties for all guests
- Homeleigh is run and operated by volunteers, and relies on the guests
to help with the ongoing smooth operation of the facility. Every guest
will be allocated a "duty" towards the end of their stay, which needs
to be completed before final departure (eg. vacuum bedrooms, mop out
toilets, clean down the kitchen, etc.). These duties are usually
allocated to more than one person, so it is a simple case of pitch in
and complete the task quickly.
Payment of monies
- It is essential that your accommodation monies are paid promptly. If
there is an MIC on duty (see below), then they will be happy to take
your accommodation money. The Accommodation Sheet needs to be
completed. All monies and the Sheet need to be sent in one package to
the Rimstone Treasurer asap after the visit (or the cash can be banked
asap - all in one deposit). It is not acceptable to have multiple
Accommodation Sheets, or multiple bank deposits. Your cooperation to
assist our volunteer members with the smooth running of these processes
will be greatly appreciated.
MIC - Member In Charge
- Often on weekends, and sometimes during the week, there might be a
Rimstone Coop member staying at Homeleigh. This person will be the
"Member In Charge" (MIC) and is there to ensure the smooth operation of
the facility, and to promptly collect all accommodation monies from
those staying at Homeleigh. The MIC is not a tour guide. They will be
trying to enjoy their own stay in Buchan. The MIC's duties include
being responsible for allocating clean-up tasks to be done at the end
of the visit, and they will allocate a duty to every guest (see above).
If there is no MIC on site, then the facility should be securely
locked. So guests cannot simply turn up and expect to be accommodated.
| Address |
Postal |
| Rimstone
Cooperative Ltd. |
Rimstone
Cooperative Ltd. |
| 15 Gelantipy Rd |
P.O. Box 2543 |
| Buchan. Victoria
3885. |
Mt.Waverley,
Victoria, 3149 |
| Australia |
Australia |
