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The hiring out of MTE's 4WD vehicles expanded into a joint venture with Gippsland Fleet Maintenance in 2004, adding a fleet of three hire-drive mini-buses. This subsequently led to mini-bus transport services and the acquisition in 2006 of an imported luxury 4WD mini-bus for snow transport and airport bus services to Melbourne. Murray "Muzz" Brown now manages this business, which also enables MTE to assist Fusion Gippsland with their youth and community work based in Morwell.
More recently in 2007, "Hayno" and Diane Haynes from Drouin established Adventure Learning Experience (ALX) to extend MTE's 4WD-based team building trips. Hayno's specialist training in Canada has assisted him to develop unique experiential learning and leadership training programs for corporate and school groups, working in conjunction with a number of campsites around Gippsland.
The Mountain Rivers property is now being managed by another MTE team member, Marcus Hiam, from Warragul. Marcus' background includes school and campsite property maintenance, bus and taxi passenger transport, as well as off-road vehicle recovery with the Australian Army. Being only 20 minutes from Walhalla, enables Marcus to run many of MTE's popular 4WD tours through the ghost towns, mines and mountains near there. These include the Copper Mine Adventure for day visitors to Walhalla as well as Historic Ghost Town tours for groups staying at Rawson Village. The MTE team has run tours for up to 128 students in a day from Rawson Village, and worked with coach companies and Walhalla's Star Hotel in catering for international visitors on cruise ship excursions from Melbourne.
The Lodge accommodation business is now managed by Sarah Bush, and in addition to now being the home of the Bush family, the Mountain Rivers property is the home of Phoenix Paintball. Commencing in late 2007, this adrenalin-based sport has become phenomenally popular with young adults, with player numbers 3~4 times expectations. The varied and picturesque location of the fields, and friendly but professional style of operation are helping to establish Rawson as Gippsland's, and perhaps Victoria's, premier location for this sport.
Looking forward, the expected opening of the South Face Road to Mt Baw Baw this winter will enable Rawson to become a sub-alpine town providing accommodation, such as at Mountain Rivers Lodge, for snow visitors. In addition, MTE's Mt Baw Baw Transport Service should be able to provide a faster service connecting with Melbourne trains at Moe, than the previous route connecting at Warragul. Mountain Rivers Lodge has become a great location for MTE driver training residential courses, and ALX corporate events, and this should continue as accommodation and facilities there are upgraded.
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