utes.com.au

27/01/2006 - A PERSONAL NOTE FROM THE UTEMAN

Hi Utelovers,
This is going to be a long letter I think, so sit back and relax.

Well the time has come!

As some of you know I’ve taken on some new roles and changed direction in my life. One of the reasons I’m not on here as much as I used to be is that in 2006 I am an Outback Ambassador for Year of the Outback. This will take me to every state in Australia in 2006; and in 2007 I have another new role which I will release details of later.

The Uteman website has created a number of Australian firsts. When I stated it in 1998 it became Australia’s first website devoted to the ute.

Also in 1998 I published the first book on utes – Beaut Utes, which became a best seller and followed it with three more Beaut Utes books.

Later we created things like the first ute Calendar, the first ute CD, Stubbie holders and stickers.

I worked on promoting utes by writing the Beaut Utes column for Outback magazine for many issues, and the column still runs.

My association with Ford allowed me to build the special ‘Mongrel’ - the first Ford AU raised ‘high off the ground’ ute, the forerunner of the now successful Ford production BA RTV ute.

Then we built the ‘Trekka’ ute which was the first ute in Australia to have a two-way satelitte navigation communication system built by Sat-Trak 24.

Of course we had all sorts of other things like the ute merchandising trailer, special built trailers for my ute and other ute toys I play with.

I also managed to get country singers Adam Brand and Tania Kernaghan into utes with Ford.

On this website and at ute shows around Australia I've given away hundreds of prizes - books, CDs, car horns, ute tonneaus, stickers, and all sorts of other merchandising stuff.

I gained a heap of media for utes via TV, radio, magazine and newspaper right across Australia and overseas. I think I can safely say I’ve judged more ute shows across every state of Australia than anyone, and constantly travelled to promote our great Aussie icon – the ute.

So from 1998 until 2006 it has been a wonderful ride. Eight years - and 8 has always been my lucky number!!

Now times they are a changing. I am moving onto new projects and the Uteman website as we know it will be no longer, we shall be starting a new website with different directions, and whilst some of the information on here will go to the new site; it will be radically different to now and not a ute or chat site. It will be an information only site.

When I started The Uteman website I was alone in the field and struggled with little money to raise the profile of utes. Now there over about 30 plus websites devoted to utes, some good some not so, and some of what we list here has been copied onto other sites, some blatantly some disguised. But there's always going to buy ute info.

I think I've done my bit for utes since 1998 and I need a change for a number of reasons. I will still always be involved with utes and continue to have a role in it, I will publish one more book on utes and that’s it. I no longer judge utes shows unless it suits me on the day.

My role with charity – particularly the Flying Doctors and raising awareness of youth suicide (Reachout!-When Times Are Tough), as well as awareness in preserving our unique language and way of life as well as Buy Australia Made campaign are things that still interest me and I am keen to expand my role in those directions. I'm looking at increasing my charity role and also those topics that really interest me. The promoting the preservation of buying Australia is one topic that really interest me.

Also an a personal note there are a heap of new goals I wish to tackle. I've even started setting up a new two story art gallery studio. I've been buying art from all over Australia for years and whenever I'm home and need to take time out learning to be a painter is what I want. Ive always been a frustrated artist never had the time, so now is the time to 'have a go' in my own studio set up.

It was a great joy to me to be able to manage the ‘Pro Hart Ute’ project as a result of that idea I had one day when sharing a cuppa with international renowned artist Pro Hart. He painted a Falcon ute for me based on my Australiana ideas and it was sold and $55,000 went to Flying Doctors. Pro and I have become good mates. There have been many other smaller charity things I’ve been involved in but we won’t go into all of it here, but thanks to my wife Janette who supported me in giving toys at Xmas to under-privileged kids in the outback, bushfire victims, etc. All of this has been great and made life interesting and rewarding.

Now though its time to close down the Uteman website folks. It has been a very hard decision for me and taken months to decide. I could have easily sold it, but they say when you are on top that is the time to retire.

I hope you all have enjoyed it; I know many of you found new friends because of this site; in fact we know of some who married because of it, some living with partners now who they met here, we’ve even had babies born as a result of meeting on here. It has been a social lifeline to many for so long.

One special story I’ll pick out to share with you how much it has affected me. Late one night I received a phone call from interstate, a mid-aged man tracked me down and rang to say "Thank you for the Uteman website". He said "Mate, you can't believe how good it is for me to work with my son in the garage doing up a ute".I said that’s great and OK and thanked him for the call, but he said, “No you don’t understand how much it means”. He then went on to relate to me how his 14 year old son was addicted to drugs and he and his wife knew it was only a matter of time before the lost him as it was so bad. They were desperate.

One day the son saw my Beaut Utes book and the family couldn’t believe he actually read a book. He then went onto the Uteman website. He said to his father he’d like to do up a ute.

His parents instantly knew there may be some hope, so they bought an old Holden ute for him and the father then worked in the garage with him each night to try and do it up. Slowly they became closer and closer and finally the son responded to medical treatment and overcame his addictions with a lot of hard work.

His father rang me to say it was because his son had found an interest, in utes, that changed him. They went to ute shows together, they did TAFE courses on mechanical, spray-painting, etc and together they built his ute into something to be proud of. All the son wanted to be from then on was a mechanic. Pretty special eh!

By the end for the conversation the man was in tears and I had a lump in my throat the size of a tennis ball.
It was a source of pride but some trepidation for me. It was an emotional time. I was glad I could have helped (even though I didn’t know it!) and some fear because I didn’t want to be seen as some sort of councellor, but I let myself become involved in many people’s personal crisis’s via emails and phone over the years.

When people wrote to me asking for help I couldn’t say no, but didn’t keep my own feelings separate. But I was always pleased to help in any small way I could.

There have been many behind-the-scene trials and crisis on here over the years, including a number of people wanting to attempt suicide but really just wanted someone to talk to. I’m not a counsellor but have always listened and pointed people towards the right people to help them – professionals.

It has been something that took a toll on my health and I got to the stage where I could no longer assist. Over many years I have constantly received well over 1,000 emails a week about all sorts of things and I haven’t caught up and never will. Something had to change.

We've had many exciting times as a result of utes and I love them passionately. More than you could really know or fully understand!

So my ute mates out there the time has come for me to move into the next phase of my life. As you know I’ve always been one who likes setting goals and achieving them. This year is a huge year for me personally and professionally.

I won’t bore you with it all, but I have a number of books to write for two publishers, including one about Goals. It should be a heap of fun (if I survive them!)

Please accept my sincere thanks to all who have made this the number one website of its kind for so many years. At one stage our turnover was greater than all other comparitive motoring sites combined and then some.

We even outdid motor companies like Lexus, Beaurepaires, Honda, and many other large international motoring groups in total page turnovers or hits. We were only one place behind the vast Bob Jane Organisation. Our stats have been phenomenal over the years. All because YOU and ME love utes.

Thank you to all our business partners over the years who have supported me with sponsorships etc. Great Aussie companies one and all.

Finally my thank you to YOU -ute lovers of Australia, New Zealand and America mainly. Also other places including Canada, England and more.

Be good to one another, stay focused on your goals in life, save those 50cents coins and remember “you only fail when you give up trying”. And remember my ute motto - KEEP ON UTEING!

Sorry this has been so long a letter but I did want to tell it all before I head off into the sunset, and so now its all said. So for now we will shortly shut this site down for a period and a less involved new one with different focus, not a ute site as such, but still with some of the events info and other new info. You will be able to log Events info on, but no chat topics. And some new stuff I know you utelovers like! It will have a huge amount of information for all sorts of topics to search.

(For any website operator who think they might like to copy anything else on here dont - the entire eight years of site files are copyright and trademarked, is being handled to solicitors for safekeeping.)

For now though my ute friends I will give you all the chance to say goodbye to everyone here now and will let you know exact date of closure shortly.

Remember when life gets tough just be thankful we live in Australia under the mighty Southern Cross. God bless Australia!

So that’s it thrill-seekers. Make your day today count! You only have one life and this is it!!!!

Cheers and from me, one last big - WOOHOO!

Allan M Nixon
The Uteman