With the weather taking a turn for the better over the last few days it was great to get the Alfetta out early this morning . A 400k jaunt around some of the best touring roads in West Gippsland and hardy another car in sight . What a mid week treat & so close to Melbourne.
Stopped and had a talk to the sheep , they said they were having a busy day to.
Nice - same rims as mine Paul!
Good stuff. Proper driving, not 15km of suburban motoring to dribble shite over a latte.
Nice! Superb driving roads aren't they, lovely to hear about and see the photos. Car looks great.
It's amazing . A large part of this years Melbourne Targa Floria Tribute ( with its $7,000 entry fee) https://www.targaflorioaustralia.com/ is being run this area. You can skip all or that, go down there and play by your self for a quick drive or for a month and probably not drive on the same roads twice. We are so lucky in Melbourne such interesting and different geography within a 2 hour radius
Indeed. Even some of the cross-city routes are somewhat surprising in their variation. Tasmania has similar opportunities to get out and just drive, albeit with higher fuel prices!
"Tasmania has similar opportunities to get out and just drive, albeit with higher fuel prices!"
Agreed took the 105 down to Tassie last year for a quick abridged lap of the Island what a hoot . Have driven around a lot down there over the years but it was such fun in the 105. Without wanting to start any fights I believe on average Victorian roads are probably a bit better (safer) , also less big trees to hit.
As for the price of petrol , today's jaunt cost less than the price of a movie ticket . I know what I would rather be doing.
For those interested the gourmet opportunities in Gippsland are also sensational. The Seafood Linguine at the RACV Resort at Inverloch and a quick read of all the papers was an interesting pit stop for an hour or so.
Hi Paul
Sounds and looks like you had a great day out enjoying the scenery and driving the Alfetta GTV. The Victorian countryside is definitely a lot greener than NSW from the recent shot taken at the AROCA club run to Robertson last month.
Southern Tablelands , that's a lovely part of the world Bonno. The drive from Bowral down the escarpment to Jervis Bay via Kangaroo Valley is Gods own country (also some of the best pie shops / bakeries in the land). I suppose the big plus for you guys is that you never need the car heater on.
Quote from: Paul Gulliver on August 29, 2018, 08:07:02 PM
It's amazing . A large part of this years Melbourne Targa Floria Tribute ( with its $7,000 entry fee) https://www.targaflorioaustralia.com/ is being run this area. You can skip all or that, go down there and play by your self for a quick drive or for a month and probably not drive on the same roads twice. We are so lucky in Melbourne such interesting and different geography within a 2 hour radius
I miss it :'( :'(! When work was giving me the s..ts I'd often jump in the car, switch the phone to airplane mode, head out Wellington Rd and just see where it took me. Always felt better after a couple of hundred K's.
Quote from: Citroënbender on August 29, 2018, 06:11:21 PM
Good stuff. Proper driving, not 15km of suburban motoring to dribble shite over a latte.
Love it! :D
This was last weekend, so a week before Spring, but same good weather, good road vibe. Only wish my GTV was as immaculate as Paul's!
Great Shot John. Is that up in the Helena National Park, What are the roads like up there. ( I don't know about immaculate .It is my club sprint car . Had some paint put on it last year so its a little bit precious for a while)
Just out of town in Kalamunda - (Gooseberry Hill National Park). This particular road is called the Zig Zag and is part of the Targa West (special hill climb stage). Not legal to go too fast (40kph, one way, sheer drop), but great scenic run.
But plenty of really good driving roads through the Perth Hills. My preferred routes are further north-east through Chittering Valley heading into Toodyay. Chittering Rd- Julimar Rd is a cracker.
(I have to credit forum member Chris "Ugame" for putting me onto the Zig Zag. Despite growing up in Perth, I didn't know anything about it til he videoed it.)
A great day for getting out and about.
Duck Reach power station ruins, I briskly completed the ascent to the Trevallyn side (and return) then the Rose Lane convict cemetery.
I'm not really a grave junkie, especially being a first generation Aussie there is no family history to give it a deeper context. But there is a definite pathos to the site; a sense of compassion you don't align normally with the State's harsh (brutal, even) convict past. I stopped to press my hand on the stone gatepost as I entered, remembering the Mourner's Prayer. This cemetery, now cleared of burial relics save for some non-denominational markers, looks to the north and over the town - constrained in life, the dead now freely oversaw the city they helped construct.
A good afternoon out, and the Sele acquitted itself well save for one slow steep turn where a manual downshift might have been smarter than staying in City mode.
Great shots Citronbender. That second shot of the rocky river is a spitting image of the last 15 k's of following the Prosser river from the drive from Hobart to Orford. Another great East cost Tassie drive. Looks like your along way from home. Did you enjoy the boat ride getting there.
There are two silver 147s in the stable, no boat trip required. ;)
I couldn't bear driving some of these roads in an "ordinary" car.
Nice gtv Paul, I actually went to see one identical to yours 79 model same wheels that some guy I met told me he had, but it's in barnfind condition, hasn't moved for 14 years needs a bit of work
Another beaut spring day in southern climes. Sunroof open weather. Not looking forward to time in Sydney (coming up too soon)!
Took in Gardenfest at Entally House, and the opportunity for a ramble through the historical buildings there ("Gold coin donation" is super affordable compared to many attractions).
Forgot to take a photo of the 147 parked in such salubrious environs, now regretting it! Carpark also featured an XA GT hardtop and an early Munro - both very tidy. Didn't see any "classic" Alfas out and about today, although there was clearly some variety of muscle car club run.
A brief respite from the heatwave, saw me out in the north of Sydney in the little grey Pug and then towards the northern beaches (and back) - time to check on a car I'd shedded two years ago and not looked at since!
Returning, saw a very tidy white 33, reg "33- CIAO". Was flattered to get a wave from the driver; he is doing a far better job of preserving late '80s Euro than me.
Quote from: Citroënbender on January 28, 2019, 05:48:59 PM
Returning, saw a very tidy white 33, reg “33- CIAO”. Was flattered to get a wave from the driver; he is doing a far better job of preserving late ‘80s Euro than me.
Hi Citroënbender,
That was me (with family) in my wife's Permanent 4.
When we saw your Pug we caught up to say hello. When you opened up the throttle it was nice to hear the 16V roar. We love seeing older cars out and about... anyone who knows me and my collection of cars will know that dents and paint falling off are no obstacle ;)
You can see our Alfa madness on my public facebook page here:
http://facebook.com/autografica.classico
https://www.facebook.com/autografica.classico/photos/a.596944943791682/1316005648552271/
Ciao,
Adrian
It's that time of year again . I had recently read an article in the Autumn edition of this years C&S about a drive the Goldfields Chapter guys did. For me in Melbourne's east it was across town , out the Western Highway . Turn off to the right just before Pykes Creek Reservoir. Head up to Trentham via Blackwood, through the Wombat state forest. Trentham, Springhill , Lauriston Reservoir . Kyneton for lunch and then home via the Calder . About 250 k's great drive , scenery & lunch. Here's a couple of shots
So you did not go on the Alfa groups drive to Daylsford then?
No , just a quite mid week blast. Had the countryside to myself
Quote from: Paul Gulliver on August 28, 2019, 10:12:01 AM
No , just a quite mid week blast. Had the countryside to myself
We need a like button. ;D
Took out the Alfetta GTV to a car show on the last day of winter. Here is a video clip of some of the cars in attendance. Invitational to all 80 and 90 model cars, with one making the trip up from Melbourne.
https://www.facebook.com/SouthWestMuscleCar/videos/2335984419772859/
Bonno, Was the Melbourne car the DeLorean. There was one at the Maling Road Autoclassica a couple of weeks ago , hadn't seen it before.
Paul
The car from Melbourne was a Ford Laser which can be seen at 33 sec mark. There was a great mixture of cars, predominately Australian and American muscle cars with a mixture of European and Japanese cars.
Was in contact Friday with Haakon, recently back from pedalling his Giulietta hard around Tasmania. He said it really enhanced the driving holiday. Note that Tassie gets a bit busy in these school holidays - hence you get in ahead of the crowds, and make use of the cheaper boat fares.
(He's the member who was permanently banned and had his threads deleted for speaking his mind on after-sales service to a new Giulietta in Canberra. Says it's been fine since he stopped using them.)
Quick drive yesterday and today, Sydney suburbia to Kinglake (Vic) area and back. I was fetching parts for the hack ute, in order to make it more suited to running around for my 147 repairs...
Said 147 went well for a car with its clutch down to the rivets. :o I trained myself to watch the tacho on cruise and as the revs climbed in fifth with clutch slip, I'd push in the pedal and shift down to fourth, backing off the throttle until I felt grip again, then steadily resume prior speed.
Hume was a bit "hmmm" as in not great driving last night - I got off it before eleven as the trucks were too vague in their lane-keeping. Unsurprised to see on my continuation early today, the tanker rollover near Tarcutta and a car trailer jack-knifed near Marulan. Must have been something in the air.
By contrast though, the weather was perfect for a ripping burl around the northeast fringe of Greater Melbourne. A little more clutch bite would have really made it superb.
Those roads around Kinglake are a lot more fun in the daylight hours and some meat on the clutch