Epic run to Alfesta 2016 in Mount Gambier

[Cupcake]

A few people have told me that they plan to drive from Brisbane to Mount. Gambier for Alfesta in 2016. So I thought that we might set it up as an epic run. We could travel together, stay in the same accommodation, and generally have fun and look after each other on this long journey. So I've started this thread to enable discussion on the logistics of such a trip, so that we can come up with a 'run' that everyone is likely to enjoy.

So to start off, I'm going to throw a few questions that we probably need to answer out there, and see what people think.

1/ Travel time. It can be done in 3 days, but 4 will be more leisurely. It's about fun, after all.

2/ Daily travel time - I'm suggesting no more than 6 hours driving a day. Some of us aren't as young as we used to be...

3/ Level of accommodation - Motels are the most common level of accommodation along the way. But there are often cabins available in caravan parks which would be a cheap option, but might not be plentiful enough for all of us to be in the same location. So knowing how much we want to pay for accommodation per night will help us choose from what's available.

4/ Route - there are a couple of options. I suggest day 1 to be Brisbane to Moree or Narribri, then day 2 would end in Forbes, Day 3 end in Echuca, and Mount Gambier is 5 1/2 hours from there for day 4. We might want to take a different route back to get in different sightseeing stops.

5/ Sightseeing stops - I would recommend an option to perhaps push on to Bendigo on Day 3, so that we'd have time on day 4 to drive through the Grampians, which is something you should do at least once. Coonabarabran has Siding Springs and Parkes has the Radio Telescope, and there are other things to see.

6/ Other events. This year, AutoItalia was in Canberra the weekend before, and many people continued on to Alfesta afterwards. If the dates work, perhaps we could change the route to do the same in 2016.

7/ Other States - while it's just a day's drive from Melbourne, presumably AROCA NSW will be heading over as well, and staying at least one night somewhere. So we might want to plan to link up with them for the night of Day 3.

8/ Post Alfesta. My family doesn't get to South Australia very often, so we'll probably want to take time afterwards to go to the Barossa, etc. while we're there. So others might want to do the same. Others might want to head back straight away. So we might have 2 or three groups heading back at different times.

So what do you think?

[Cupcake]

Bumping this - a few people have asked me about it face to face.
If you have suggestions as to better routes/things worth seeing on the way, please reply.

[ACE]

Cupcake,
This would be a fabulous trip, hope you get some takers.
Auto Italia Canberra 2016 (http://www.AutoItaliaCanberra.com) will be on 3rd April, i.e. the weekend after Easter/Alfesta.
So we'd love to see you all drop in on the way home.
Take care and enjoy Alfesta.

[Cupcake]

Yes, if we're driving past, we'd be nuts not to 'pop in'. Would love to check it out. I know that many other Qld members went last year, at least.

[Cupcake]

It's been discussed at committee meetings that, due to the distance to get there, some South Australian AROCA members are offering a loan of their 'spare' cars during Alfesta, so that Alfisti arriving by plane have an Alfa to enjoy while they are there. I literally have no other details other than that, so I would suggest contacting the Alfesta organisers via their website.

Another option for those who do want to take their cars is to transport them there and/or back. I bought my Spider in Adelaide, and my transport experience wasn't great. Because it's clearance was less than 5 inches (yes, they actually used inches as the measure), I had to use a specialist carrier, which cost about three times the price. I'm told that a car more than 30 years old also attracts a transport premium. And despite spending all that money, it arrived absolutely filthy, so they didn't look after it at all. When I complained, their response was to offer me a detailing service for even more of my money, and they practically told me off for not requesting it in the first place. Completely missing the point, of course.

So obviously, I'm not using that mob ever again. But for those who want to explore this option, does anyone know of a BNE-ADL carrier who specialises in classic cars and who will actually treat them as valuable collectables, but who won't charge an arm and a leg? And if it gives some options, I'm sure that some would be happy to drive to Sydney, and transport from there. But obviously, only if that's cheaper overall.