It's nearly Spring

[Paul Gulliver]

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.

[poohbah]

Nice - same rims as mine Paul!

[Citroënbender]

Good stuff. Proper driving, not 15km of suburban motoring to dribble shite over a latte.

[aggie57]

Nice!  Superb driving roads aren't they, lovely to hear about and see the photos. Car looks great.

[Paul Gulliver]

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

[Citroënbender]

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!

[Paul Gulliver]

"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.

[bonno]

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.

[Paul Gulliver]

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.

[aggie57]

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.

[ugame]

Good stuff. Proper driving, not 15km of suburban motoring to dribble shite over a latte.

Love it!

[poohbah]

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!

[Paul Gulliver]

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)

[poohbah]

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.)

[Citroënbender]

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.