MEMBER

Clunes is a charming town in Victoria's central goldfields. Its main street is wide enough to turn a wagon and is lined with a splendid collection of well-preserved 19th century buildings - a streetscape set in aspic. Clunes has become renowned as an international booktown and an annual hub for Australia’s literary heavyweights.

Ride Description

Clunes is 140-kms northwest of Melbourne but you wouldn’t expect us to go the direct way there. We’ve chosen some amazing roads with interesting sights along the way to make getting to our destination half the fun. Our adventure starts at Eltham taking in some lovely roads to Romsey. We skirt past Hanging Rock to refuel at Kyenton. We’ll ride between the Upper Coliban and Lauriston Reserviors. Lunch will be at the Malmsbury bakery. There is a short bit of dirt road at Glenluce on our way to Vaughan and Guildford. We’ll explore the Yandoit Hills to admire the few remaining drystone houses built by Swiss-Italian settlers. It feels a bit like Tuscany. Clunes is not far away. After setting up our little tents checking the stays are nice ’n tight and feeling faint-headed from blowing up airbeds, we’ll amble over to the pub to recover and unwind. After rousing on Sunday morning with sore hips and a foggy head, we’ll crawl out of our sleeping bags to seek a cure for the lack of sleep with a strong coffee in town. As we ride towards Smeaton, we’ll be surrounded by many domed hills which rise out of an otherwise flat plain. Each was once an active volcano. A highlight of Sunday’s ride is the splendid 1862 Andersons Flour Mill. A non-stop meander around Daylesford will include its two lakes and Wombat Hill. We’ll then ride up the side of a volcano and into its caldera. We have another short 8-km dirt road to negotiate which leads us to a secret spring, an oasis of green amongst all the dryness. We stop by the quaint Glenlyon General Store. Lunch is planned at the Pig and Whistle, a cute little pub in East Trentham. Our route home is via Woodend and Clarkefield finishing at Moonee Ponds.

Theme

Bleached landscape, summer heat, vast blue skies, dry scrubby bush, yellowing grass, flies, camping and discomfort (I won’t mention snakes) - the quintessential Aussie bush experience - simply wonderful. Pack sunscreen, a hat and water bottle.

Camping

Camping and scooters go together like a horse and carriage - a kind of marriage. Aussies are supposed to be outdoorsy people but one can’t help observe that Europeans embrace it more than we do. We’ve become soft. Let’s redress this failing in our character. Let’s toughen up and reclaim our pioneering past. Remember this event is about camping not “Glamping”. Okay if you must Glamp go ahead and make your own nancy-pansy arrangements. The rest of us will be tenting at the Clunes Caravan Park. Make your own booking here:

http://www.clunescaravanpark.com.au

Departure Point

Cafe Zen Den, 736 Main Road, Eltham departing at 9:30am sharp. You’ll need to arrive earlier for breakfast. Park down the drive behind the cafe or across the road. PLEASE ARRIVE WITH A FULL TANK as the next fuel stop is 120-kms away.

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Comments

  • MEMBER

    Sorry to miss this one, but The House demands my time for the next few weekends as a prelude to our move

  • MEMBER
    If you don’t want to rough it the Clunes Motel has some cheap rooms available. It’s just up the hill on the road to Talbot.
    https://www.booking.com/searchresults.en-gb.html?src=index&rows...
  • MEMBER

    It's a modern problem.

    Looks like we'll have to pack a powerboard to cope with demand. 

  • MEMBER

    Greg and I will most likely be staying in a cabin so if anyone is needing power. At the rate the cabins are being charged we might have to charge a fee though HAHA.....

    Also a huge thanks to Gary and Donna, finally we get to verify this place is real after all the years Gaz has been talking about it...:)  

    Well done David for all your organising of what will be a fabulous weekend away with club members.

  • MEMBER

    AN UPDATE

    Breakfast

    Club member Gary Bell and partner Donna have kindly offered to cater for breakfast on Sunday morning at their property in Kingston. Gary’s home is just a 20 minute ride away from Clunes. We will try and be packed ready to leave Clunes by 8:30am. The "humble" spread includes home made bread, muffins, jams and yoghurt as well as eggs and bacon, tea and coffee. This generous offer is part of Gary’s plan to cater for small groups touring the area. It will be, as he puts it, an opportunity to practise “playing out a day dream.” Thank you Gary and Donna.

    More Sales Pitch (David from Marketing)

    For those who haven't been on a weekend away with the club, it's a fantastic fun experience. Great company, lots of laughs, friendship and we look after each other along the way. And what a buzz it is to be riding in beautiful countryside so soon after breakfast on Sunday without a traffic light in sight. Try it, you'll love it. A sunny weekend away in Victoria's historical goldfields country awaits.

  • MEMBER

    Thanks for your offer of power to the people Michael. 

  • MEMBER

    Hi Paul and Judy. This is a pleasant surprise. If you can get your camping gear to Eltham then we can off load it into a car that will be following us. 

  • MEMBER

    We are both coming (up for the challenge of fitting all our camping gear on one Vespa - why did I sell that trailer?).

    Staying at Greensborough Motel Friday night.

    Paul & Judy

    Red GTS30

  • MEMBER

    Thinking of getting a powered site to charge my phone, GPS etc. Anyone with an unpowered site, byo double adapter to borrow some power!

  • MEMBER

    Thanks for the comment Les. Just rock up it appears.

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