After a cold, cloudy week, Saturday 1^st August was cold, clear and sunny – a perfect day for a drive.  We had a convoy of 17 people in 14 cars starting from Wallan and cruising the Hume to Seymour for a short stop. 

The route then took us on a great backroad east through strange countryside.  The rolling hills were vibrant green from the recent winter rains, but the trees were black and bare from bushfires earlier in the year, with just a few early shoots. 

The group was well-matched for maintaining a brisk pace and everyone enjoyed this road.  We then turned onto the backroad to Yea and drove straight into a fog bank.  Technically it was low cloud which covered the whole Yea valley and we soon drove out under it. 

A planned second stop at Yea was aborted as the location was packed with people and parked cars for a community fete, so we pressed on along the Melba Highway before taking the long detour through Murrindindi – a pleasant, mostly empty cruise through scenic countryside, with a twisty sting in the tail to rejoin the highway. 

For the final stint, we turned off through Toolangi and had a fun, unobstructed sweep down Myers Creek Road into Healesville. 

The cars were parked up at the back of the Beechworth Bakery for photos, and most of the group had a casual lunch and coffee over a friendly chat in the bakery.  Afterwards, some people headed directly home.  One crew was taking the very long way home via Marysville and Reefton, while another couple headed to Tarrawarra winery to explore the new art gallery there. 

Thanks to everyone who took part in the drive and the lunch, and to Trent for stepping in as the tail car.

Peter Williams #36