January coffee morning on Sunday 13th
This one’s at Studley Park Boathouse Cafe – 1 Boathouse Road, Kew (off Yarra Boulevard near Johnston St) – from 9am onwards.
Cafe is down below on the river side. Lovey place on a nice day.
Author Archives: Geoff Rasmussen
Caffeine Run – Sun 18th Nov
A coffee morning on Sunday November 18th.
This month it’s at Warrandyte Bakery – 193 Yarra St, Warrandyte – from 9am onwards
The next Caffeine Run will be in January
General Meeting – November 2018
The general meeting in November will be a ‘show and tell’ at the club rooms at Dorothy Laver Pavilion.
A BBQ sausage sizzle will be provided before the meeting – come early.
Normal date – November 20th
Caffeine Run – Sun 7th Oct
There will be an coffee morning on Sunday 7th October.
To cater for those in the Northern and Western suburbs, we will be meeting at the Olive Tree Hotel in Sunbury (111 Evans St,) from 9.00 am.
General Meeting – October 2018
There has been a change of venue for the October General Meeting. It will be held at Waverley Renault in Springvale Rd Mulgrave (opposite Brandon Park Shopping Centre); arrive from 6:30pm for prompt start at 7.00pm. This is to coincide with the launch of the new Megane RS.
For catering purposes we need to know numbers attending.
Please RSVP attendance details to by Thursday 11/10.
Day 1: Malmsbury, Bendigo to Echuca
Rendezvous off and running
The 2018 Rendezvous kicked off at BP Calder Park, in the midst of a cold snap that mimicked last year’s Rendezvous’ extreme weather. Hail carpeted the highway as I set off for the setting-off point, Macedon was coated with snow as we passed by. But in true Renault Rendezvous spirit we were unfazed – what’s a Rendezvous without a little challenge.
Fortified with that first caffeine infusion, the Rendezvous group of fifteen, along with the club members along for the Drive Day ‘leg’, set off to chase down David Jenkins who had, in his Dauphine Gordini powered 750, set off a bit earlier to compensated for his somewhat lower TCS (top comfortable speed). We fully expected to catch up with him before Malmsbury where we were scheduled to stop for coffee.
Did I mention it was chilly? So chilly in fact that carby icing and engines not getting warm enough to fully open automatic chokes robbed a couple of the classics of enough power on the hills that the main group did not catch that doughty 750 before it made it to Malmsbury. I won’t say the R12 & R16 were embarrassed, but . . .
The Motobean Cafe was jumping with a fairly full house of guests but it didn’t stop them serving up their usual delicious coffee while a couple more of our members joined the group there. After a bit of an impromptu squiz at the cafe owner’s collection of classic Volvos including a couple of racing set-ups, we were on our way again towards Bendigo.
Lunch beside the shores of Lake Weeroona sounded so idyllic when it was scheduled. While the wet stuff (rain, hail, snow…) had let up by then, the wind that cut like a knife made us glad to head for the Central Deborah Mine for our underground tour. Surely if wouldn’t be raining and windy down there.
A great tour it was too. Darryl, the guide, was informative and funny and so clearly knew his stuff. The explanation of reefs and how that fitted with the shape of the land was so clear I now understand what a mineral ‘reef’ was – never realised that I actually had no idea despite having heard the term since I was taught Victoria gold rush history in kindergarten (or so it seemed).
But it wasn’t entirely dry and the ventilation was so good it was not warm either. Pretty much the only time I was warm all day was when I was inside my trusty R12.
A smooth run to Echuca into the Holiday Park and our awaiting cabins. Great cabins and park. Over the river for a bit of nosh at the Moama Bowls Club and that was the first day done and dusted.
Getting that first coffee in before heading off in freezing (2 degrees) weather
Before descending into the stygian darkness of the Central Deborah Mine
Down in the Central Deborah mine listening to the fast talking, fast moving Darryl. Funny guy, but he got us out alive…
Day 2: Echuca
A leisurely start to the day, a coffee and a cruise on the Murray on the Pride of the Murray from the Port of Echuca. Lunch on board and an afternoon look around Echuca. The cold snap continued to bite.
Some time in the Holden museum. An impressive collection even if they were only Holdens. Covered pretty much everything from start to finish of Australian production.
Many hands made light work of the evening’s BBQ preparation, and many mouths made short shrift of said prepared delicious BBQ.
The Pride of the Murray, and the pride of the RCCV, no?
Pevensey steaming by under Julie’s watchful eye
Aboard the Pride of the Murray
Day 3: Hay
Day three saw us on the road early-ish – over the ‘Mighty’ Murray and into NSW. Coffee stop at Deni and through the flatlands to Hay. General consensus was ‘not your most interesting run’ with 120 km of sameness to look at.
Lunch at Shear Outback after which we gained great insight into Australian Shearing Industry. The live demo was fascinating and informative – no really, quite impressive. Wool is making a comeback, prices are good and shearing is a great life, so we were assured, though hard yakka.
And, we’re film stars! Well not exactly stars . . . they were filming for a TV advert for Shear Outback and we got co-opted (willingly) as background extras.
Engrossing shearing demonstration
First cuts
Making it look easy – I reckon I could do that…Not!
Nearly shorn
A picture of concentration, you’d think we’d not seen a sheep shorn up close before…
At the classing table, with a classy audience
Who’s that with a candle in a cake before him? Could it be his birthday?
2018 Bastille Day Drive Routes
The RCCV has prepared a bit of a social drive to go with the Bastille Day multi-club luncheon being held at l’Auberge in Lilydale.
It’s open to all members of each club, whether attending the luncheon or not. Members going to the luncheon do not have to do the drive as well if they don’t wish to (but why would you not?). It has been designed with the varying capabilities of the collectively diverse range of potential participating vehicles.
- Those going on the drive meet in the car park of the Heide Museum of Modern Art (7 Templestowe Rd, Bulleen) at 9:00am for a 9:15am departure.
- A 1/2 – 3/4 hr drive out through Templestowe, Eltham and Diamond Creek to coffee stop at Pepper’s Paddock General Store in Wattle Glen.
- Coffee stop for 1/2 – 3/4 hr.
- Three routes of ‘nominal’ 1/2, 1 and 1&1/2 hr travel times to get from the coffee stop to L’Auberge. ‘Nominal’ means that’s how long at a normal pace for a modern vehicle. Aim is to be at L’Auberge between 12:00 and 12:30pm.
- The half-hour run is intended for older vehicles that may be operated at a more sedate pace, or that may not wish to travel the greater distance. This run goes via Warrandyte and Wonga park to Lilydale – a fairly flat (ie un-hilly) run.
- The longest run is for those wanting a more ‘spirited’ drive. If they depart from coffee first, as planned, they should arrive at lunch about the same time as the others.
- The medium and long runs go out to Kinglake via Hurstbridge and St Andrews, across to the Melba highway and back past Yarra Glen and Coldstream to Lilydale. The long run replaces the Melba Hwy leg with a zesty jaunt via Toolangi and Healesville.
- There’s about 10-12 turn points in each run, with nearly all having very clear sign-posting making for easy navigation. Solo drivers should be able to navigate even the long run by remembering only 4 or 5 intermediate destinations.
- All roads are generally good quality – no unsealed. The leg to St Andrews is gentle to moderate curves and rises. From St Andrews to Kinglake is a leg of climbing tighter turns – the posted speed limit of 60 being considered reasonable, and that David J’s 850cc 1958 Renault 750 pretty much kept up with the pack on a previous run gives a sense of the standard. From Kinglake the roads are highway grade. The Toolangi leg is again a leg of turns – downhill this time.
Maps and detailed navigation instructions will be provided at the start (at MOMA)
It is not our usual practice to do this, however we’re providing links to Google maps in advance for each of the three run alternatives so that members can, if they wish, inform themselves more fully before deciding to come or which route would suit them.
Finally, the long range weather forecast is indicating a period of stable weather with wet weather clearing. So good chance of a mainly sunny day with lower than average, for this time of year, rain. Of course, this could all be so different by the week-end!
Notice of Annual General Meeting 2018
The Renault Car Club of Victoria’s Annual General Meeting will be held on July 17th 2018 at the Dorothy Laver Pavilion in Saxby Street, Glen Iris commencing at 7:30pm.
All offices (President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and Membership Secretary) and committee positions will become vacant and elections held for of members to fill them.
Nominations of members for new office bearers and general committee members are to be given to the Secretary by 10th July, prior to the meeting. Where there has been no nomination for an office, nominations may be received at the meeting.
Committee nomination form can be downloaded >> Download Nomination Form
Any items for the Agenda and proposed motions are to be submitted by members to the Secretary by 10th July 2018.