Next cruise - Mount Baw Baw?

[mihai]

Nothing wrong with being careful, I was just pointing out that the people who want to drive slower shouldn't sit at the very front.

Maybe thats what the people behind you think too

[teK--]

Nothing wrong with being careful, I was just pointing out that the people who want to drive slower shouldn't sit at the very front.

If anything he did us a favor. That's why I was stopping the traffic in bursts

Nothing wrong with being careful, I was just pointing out that the people who want to drive slower shouldn't sit at the very front.

Maybe thats what the people behind you think too

Zing!!!

[jimonabike]

Mt Baw Baw is a fantastic place to drive, (although i may be a tad biased as i work for the baw baw shire and live in the area ), and the road from icy creek to fumina is probably the best piece of road iv ever driven.
id also suggest a detour through nayook to neerim junction and then down neerim north-noojee road, both the roads up to neerim junction and down to noojee have some twisty bits.
there are also some good sights to see around noojee inc. a massive wooden bridge which would provide some awsome group photo ops as the car park is at the base of the bridge and is only 300m off the main road (point B on google map below) as well as some awsome waterfalls (1-2km walk to see the falls) down torongo falls road just past noojee




http://maps.google.com.au/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Deschamps+Ave&daddr=-37.9179201,145.928652+to:-37.91329,145.98821+to:Unknown+road+to:Mount+Baw+Baw+Tourist+Rd+to:Unknown+road+to:Old+Sale+Rd+to:Monash+Fwy&geocode=FbTdv_0dz_epCA%3BFSBrvf0dzLGyCCnl0UaMDrQpazGzTB2Zl31DGg%3BFTZ9vf0dcpqzCClbJaWpV7IpazHVm8pOmfoniA%3BFYGwvf0dsomzCA%3BFVeYvv0dndW3CA%3BFRI_u_0dKXq2CA%3BFWOauv0dly2zCA%3BFf3yvP0dnbenCA&hl=en&mra=dpe&mrcr=0&mrsp=2&sz=13&via=1,2&sll=-37.906689,145.961266&sspn=0.074765,0.154324&ie=UTF8&ll=-38.011312,145.995941&spn=0.597264,1.234589&z=10

im new on here, bought my 05 2.5i liberty wagon on tuesday and am loving life, amazing cars!

[Ric]

Thanks for the advice Jim, awesome first post!
I'd love to see the falls, but I can't see too many members making the 1-2km trek down to see them, most didn't make the 200m walk up to the summit of Donna Buang.
(Granted, it was misty and raining, with snow on the ground at the time...)

I also see you added a detour via the Old Sale road after Willow Grove. More interesting road?

As you're a local, can you advise if there's some decent electric or gas BBQs on the Baw Baw summit?
If not, and you propose bypassing Moe, is there somewhere decent at Drouin to get counter meals or takeaway?

[jimonabike]

to my knowledge there isnt bbq facilities up at the summit, although im only up at the summit once or twice a year and have been overseas for 5 months this year so its possible some may have been put in while i was away, but im not 100% sure.

Old sale road is what used to be the main route from Melbourne from back in the horse and cart days, its got some nice flowing undulations and curves as well as one short twisty bit, i put it in as i figured it might be a nice alternative to the freeway.

As for food in drouin, there are several takeaways fish'n'chip/pizza, as well as a local pub "Gleesons family hotel" which does a decent counter meal, and an italian pizza pasta joint "Luciano's" which is open from 11am on sattys but closed on sundays (id say it'd be a tad exy). or there is warragul which is the biggest town in the baw baw shire and has pretty much anything food wise.

[LibJam]

To follow on from Mark's post, I know the road from warragul to korrumburra (aka coal creek) is sealed & windy. Been a few years since I've been that way but it would be good Subi territory.

out the other way there are some great back roads around Simpson/Timboon through to Warrnambool, but it makes for a looong day. I might end up spending the night at my sisters place out that way

Start heading towards the coast (around peterborough/port campbell) from around colac and you'll get some nice back roads again... windy's through the forests, maybe even head down cape otway to the lighthouse (there's also a cafe there).

But the GOR is choked on weekends, and is 80kmh all the way back to anglesea from lorne/apollo bay.

in the back areas I think lavers hill has a pub/bistro there (would have to do the area again), but there are some great twisties that sort of run parallel to the GOR... have a look on google maps and you'll see what I mean... colac -> gellibrand -> ferguson -> Lavers hill -> Simpson -> colac = ~142km's and 2 hrs. Would need to check it out but some windies and straight hilly bits... and some roads you could feasibly let the kids stretch their legs...

detour down from simpson along the princetown road and hang a right on the GOR will see you to Port Campbell. return to colac via Scotts creek add another 60km's and 57 mins.

just a thought

Will

ps... it's late, I'm tired and should have gone to bed ages ago so I'm rambling. But I have driven quite a few of the roads I have mentioned. damn family and living in the middle of nowhere. speaking of which.. the back roads b/w stratford and bairnsdale are fun

[MH3.0R]

I think we should set a date or this will become the best organised cruise we never had!!!

[Ric]

I'll start a poll soon.
I'm thinking maybe we should have a pre-poll, to decide between:
[1] December, before xmas
[2] between xmas and new year
[3] first few weeks of January.

any opinions?

FYI, I'm posting this from Jindabyne, have just been driving some lovely twisty roads, but in my wife's SX4. We came across a freelance TV cameraman driving an almost identical car.

Imgp4564a.jpg (97.58 KiB) Viewed 6112 times

[MH3.0R]

How about 12th of the 12th. Don't think I can wait until Jan. Can also double as a Xmas bbq (if we can find one!).

Getting jealous streaks of you driving in the Alps. I was thinking of doing a great alpine cruise over two days. Maybe in the new year. Might start with an expression of interest first.

[Kekotic]

I'm happy for before Christmas or in January, could still make the in-between Christmas/new year but I doubt many people would want to go then.

[castek]

12th would b out for me. I'd be out fishing in mulwala for my bday

[LibJam]

well we've got a possible qld trip in Jan, so Dec/Jan might be out for me (funds are tight atm... until the promotion is finalised, might still be tight though).

Will see how it goes, put me down for a maybe for Dec some time. failing that, meet-up somewhere for a bbq and photos/

W

[Kekotic]

failing that, meet-up somewhere for a bbq and photos/

Honestly, I'm more keen for this idea than the cruise. Might just be me though, but after 2 cruises and having only a handful of people hang around for lunch, it might be nice to get to know everyone a little better.
Also my turbo says it's going to be taking a holiday from December till March.

[as_shandy]

i probably wouldnt be able to make it to anything before jan, baby due in 3 weeks and working retail is a killer around this time of year.
either first few weeks of jan or we just do the bbq idead, im sure i'd be able to come along to that provided its at night not day time.

[Jtek]

The sooner, the better for me. Really want another cruise day thorugh the twisties