Page 53 - Friendships Through the Years

“Keith McLennan suggested (again) at the August meeting that member s and
their wives may be interested in private car trips within Victoria, and nearby areas
of N.S.W. and South Australia. The essential details of the trips would be Time.
Preferably Spring or Autumn (NOT in school holidays). Members to use their
own cars and not to share unless particularly desired. Participants would not
necessarily drive in convoy, but would met up in the evenings at pre-booked
motels (and/or lunch if desired.) Members must feel free to withdraw from the trip
at any time during its duration. Keith suggested that a trip could possibly be
organized for the first week in October or in November, to Halls Gap
(Grampians), to stay away for three days, two nights. Approximate cost per
couple for accommodation, petrol and meals for two nights would be $230. It is
suggested that a meeting of members and their wives, who are interested, meet for
10 minutes after the September meeting.”

There are then several mentions of the car trip in the following newsletters (and of course
the Minutes.) Bright was initially suggested as the destination, however in the end
Wangaratta was decided upon, mainly because accommodation in Bright is more difficult
to obtain for a group booking in the Autumn. Eight couples paid deposits to stay at the
st th
Wangaratta Motor Inn for four nights from Monday 1 May 1989, out on Friday 5 May.
Bed only at $45 per room per day. Unfortunately, Les and Wilma Wanstall paid their
deposit, but at the last minute were unable to come. (The Proprietress of the Wangaratta
Motor Inn refunded the deposit).
The seven couples who pioneered the first car trip were Albert and Jean Aird,
Jack and Aileen Coffey, John and Joan Coffey, Lex and Peg Lillie, Jack and Nancy
Mackay, Keith and Evelyn McLennan and Bert and Joyce Walker. Three of those couples
have participated in every car trip since Wangaratta: The Lillies, the Jack Coffeys and the
McLennans. The trip was a great success and has led to 13 annual trips (at time of writing
in 2000) From Wangaratta daily trips were made to Milawa (Brown’s Winery); Tawonga
Gap to Mt. Beauty; Beechworth and Yackandandah; Rutherglen, Wahgunyah and
Corowa. and Yarrawonga.
The principles laid down in the original suggestion for these trips were carried out
exactly. Of the group of seven, on one of the days, one couple drove up Mt. Buffalo;
another to Rutherglen and the majority drove to Bright. However the main principle of
the car trip was that we all eat together at the end of the day, at a mutually agreed upon
Restaurant or Hotel. In Wangaratta, it was mainly the Hotel Pinsent Bistro. The idea of
the ‘happy hour’ in its present format, which has become a feature of the trips, was not
th
thought of until the 5 annual car trip to Lakes Entrance.
As a result of that first trip, three criteria were laid down for the type of
accommodation required. As the trips have become more popular and more and more
members are attending, the three criteria have become four and have been slightly
amended. The original three were:
The Motel must be at least of “three star” as rated in the R.A.C.V.
Accommodation guide.
The Motel must be of at least 15 units. (It became 20 and later on 25)
Tariff NOT to exceed $60 per unit per night.