Melbourne Cruise Poll

nJm

nJm

Guru
1000+ Posts
Joined
Jan 24, 2002
Messages
2,927
Location
Melbourne, Australia
Ok, I offered to organise another cruise for us Melbourne froggies so here it goes. Many expressed an interest in the Great Ocean Road. It would be a sensational drive, however it takes quite a while to get to it from where most of us live (south eastern suburbs) and has the potential to be full of road side revenue raisers and tourists. From where I live (Burwood) it should take about 3 hours to get to Apollo Bay. So really we would need to leave very early in the morning unless people wanted to organise overnight accomodation.

The alternative is to have a nice drive up in the hills. Justin says the roads from Cambarville to Warburton are very twisty so that is another option.

So what will it be? Down to the coast or up to the hills.

As for time I think it will be in mid-late Feb as it coincides with the French Car day on Sunday 23rd. So I'm thinking the drive should be either the weekend before (15th-16th Feb) or Saturday 22nd.

EDIT: If anyone has an alternative place to go let me know! I think it would be nice to go somewhere with water seeing it will be in Feb (hope everyone has aircon!).

<small>[ 29 December 2002, 04:22 PM: Message edited by: nJm ]</small>
 
If it's the 22nd I can make a weekend of it and come down for the drive and the French Car Day on the Sunday.

As for locations, I don't know Melbourne too well, but will be staying with rellies in Hawthorne East I think, so it doesn't make too much difference where we go. I would love to do the Great Ocean Road myself.

Yes, I have aircon :D

Derek.
 
Yay

At least something in this world is easy. My cousin lives so close to the freeway it's amazing. Don't know how it can be so quiet in that area!

Derek.
 
OK, I'm thinking of making a week of it.

From 11 - 16 Feb the Australian International Airshow is on at Avalon Airport. I'll prob come down for the 16th at the airshow, fill in the week and then (hopefully) do the drive with you guys on the 22nd, the FCD the 23rd?

If anyone wants to meet me at the airshow I'm up for that!

Just trying to get it organised now cos the Feb roster for work in being done this week eek! so I need to work out when I want time off.

Derek.
 
I'd love to go to the air show. It was fun last time, although I think this year I'll make a better attempt at bringing water and shade. Last time we resorted to sitting under a Qantas 747 which had its engines idling eek!
 
Make sure we don't go on the cruise during the weekend of the Airshow - if we head towards the Great Ocean Road, we'll be stuck in the "carpark" aka Princes Fwy - and that would be truly tragic.

You have to be very patient driving to Avalon. Years ago AN had a 737 service YMAV-YMML - don't think anyone got out of Avalon so quickly :)

Cheers,

Justin
 
OK well my accomodation in Melbourne's all sorted :)

I'm thinking of going to the airshow on either the Saturday or the Sunday. I think it'd be best if we did all the french car stuff the weekend after, so the drive the Saturday 22nd and then to the FCD?

Derek.
 
Deka your gonna drive yourself frogg-potty, lol. 1st a new C3, 2nd the sydney cruise and then 3rd the Melb cruise!!
holly farchk! take some piks!
enjoy! Xq
 
I'm with Derek on this one, like I said in the post - Avalon and a Great Ocean Road cruise won't mix.

Anyone who has driven down to Avalon over the past few years knows what it's like - we hold every other user of the Princes Freeway hostage for a few days.

Cheers,

Justin
 
Don't mind too much where we go, coastline and seabreezes sound good though, my aircon is not working as yet! :mad:

Don't know about staying overnight though, those of us going to the FCD the next day would most likely have to head straight there, could be a problem for some people I'm guessing.

Won't take me too long to get to Geelong and beyond, I conveniently live 5mins away from the Ring Road, just hop on and then no traffic lights for 40 minutes!
dance

Cheers,
Richard
 
After a lot of thinking and talking to some people I have decided that a trip down the Great Ocean Road might not be the best thing to do in one day. It really is a boring drive to get to Geelong, and that is the road we would spend most of the day on. If people were willing to stay the night down there it would be great - we could explore the roads around Cape Otway. However as the French Car day is straight afterwards I think we should have a rethink.

I still like the idea of a drive down the coast, and I will look into alternatives. All suggestions are welcome!
 
Nick,

I'm up for whatever you guys wanna do, given you know the roads and I don't :p

For once I can just tag along :D

I agree that the Great Ocean Rd is probably too long given we're all going to the French Car Day the following day, so what are your alternatives?

Looking forward to it! Can't wait :D

Derek.
 
You'd be looking at a day long trip to go down the Great Ocean Road - ie, start around 9, probably finish around 5 or 6.

There certainly are other roads that we could take.

Not eliciting much enthusiasm from the Victorian mob here, what's wrong?

Cheers,

Justin
 
Suggested route:

Start at Dandenong, then Cranbourne, Tooradin, Lang Lang, Loch, Korumburra, Ranceby, Poowong East, Drouin, Robin Hood, Rokeby, Neerim, Nayook, Whites Corner, Powelltown, Yarra Junction, Lilydale.

I've been over all these roads except for Korumburra to Drouin, I think it would be a good drive. I haven't worked out how far it is, maybe an extra leg could be added or maybe someone could suggest an alternative.

I would be very keen to go, except that I don't have a car at the moment... I've just sold my Mi16 and my next car is still in Sydney. It will take a little while for RWC and registration, but I'm hoping I could get it done in time.

Any thought on this route?

John
 
By the way, I'm not too keen on a Great Ocean Road drive. I really don't think it's as good as its reputation, until you get past Apollo Bay, when it is just brilliant. Also, too many sightseers, caravans, buses, 4WDs and heavily-laden Cortina wagons. It has to be very early in the morning to be worthwhile. Last time I was on it, in my Mi16, late at night, I got sick of trying to drive quickly, too much violent swinging left and right.

My opinion.

John
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top