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PAST EVENTS

 

Mid-911 run from Essendon Fields to Killara Estate, Seville East

10/12/2023

Story by Chris Ryan.  Photos by Ken Anson.  Click Here for image gallery 

With Santa only a few weeks away, a great turnout of 24 cars and 38 members assembled at Essendon Fields for coffee on a drizzly, cool Sunday morning.  A great spread of 911 models from Leigh Norrie’s Guards Red SC to Dileep Mangira’s 997 GT3 and Peter and Peta Garriga’s immaculate black 993 Carrera S.

Giovanni Lo Mascolo’s 997 wasn’t too happy that he was using the little-used spare key after key number one was rescued from the washing machine.  Several expert members assisted in getting the 997 to respond to the second-string key and Giovanni was underway again.

New members and first-time Porsche owners Jason and Renee Kieseker arrived in their stunning white 992 GTS 4.  With only 700kms on the clock it is probably the lowest kilometrage 911 on any PCV run.  A great way to be introduced to 911 ownership…

Leigh Norrie, our run captain, warned about the potential state of the roads we were about to drive on, including potholes and roadworks but assured us that the state government’s bulk purchase of ‘Rough Surface’ signs on Daniel Andrews’ last trip to China wasn’t a waste of money and would prove their worth.  Ken Anson had agreed to take some photos of the day and turned up with a very professional camera perfect for the job.

We headed off across the top of Melbourne taking Wildwood Rd we encountered drizzle and Leigh’s first roadworks but the surface was pretty good, even over the single lane bridges. We were following Kon in his gorgeous Carmine Red metallic 992 GTS and he seemed to have a sixth-sense for potholes, skilfully avoiding them all with style and giving us fair warning. 

Turning left into Watson Street was an eye-opener though as there were potholes galore, some big enough to swallow a Boxter whole.  Lucky, we had Kon in front of us. A bit further along Wallan-Whittlesea Road, a rail crossing was on full alert but no sign of any rolling stock unfortunately. A few brave locals worked out that there was an error with the signals and went across anyway but the majority of us turned around for a quick detour up the Hume and off at the next exit which cost a few minutes but didn’t deter us from our objective.

Next came one of the best parts of the drive, along C725 and onto Kinglake-Whittlesea Road and by now, we were behind the gorgeous speed yellow 993 of Peter Day and Selwyn Graham.  This road is familiar to those of us who have been on similar runs in the past and is always a favourite.  A quick coffee and bite at The Flying Tarts Café and back onto the road for the trip to Killara Estate.  Leaving the morning coffee, we were confronted by a short stretch of fairly thick fog, reminiscent of the film The Others (starring Nicole Kidman) and the progress was slowed but we made it to the best part of the run, the Kinglake Glenburn Road and Melba Highway with many corners and a great surface, perfect for our mid-911s.  The fog was long gone, the surface was dry and the driving was a great experience.

Some more spirited driving to Healesville and then through Launching Place and onto the Maroondah Highway before we arrived at the beautiful Killara Estate.  The grass at the front of the large restaurant and tasting centre was a perfect place to park the 911s.  We retired to the enjoy the delights of anti-pasta, gourmet pizza and hearty pastas, along with beautiful wines.  Leigh got busy drawing the prizes and Frank Peh, Chris Ryan and Paul Sabrissa each won a bottle of Killara Estate’s finest.

A great way to spend a Sunday in December and despite Melbourne’s fickle weather we had excellent road conditions, some great driving and wonderful company.  The perfect way to spend the lead-up to Christmas.

 

Mid 911 Register Run to Innocent Bystander, Healesville 

30.07.23

Story by Joe and Deb Weinbach and Photos by Karen Bentley

Click Here for Image Gallery 

A great day out for the Mid 911 Register Run, with a waiting list kicking in at 15 cars these small and intimate events are a great day out.

The group of 30 enthusiasts met at 9.00 and the cute café ‘ Lady Savin’ at Whittlesea, which was a great back drop for our morning coffee, with lots of tables and chairs to chat with friends old and new.

Paul & Karen we very excited to brief us all, making mention that their weather request had been answered, and we were all blessed with an amazing day.

We left at 10am to head in the direction of our destination of Healesville. The day started on the Whittlesea – Yea road, double lanes and magnificent country view each side.

It wasn’t long before the cars migrated to a single lane of gentle winding forest roads accompanied by our large native trees encompassing the route with glorious sunshine filtering through onto the fast and dry tarmac.

These roads were amazing and new to most of us, so thoroughly enjoyable.

We then made our way down Break Oak Road towards the Melba Highway, this was an amazing back road, however I am sure that the made to order weather from Paul & Karen made it even better.

Once on West Bridge Road it twisted and turned onto more back roads. The linking from one fantastic drive section to the next was mind blowing. There were not a lot of cars around which added to the driving experience. We felt like we were on the Black spur without the tourists. One word – BLISS!

Once on the Healesville Kinglake road, we has sections of tall gums, ferns, twisting roads and before we knew it we were at Innocent Bystander our lunch destination. Two large tables, lots of laughs and chatter and an overall great vibe.

The first course was an amazing antipasto platter, a great variety of tasty treats. After entrée Paul was up to draw the door prizes, they had 7 bottles to give away in total, we won the first bottle for writing the article (whoo hoo) we then pulled out a name. With perfectly written post it notes, we pulled out ‘Steven with a P’ well obviously there was some confusion as Steven without a P came up to get his bottle to be ‘ousted’ by Stephen with a P who proudly took his bottle and quietly thanked his mum for his name spelling, the other winners were David Barrett, Jim Adamson, Ari, Slyvia Rogers & Dennis Bath.

With the raffle over it was time for so much more tasty food, Pizzas, chips and salad. Well we were all full and could not eat another thing, well UNTIL out came the desserts! Ice cream mini cones with a difference, Lemon Meringue, Chocolate crackles & Macaroon, if that wasn’t enough, they brought out Churros & Hot Chocolate Sauce.

With full tummys we all decided to head home so we could retire to the couch.


Mid 911 Run to Palling Bros Brewery, Heathcote 

Saturday 8th April 2023

Story: Murali Wignarajah

Photos: Karen Bentley - Click here for Image Gallery 

It was a wet and overcast autumn morning when the members of the Porsche Club of Victoria gathered at Lady Sevin cafe for their mid 911 register drive. As they sipped their coffee, the sound of revving engines could be heard in the distance, signalling the arrival of the sleek and powerful Porsche’s that would be their companions for the day. There was a smattering of mid and modern 911s, Boxster’s and Cayman’s eager get moving. After the briefing by Paul, the group set off on their journey from Whittlesea to Paling Brothers brewery in Heathcote. Dileep set the pace in a 911 GT3, followed closely by others, their cars cutting through the winding roads and taking in the stunning views of the countryside. As they passed through Flowerdale they felt the rush of adrenaline that came from driving such finely tuned machines. Though the roads were wet, the skilful drivers navigated their machines with expertise.

The drive took them through King Lake and Pyalong, each bend and curve of the road testing their skills and abilities as drivers. But they handled their cars with ease, taking in the sights and sounds of the open road. The roads were relatively free of traffic, except for a mobile speed camera. But as all drivers were well behaved and adhering to the road rules, I doubt if there were any offenders.

Finally, they arrived at Paling Brothers brewery, where they were greeted with the delicious smells of fresh food and the sound of clinking glasses. The lunch was a feast for the senses, with the flavors of locally sourced ingredients and in house brewed beer.

As they ate, they chatted amiably with their fellow club members, sharing stories and swapping tips on the best ways to care for their beloved Porsches. And then came the moment they had all been waiting for: the club draw for prizes, with members eagerly hoping to take home a memento of their day on the road. Congratulations to Trevor, KC, Peter, Shelly, Nadine, Noah, Helen and Rohan.

With full bellies and happy hearts, the drivers departed on the return journey back to Melbourne, their engines roaring once again as they navigated the winding roads, having lived the dream of driving some of the finest sports cars ever made. The run notes and the map link were accurate. Thanks to Paul Sbrissa for organising the event.

 

Mid-911 Run to Healesville Country Club 11th December, 2022

Story by Chris Ryan 

A bright sunny morning made a nice change from the previous few weeks of arctic weather.   A great turnout of various models including the beautiful black Carrera 2.7 of Paul and Deborah Blackie and Nigel Watson’s immaculate guards-red 944 Turbo S.   The Hughes / Donald family of four squeezed into their 89 Carrera Cabriolet 911, proving that a 911 can be a people carrier as long as the rear seat occupants are young.  The run got off to an interesting start when more than half of the participants took a wrong turn at the very first instruction, which some put down to taking the wrong exit from the Stud Road McDonalds.  A short diversion and a u-turn in a suburban street later and we were on our way through the hills of the lower Dandenong ranges, passing through Cockatoo and Gembrook, two of the most beautiful towns in Southern Victoria.   We then headed to Hoddles Creek and Yarra Junction before our final destination of Healesville.

While the road had some nasty potholes in places (fewer than expected, given the rain in Melbourne over the last couple of months), the rising and falling, curvy blacktop was just what we needed to stretch the legs of our Mids.  We arrived at the modern and impressive Healesville Country Club and parked in the underground car park.  The restaurant upstairs was excellent and provided us with a hearty lunch of various dishes and drinks.  The catering order was a bit enthusiastic and we could have fed many more but the atmosphere and conversation was fantastic and everyone left fully fed and watered.

The end-of-year raffle went off without a hitch and the winners were;

Neville Sampson, Sylvia Rogers, Peter Hemphill and Christopher Ryan.

A big thank you to Jim and Mandy for organising what was their last run as Mid911 register captain.

 

Mid 911 Register Run to Djinta Djinta Winery

Sunday June 12th, 2022

Story by Deborah Blackie  Photos by Deborah and Keshav Bhattacharya

If you don’t like the weather wait a minute . A Melbourne expression and truism for our rumble down to the beautiful Gippsland region with the Mid 911 Register to Djinta Djinta Winery.
We rendezvoused in rain at the Hampton Park MacD’s where the not so well oiled staff struggled to deliver coffees under 15 minutes but did kindly impart the fact that Seniors are able to get a free small sized coffee any where in Australia.

It was particularly interesting to note the absence of many genuine Mid 911 cars- in fact excluding a couple of 930 Turbos, there was only one! Did the prospect of a wet, slippery run scare them away- I wonder?

Jim Adamson gave an excellent team orders briefing followed by 20 cars attempting a Le Mans start only to create a Porsche plug at the exit while carbohydrate craving customers attempted to enter. We eventually untangled ourselves and set off in the drizzle for the 1st stage diving through the suburbs of Pakenham, Berwick and Officer. The scenery mainly consisted of huge housing subdivisions with names like Arbour, where every tree had been cut down and Arcadia where the houses were so close to one another they read as one solid building that covered acres. All goes to show developers have a rather dark sense of humour. 

We arrived at our morning tea pitstop Caldermeade Farm and Cafe celebrating all things bovine with a jersey milking heard and shop selling aisles of chocolate. The farm stars are 2 Scottish Highland cattle Bonnie and Bugle, who peered at us through a mop of shaggy red hair and wondered who had bought all those noisey metal things. This breed is the oldest registered “coo” and used to sleep inside the  crofters’ huts where their body heat kept the folk warm. Makes you grateful for a good split system.

After a cake and coffee it was time to set off for stage 2 along the ridge lines with double apex corners. Drivers could use the loud pedal turning those purring ,well mannered Zuffenhausen machines into throaty ,fast and incredibly fun cars of passion. Everyone behaved and no one went over 100km - around the corners.  We had gone through fog but were now driving in glorious sunshine through stunning, bucolic scenery. It was so green it could have been England except for the eucalyptus, shearing sheds, camels …. You get the idea . We lost only one participant on that stage but Jim’s notes clearly said right not left at the T junction onto Sth Gippsland hwy so not sure what happened there.
The sun had disappeared and drizzle was coming down as we arrived at Djinta Djinta Winery. The name is aboriginal for Willy Wagtail birds and as most aboriginal bird names are onomatopoeia, it is the territorial sound the bird makes at night.

Eleonor, the winery owner, welcomed us and gave us a brief history of the property and given the vineyard is situated in a wet and cold area not ideal to grape growing, she has specialised in cool climate wines producing 5000 bottles in a good year. The last 2 years have been hard and Eleonor is doing a Herculean job of doing renovations to allow more functions as well as run the vineyard. We wish her well for the future.
With Wilson’s Promontory only 50 minutes away discussions over lunch compared stories of who had the worst holiday story staying there in inclement weather. Read gale force winds.

After a long and enjoyable lunch it was time to meander home with full tummies and ears ringing from laughter and tall stories. Another very enjoyable day spent with club members who love their car as much as you.
I did an informal survey during the day of where people were born or were 1st generation Australians and discovered in our group of 39 minus the 2 who went AWOL, we had people from Poland, United States, United Kingdom, East Timor, Denmark, New Zealand, Greece, Singapore, and Cypress . The admiration of a great German marque knows no borders.

Congratulations to raffle winners Mandy Adamson, Peter Janusik, Colin Smith, Thomas Som. Thank you Jim and Mandy for my wine gift and the huge amount of work you put in to give 39 people some great memories.
Looking forward to Christmas in July.

 

MID 911 Run to Malmsbury 

12th December 2021

Click Here for Image Gallery 

It was the last register run for 2021 and the sun was shining down on us as we all met at the BP service centre Rockbank. Today we were heading to Trentham for morning tea and onto “The Stables” Malmsbury for lunch.

During the morning briefing we welcomed first time run attendee David Hopkins and his Silver 1981 911SC. David made the trip back from NSW just for the run. That’s commitment. Well done David. Looking forward to seeing you at many more runs.

We had a great mix of cars, as always, and given the lack of traffic lights, we were in convoy all the way into Trentham. I was at the back of the convoy, allowing me to take in the sight of 15 odd Porsches snaking their way up the mountain. Magic. Trentham was thankfully a little quiet which provided us with plentiful parking.

After the obligatory coffee, a chat about land speed records (seems a shame not to give it another go Jane…) and admiring Jim and Mandy’s recent purchase (997.2 Carrera, very nice guys) it was off to Malmsbury.

The roads through Lyonville, Bullarto and Musk showcased the power of mother nature. Many a tree succumbed to the high winds that have been battering the state of late. It made for spectacular and eerie viewing. As was the house in Lauriston. Not so much eerie, but sporting a turret it is certainly, well, different.

We all had pre-lunch drinks in a private area behind the bar before settling to our tables for lunch. And it was at lunch that I learnt we had a movie star in our presence. Well, not so much a movie star per se but the owners of a movie star car. Registration, TwoHands. Then there’s the one that got away hey Paul and Deborah…

It really is amazing the stories and people you meet at a PCV event. Here’s to 2022 and a lot more PCV events.

Paul.

 

Mid 911 Run to Hidden Valley Resort

11th July 2021

Image Gallery Click Here 

Our meeting place was at Macca’s in Endeavour Hills for a 10.00am start with a group of supposedly 20 Cars. There were 10 Air Cooled, 2 x 996’s, a 997, 2 x Caymans (one with a very sweet sounding exhaust) and a very nice “Mint Green” 968 Cabrio’ owned by first time PCV event participants   Alex & Joanne Danielson, Welcome, and well done driving with the top down all day.

Our Register Captain Jim Adamson welcomed us all after along gap between runs (this event had been postponed / rescheduled due to (you guessed it) another Lockdown. Jim schooled us on the Obligations and the Do’s & Don’ts of being part of a Club run & sent us on our way, with well-prepared run notes.

Our first leg to our morning tea destination was to head to Healesville via Emerald, well for some this caused an issue after leaving Macca’s carpark. It was like tennis balls being hit in every direction, cars going left, right & some on the correct track. This was all sorted out quickly and the Conga Line was formed, made up of two or three groups. We headed towards Emerald in the Fog, which always highlights the tall Eucalyptus trees as you rise up towards the Dandenong Ranges on this ever winding road in which our Marquis excels. Over the Puffing Billy crossing onwards to Cockatoo and then following the Koo Wee Rup Rd along the valley with its open farming paddocks going through the hamlets of Nangana, Yellingbo, Badger Creek towards Woori Yallock. Onwards towards Healesville, the fog lifted and the sun peeked out from behind the clouds.

On arrival at Healesville we parked and the group split to head to the nearest Café to grab a coffer and maybe a cake. This town now being a vibrant place for the weekend getaway, finding a Café large enough to cater for all of us was challenging.

We all met back at the carpark some 45 mins later and off we headed towards Hidden Valley.

Turning left on to Maroondah H’way and again left on to St Leonards Rd, which lead us to Myers Creek Rd, which again is a beautifully piece of winding road for Chariots and drivers to enjoy.

Up through the Toolangi Forest, once again with the majestic Gums & large Tree Ferns with the Sun shining through the canopy. “Such a majestic part of our town”.

Onto the Melba H’way looking for a left turn onto Westbridge Rd, this caught a number of people out, as the turn off is quite tricky to see. Winding our way upto Kinglake, once there the road, sort of straightens out as you follow it along the top of the ridge line. On one side farms & houses on the other Kinglake National Park, then down through Humevale. As you head down the hill towards Whittlesea, you can catch a glimpse of the Northern Urban Sprawl making its way further & further out. Passing through Whittlesea the local footy game was well attended but I could not see the score! Eyes on the road.

With another 20 K’s or so to go to reach our destination. Turning right into the resort you can see the attraction for those who like space, horses & golf. Pulling into the Resort carpark with our Porsches all lined up and a very grand looking Club House, which had us seated in our own room. Everyone was chatting & new acquaintances where made. The menu was impressive with a great choice selection, with ample sized portions. I could not fit dessert in! Ooh Maybe just one piece.

As is normal practise on these runs, there are always a couple of bottles of vino to be raffled.

And as tradition has it, a new member is always the first to pick a name out of the hat. So up came Alex and promptly drew his name. This had the room in laughter & jesting for a redraw!!

Also congratulations to Cahit, Matt & Christian on being winners, 3 of the 4 bottles end up on one table.

Thanks to Jim & Mandy Adamson for their efforts in organising a great run.

 

27 March 2021. Mid911 Run to Black Horse Hotel, Bulla.

Story: Paul Sbrissa

Photos: Karen Bentley Click Here for Image Gallery 

Good things come to those who wait and we certainly waited to be back on the register run wagon. Saturday 27th March kicked off 2021 for the Mid911 Register with a run to the Black Horse Hotel, Bulla. Meeting at the Gisborne McDonalds an excited and enthusiastic group of PCV members gathered for what would be a great day. As always, a great mix of old, new, 911, Boxster and Cayman attended. Of note, was a 1968 911 Targa and a 2021 911 Targa. This is what the register runs are all about. Variety and inclusiveness.

After the usual formalities and welcoming returning member Steve White, we headed of to The Stables for morning tea. The sight of air cooled, water cooled and turbo power Porsches starting up and moving off together brought a smile to all of our faces. And together they stayed. With minimal traffic, members enjoyed the roads around Spring Hill and rolled into The Stables in an orderly fashion filling the carpark.

The stables provided great coffee, fabulous New York Cheesecake and Baklava (thank you to Gina and Kosta) whilst we all gathered again for some long overdue conversation. As we were walking out a large group of Hot Rods rolled in, thus an obligatory walk through the sea of Hot Rods was required before getting back on the road for the second leg to The Black Horse Hotel.

Watchbox Road and Bourke and Wills track rarely disappoint and today was no exception. Enjoying our cars in their natural environment is a big part of any register run. Finishing off on Wildwood Road we turned into our final destination for lunch.

After an amazing antipasto we all enjoyed a fabulous lunch. Rahul of The Black Horse Hotel promised a great meal and he didn’t disappoint. Conversation was flowing. Wine was being given away. Congrats to Ken Anson, Nathan Perkins (ne Ingrid Halsall), Peter Stepowski and Karen Bentley for their lucky dip wins. A toast to congratulate Grant and Rosalie on their 41st wedding anniversary weekend and before you knew it, the restaurant was closing and it was time to go.

It really was a great day. Life is starting to get back to some sort of normal. Finally.

Paul.

 

Mid 911 Register Run to Eildon/Mansfield

Written by : Lily Williams

The Mid 911 Register Run to Eildon/Mansfield met at the Croydon McDonalds where we were kindly greeted by Jim and Mandy Adamson.  We welcomed new club member Jim McPhee on his first ever run with his beautiful 1986 911 in Grand Prix White.

The weather gods were certainly tantalising us with a most gorgeous forecast for the weekend. A superb Saturday morning made for an enthusiastic bunch of drivers raring to head off, but not before Jim Adamson kindly extended his friendship by offering overnight accommodation to any late comers (although we are still not sure if he was offering his bed or paying for a spare room!!) 

The group headed off at 10.15am on the first leg toward the Yarra Ranges bound for the delightful town of Yea. It wasn’t too long before we passed the lovely Biachant and Chateu Yering Wineries perhaps a little teaser for some delightful wines to enjoy in the afternoon!

We made a left onto Butterman’s Track where the group enjoyed the road ahead, great corners, narrow tight roads high up through the Kinglake National Park. As we came down through the park the road opened up for some fantastic long sweeping corners where we could really let loose particularly through Break Oday Rd towards Flowerdale. Stunning pastural valley’s and long meandering roads were perfect timing to up the music and throttle to really take in the surroundings on a brilliant spring morning!

We arrived in Yea at 11.35 to meet up for a much-needed coffee and delectable cakes at the Rendezvous Café whilst enjoying some banter in the wonderful courtyard sun

For our second leg we headed off at 12.30 for Eildon where once again we had the pleasure of a relaxing drive through Acheron and the stunning valley’s through Taggerty and the wonderful sights of the Cathedral Ranges and finally meeting an hour later at the Aqua Bar and Café for lunch

The 911’s had pride of place in the main carpark (thanks to Greg from the Aqua Café) which made for a great photo opportunity.  We enjoyed lunch on the decking with uninterrupted views of Lake Eildon and were quick to head to the bar for refreshments which certainly quenched our thirst as we basked in the amazing afternoon sun. For Lunch there was a great selection from the menu such as Battered Flat head tails, Steaks, Salt and Pepper Squid to name but a few. Lots of laughs and a great afternoon enjoying each other’s company.

All was well until the raffle, where Table 26 suspiciously took all the spoils, some would say rigged yet somehow, they called it lucky! 

Anyway, congratulations to our raffle winners: Mandy Adamson, Kenny Eve and Harriet Anson.

A special thanks for our hosts at the Aqua Bar & Café, Greg and Tracey, who kindly donated a bottle of wine for the day’s scribe, and went out of their way to make us welcome.

For our Final drive the group heading off at 3pm for the longest section of our run: Eildon to Mansfield. This leg was approx. 2 hours where the drivers were really put through their paces on the extremely tight and very winding narrow roads, with many ascents and descents in this leg. Driver skills was really put to the test. We drove through Eildon National park where we were enclosed by the magnificent dense bush and the feeling of being “on top of the world’   Several of the group gathered for a stretch of the legs at the scenic Look Out which show cased the gorgeous region with the Howqua Inlet below. This was a terrific  spot for some wonderful panoramic photos. After a short stop over we were off and running again and with the roads finally opening up as we headed into Mansfield arriving at 5pm.

The group had several hours to unwind before we took a short walk from our accommodation to meet at 7pm at the Bos Taurus Restaurant. Pre-dinner drinks where enjoyed outside the upper deck on a balmy Spring evening followed by a wonderful dinner with the speciality being the premium steaks from Australia’s best producers. A lovely night full of laughs, wine and conversation with fabulous friends and a few celebrities look a likes within our group; Ewan Walsh aka Drew Carey and   Murray Seymour aka Shane Bourne. A short stroll home and a well-earned sleep after an amazing day was had by all.

On Sunday and we awoke to another glorious spring morning where we met for breakfast at

The Coffee Merchant with some delicious breaky options such as Pork Benedict, Ham and Gruyere croquettes and of course a mandatory coffee. Before too long we said our good byes as we made our way home with a few in the group heading for one last run through to gorgeous Healesville.

Mid 911 register members would like to extend their special thanks to Jim and Mandy Adamson for organising this thrill filled run, accommodation options and fabulous places to dine, wine and enjoy.

A Terrific weekend was had by all.