For those who like old things mechanical, stoke up your boilers, gather a full head of steam because we're off to the 108th Lake Goldsmith Steam and Vintage Rally. After 3 years, time for another visit.
Destination
Lake Goldsmith Steam Preservation Association has a permanent site to display a large collection of oil and steam engines, tractors, historic agricultural machinery, vintage cars and motorcycles. It is also home to Australia’s largest fully operational steam shovel. The rally attracts international recognition and features a Grand Parade of working machinery at 2pm. Lake Goldsmith is about 45kms west of Ballarat. http://www.lakegoldsmithsteamrally.org.au/
Description
This is a 4-day ride so you'll need to take a 'sickie' on Monday. If you can't join us for all 4 days then ride up with us, stay the night and return to Melbourne on Sunday afternoon. We'll travel at sedate speeds as there's lots to see and do along the way. From David's personal collection we present an assortment of bridges made of stone, wood and iron. There are historic towns to visit, interesting geology to explore, a ride up a volcano, the red rock cliffs of Devil's Kitchen, an aussie pub-stay experience, more bridges, windfarms, rivers valleys, a water fall, forests, pretty rural scenery, even more bridges and of course all those mechanical wonders of a bygone age at the rally, not to mention my old Vespa.
Route
Lake Goldsmith is about 170km direct from Melbourne. The planned route avoids the Western Freeway taking in several attractive townships. After passing through Elaine, we'll stop for lunch at Buninyong. One of the many highlights of this ride is a fantastic wooden trestle bridge on the former Ballarat-Skipton railway at Newtown. As we pass through Pigoreet we'll stop to admire the marvelous Woady Yaloak River Gorge. An afternoon break at Linton then we skip through Skipton on our way to Beaufort. Off to the rally on Sunday morning. We'll make our way along some pretty roads to Lexton in the afternoon for our overnight stay. Our ride meanders back to Melbourne passing the Waubra windfarms with a break at Learmonth. We kiss the edge of Ballarat then head towards Navigators, Yendon with a side trip to the lovely Lal Lal falls. After Mount Egerton we break for coffee at Ballan. We ride beneath an impressive iron railway bridge, then it's home via Bacchus Marsh.
Accommodation
We need to book soon as the rally is very popular. Saturday night is at Beaufort 16kms from the rally site. Last time we stayed at the Golden Age Hotel. Other options are the Beaufort Motel or cabins at Beaufort Lake Caravan Park. Sunday night is at the Pryenees Family Hotel, Lexton.
Departure Point
The ride starts at 9am sharp from Kensington. Park beneath the trees at Kensington Railway Station in Bellair Street. Cafes here open at 8am. Come earlier if you need coffee and breakfast beforehand. Please arrive with a full tank of fuel.
Comments
Home safe now. Thankyou David for the planning you did for this adventurous ride!! Great 4 days of riding, site-seeing & company! <3
Thank you David for yet another wonderful extra long weekend away this time...weather, although a bit challenging with 70km winds on Sunday, was all but pretty good riding weather....the countryside put on a beautiful display of color, and we covered almost 800kms of Victoria's amazing terrain....Hope everyone got home safely, thanks for the company....
Thanks for the conformation Allan and thanks for the heads up or should I say the proboscis down on the mozzies Julie. See you all tomorrow morning bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. Very nice weather for a grand ride tomorrow.
Heard there are giant mozzies up the west so don't forget to pack the repellent of your choice..... looking forward to this 4 day getaway...:)
Depending on work, (Cup day Tuesday can be quiet up this way), I might be able to drop by and say "Hello" at Lal Lal Falls. Its only a couple of km from home.
Sounds very exciting David....decisions decisions....:)
Hi everybody. Just to recap on our 4-day adventure. Saturday's 220km ride will take us to Beaufort where we will stay overnight. There is lots to see along the way and we'll have lunch in Buninyong. We will meet Tufan and Darren at the start of Glenmore Road. We will say goodbye to Darren at Skipton. Lisa will meet us in Beaufort.
On Sunday we'll breakfast in Beaufort before heading off to the steam rally. We'll spend much of the day here including lunch. We say goodbye to Jeong then head off to our next overnight stay at Lexton around 2:30pm.
Monday is our Pyrenees region ride. I have worked up 3 ride options. A lazy ride of wineries and windfarms, an adventure ride through Mt Buangor State Forest (dirt road with beautiful forest), or a longer ride to see the historic gold mining town of Tarnagulla. We can decide this on Sunday night. We say goodbye to Noelene and stay another night at Lexton.
Tuesday is our leisurely 230kms ride back to Melbourne with a morning coffee break in Learmonth after a tour around the Waubra windfarms. We will lunch in Ballan. Lots to see on the way back too including Lal Lal falls which should be running wild and free.
Tufan, 10am sounds about right. Hopefully you'll see Darren there too.
David, what is planned for Monday - I'll need to think about departure times etc
I'll meet riders at the Bacchus Marsh - Glenmore Road intersection. I'm guessing riders will be there by 10 - David is that right?
Thanks Greg.
Great Weekend Away - Final Call
Still room for one or possibly two riders.
Enjoy leisurely riding on beautiful scenic back-roads, ride up a volcano, explore quaint country towns, marvel at interesting geological formations, see historic bridges of stone, timber and iron, admire a wondrous collection of old working machinery, hearty pub meals, wineries and windmills, er windfarms, a waterfall, plus the fun and camaraderie of a weekend away with the club.
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