It’s been 7 years since we last did this popular ride so its high time to repeat it.
What
If you haven't ridden in fabulous Gippsland before then this two-day weekend event offers some of the best two-wheel riding that Victoria has to offer. The purr of your scooter will be the sound of pure contentment as you sweep around bends enjoying breath taking views. And if you haven’t yet been on a weekend away with the club, then you’ll enjoy the camaraderie, friendship and frivolity that a couple of days away from the city affords.
Theme
Mooo! Gippsland produces about a quarter of the nation's milk supply. On this ride we'll learn more about Victoria's dairy industry as we meander through the rich rolling green hills of the region. We'll look at modern milk-processing factories as well as the remains of old dairy farmers’ co-ops that have long closed. The scenery is simply stunning as we ride along the rural back roads used by milk trucks to pick up fresh supplies twice daily from various milking sheds in the district.
Ride Description
The total route is 490-kms. It includes a section of the Grand Ridge Road with glorious views both sides of the ridge and south to the sea. On Saturday we’ll have lunch at the bakery in Mirboo North. Our overnight stay will be in Leongatha. On Sunday we'll pass through the hill-top hamlet of Poowong then wiggle our way along the lovely Bass Valley Highway to Bena with it’s series of picturesque 1940s bridges. We’ll visit a cheese factory for a light lunch and cheese tasting and pretend to fill up our scooters at the Artdeco service station at Kongwak. We'll then climb back into the hills, catch a shimmering glimpse of Phillip and French Islands and take an afternoon coffee break in the charming village of Loch. There will be stops along the way for photography, to explore townships, a pause to enjoy a local beer or wine and of course we’ll meet lots of black and white Friesian cows named Daisy. Bless their big warm wet noses. Mooo!
Rider Experience Level
This ride is suitable for more experienced riders rather than beginners. There are lots of twists and turns on the winding roads to enjoy. Be prepared for some sections of dirt road which provide short cuts between busier highways and also help make the ride more scenic.
Departure Point and Time
Our departure point is Lorna Cafe, 1053 Burwood Highway, Ferntree Gully on the eastern outskirts of Melbourne. This means that once underway, we will quickly leave traffic lights behind us. Departure at 9:15 am sharp. However if you want coffee or breakfast beforehand you’ll need to arrive earlier. The cafe opens at 8 am and is situated on a small service road on the left hand side. Turn onto this service road at the blue “Gateway Shopping Centre” sign. You can either use Burwood Highway or Ferntree Gully Road if coming from the southern suburbs.
IMPORTANT: Please arrive with a full tank as the next fuel stop is 80 kms away.
So dairy queens, get ready to experience the fun of a weekend away with your club. It’s sure to be a very memorable one. You might also be surprised at how capable your little ‘city’ Vespa actually is. Some pics below to entice you taken along the route of the country we'll be riding through. The scenery is just like a double dollop of vanilla buttermilk ice cream... yummy!
Accommodation
Our Saturday overnight stay will be in Leongatha. You will have to make your own arrangements to book and pay but please mention the Vespa Club of Melbourne, Julie, Sally or David as we’ve given these various establishments a heads up.
Options are outlined below based on enquires made today (6 Feb). Thanks Sally and Julie for your help. Currently Julie, Greg, David and Imam have already booked into Blairs Hotel. There are 3 more double bed rooms available here. At $70, this would be the cheapest option for a single person but keep in mind its typical pub accommodation with shared bathrooms.
Sally and Steve have booked into the Opal Motel, 1.7 kms from our pub dinner on Saturday night. Currently the Leongatha Motel is has plenty of accommodation. Its a 10 min walk to the Saturday night pub dinner. You will have to ring this motel direct as website bookings falsely indicate that all rooms are fully booked. This is not the case.
Please act quickly if you can because all it takes is for an event to crop up and suddenly a small town runs out of accommodation.
Bairs Ortago Hotel
03 5662 2017 (Chris)
18 Bair St Leongatha
2 x Double bed rooms under Julie Pond's name if booking.$70
Need to book a.s.a.p. and let us know as these are on hold and need to be released soon. NOW FULLY BOOKED
Leongatha Motel (10 min walk to pub dinner)
18 Turner St, Leongatha
03 5662 2375
3 x Twin Double
1 x Corporate Queen Twin Share
1 x Family Value (double and bunks)
1 x Family Room (6 beds, double and bunks)
Note: Ring motel direct as website bookings falsely indicate that all rooms are booked. This is not the case.
Opal Motel (1.7 kms from centre of town. 4 min ride to pub dinner)
155 South Gippsland Highway, Leongatha
03 5662 2321 (Ian)
7 rooms available as of 6 Feb
3 x Queen $115
3 x Twin Share (1 double bed plus 1 x single bed) $120
1 x Twin Share (2 double beds) $125
Any spill over of the number of ride participants can be accommodated at:
Leongatha Apex Caravan Park (12 min walk to pub dinner)
14 Turner St, Leongatha
03 5662 2753
Ensuite Cabins
or
Coal Creek Motel (13.5 kms from Leongatha)
8444 South Gippsland Highway, Korumburra
0492 897 718
12 rooms available as of 6 Feb
Comments
Thank you David for a fabulous day yesterday and taking us back to such an amazing part of Victoria. Such a big turnout and lovely company. I'm glad we got to the breakfast this morning to see the others who also joined us but sorry we couldn't join the days ride. We got home dry and a bit sweaty in the wet weather gear.
Big thanks who those who assisted David in making the ride so special also. Can't wait to see who wins the best moo pic.
Thank you David for putting on the ride and taking the group on a selection of terrific roads. We were blessed by the absence on most of them of any other vehicles, which made for great riding. PX is now home and hosed ready for the next outing.
Thank you to all Milk Run Riders who came from near and far. 25 scoots at one stage. Excellent corner marking throughout. To see so many colourful Vespas weaving like a rainbow serpent through those winding roads was a visual spectacle. Thanks to Pete Z for always providing moral support from his large moral bank. A particular thank you to Roy W for his wonderful and insightful talks about the dairy industry; applause applause. Thank you also to Karen M of GippsDairy who put us in touch with farmer Ben and to Sally and Steve for locating him. How lucky were we to see cows being milked. The ride ended with a milk shake of the bone rattling kind. Well done bravehearts. The results of the "best photo of a cow" contest will be wheyed and processed tonight after much churning and separation of fatty solids. Oh, and thank you to Gippsland for providing such stunning scenery, David
Gregs entry for the cow shot 😂
See you there 😁
Hi Kerry,
Yes you can, just come along to the bakery
Hi, I was hoping I could join you and meet at Kelly's Bakery at 8.45, then join you for the Sunday leg of the ride. Is that possible? Cheers, Kerri
The riders from Leongatha will meet at 8.45 Kelly's Bakery Korrumburra, for breakfast
from Roy
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