Sunday morning and it’s time to head off once again for the 
retiring committee’s run and lunch. Over the years we have had 
a variety of weather for this day, although it always falls in 
July. I remember not too many years back on a retiring committee’s 
run, we were preparing to depart from our lunch venue when we 
temporarily lost some of our members, but they were found, safe 
and sound, enjoying coffee and soaking up the sunshine on the 
hotel’s rooftop coffee lounge. This Sunday was your more typical 
July Sunday, grey skies, cool wind and the threat of rain on the 
horizon. 

Nevertheless we all set off from Berwick in high spirits. After a 
leisurely drive from Beaconsfield through Upper Beaconsfield and 
Cockatoo we arrived in Emerald just as a light but brief shower 
of rain was passing through. We parked the cars around the deserted
football oval and following a brief talk from our new President 
Peter we all agreed to meet back at the cars at 12 noon.

Fred reported that he had heard from our ex President Geoff and 
Gay the previous day. They were keen to hear news of the club’s 
AGM and gave Fred an update as to their travels. Sounds like 
they’re having a wonderful time.

We all headed off in the general direction of the Wombat Gully 
Nursery. The nursery is a popular spot on a Sunday morning. A few 
purchases were made by club members and stored both inside and 
outside the cars. After a brief look at the stalls inside the 
community hall we headed across the road to the coffee shop. 
Inside we found a nice cosy atmosphere with log fire and yummy 
looking cakes asking to be eaten. With the thought of a roast 
lunch only half an hour away we decided to resist the temptation 
for cake with our coffee.

From here we almost rolled down the hill to the Paradise Hotel at 
Clematis. We all hurried inside as by this time light rain had set 
in and lunch was beckoning. Stan had kindly organised the lunch 
for us which was a choice of either roast beef, chicken schnitzel 
or whiting fillets. We were all seated on the fully enclosed 
balcony overlooking the hills and with the rain coming down 
outside it was very warm and pleasant. We had been joined at lunch 
time by a few more club members and this swelled our number to 
about 35. It was good to see Margaret Clarence out and about again 
and enjoying 79th birthday celebrations with her family. 

After coffee and tea and a lot more conversation, we all departed, 
some of us heading for home but others I’m sure setting off in 
search of some antique shops etc. 

Our thanks go to the organisers of another successful Dandenong 
Valley Event. Thanks also to our new President Peter for his help 
in making the day run smoothly.

Dulcie & Geoff Strahan

Club cars attending 
Roger Bowen			1929 Rugby
Sam & Myra Capes		1939 Chev Sedan
Kevin & Carol Clarence with Jodie & Amy	1933 Rolls Royce	
Peter & Mazz Lafrank with Bert & Alma	1927 Buick Tourer
Peter & Noel Matthews		1928 Chev Tourer
Geoff & Dulcie Strahan		1926 Olsmobile Tourer
Graeme Smith			1926 Rugby Tourer
Les & Pauline Standing		1932 Austin 7 Tourer
Stan, Margaret & Corrie Snyder	1930 A Model Ford

Modern cars attending 
Ron & Pam Barnett with Sam & Tim 
Irwin, Bev & James Sinclair
Kel & Lynne Burgess
Rin, Marion & Cathy Ooykaas
Lindsay & Joy Tharle
Reg & Margaret Clarence
Fred & Valda Lubbe
Keith & Sheila Shugg