Day Trips

 

JANUARY: 

We will kick off the New Year 2025 with our Australia Day Picnic at Queens Park in Healesville.  The date will Monday 27th January 2025 (Australia Day Public Holiday).   

Our venue will once again be Queens Park,  enter at Don Road, Healesville.  We will set up in the same spot as previously at the front of the park (Maroondah Highway).  This gives us a short walk to Beechworth Bakery for coffee, cakes, lunch.

This is a self-drive outing, any time from 11.00am onwards.  BYO everything, chairs, tables, picnic rugs, food, and drink, etc.  Games, friendship, and lots of good conversation.  Don’t miss this great event.

 FEBRUARY:

Come along to The Metro Tunnel Tour, one hour presentation and then time to wander and explore.  The date will be Thursday 13th February.  Tour starts at 11.00am.  Metro Tunnel HQ is located at 125 Swanston Street, Melbourne. 

Train to Flinders Street Station will leave Ringwood Station at 9.19am arriving at Flinders Street 10.01.  Time for a coffee before our tour.  We will then meet at Metro Tunnel HQ no later than 10.45am. 

The tour is free.  However, we are limited to 25 people for the tour.  Pub lunch is booked at Young & Jacksons at 1.00pm, upstairs in the lounge, at your own cost.

 MARCH:

We will be visiting Cruden Farm,  60 Cranbourne-Frankston Road, Langwarrin.  Enter via Cranhaven Road.  The date will be Thursday 13th  March.

Entry for the Garden Wander is $10.00 per person.  There is much to see at the 100 acre Estate, any time of the year.  Arrival time and lunch venue TBA.

This a self-drive / car-pooling event.

APRIL:

This will be an event not to be missed.  We will be visiting Living Legends, home of retired champion racehorses.  The date will be Wednesday 30th April.

Please put your name on the list at the Day Tours table next meeting if you will be coming along.  We will travel by bus to Greenvale.  The bus cost will depend on how many will be travelling.

Living Legends Tour, Devonshire Tea on arrival, Sandwich Platter lunch will cost $50.00 per person.  Departure times to be confirmed.

 Any questions on the above day trips – please contact Karalee

Karalee Moore:  Convenor Day Tours  (see the Club Contact List or Newsletter for contact details)

DAY TRIP REPORTS

APRIL 2021 OUTING

Our visit to Mont De Lancey Historic Homestead on April 29 was enjoyed by 37 Probians.  We had a lovely warm and sunny day for our tours around the historical buildings on site.  A short video was shown on the history of Mont De Lancey before heading out to view the historical sites with our guides.  The 1880’s homestead, chapel, kitchen, laundry, vintage tool shed and extensive museum showed us just how hard it was living day to day in the early days.  We also watched a working Blacksmith and Wood Turner.  The gardens were also magnificent.  Our lunch prepared by Daniel at Two Peas in their Pod Café was delicious, and it was so nice being able to eat outdoors , which most of us did.

Thank you to Jill Sebire and volunteers who looked after us so well on the day.

 

Panorama Garden Estate :

This was a very pleasant trip to what is the largest private garden in Australia (over 25 acres!) Situated at Red Hill it has taken more than 20 years to create a wonderful mix of native gardens and a wild life sanctuary. Over 20,000 plants have been introduced set amongst 8,000 tons of rock work and there are nineteen separate garden areas surrounded by lakes, streams and waterfalls.
On our guided walk (or minibus for some!) around the property we saw albino kangaroos among a variety of birds and animals with wonderful views of Port Phillip Bay along the way. Lunch at the nearby Pig and Whistle restaurant capped off a great day excellently organised by Jo O’Reilly.   Thanks Jo.

John Moody

click here for other photos of the Panorama Garden Estate at Red Hill

JUNE we visited Seafarers Mission and Police museum’s. 19 attended and feedback was very positive “was way more interesting than I thought it was going to be”.

JULY –  Xmas in July lunch at RACV Healesville was a resounding success,  63 attended and was definitely value for money at a lovely venue.

AUGUST – MCG and National Sports Museum

On a cool and cloudy day 24 of us travelled by train to discover the many and varied exploits and achievements in a myriad of sports our fellow Australians participated down the ages  in this wonderful Sports museum. Bev Keeble a NSM volunteer was on hand to help us with audio equipment and hints on the best exhibitions to see. Thanks Bev

We were able to relive the momentous occassions of the many  Olympic and Commonwealth Games, the Ashes series, AFL, Rugby, tennis, soccer, swimming, basketball and many more besides. A visit to The Shane Warne theatre was a special treat. As usual there wasnt enough time to see everything here before we were rushed off to have our guided tour behind the scenes of the mighty MCG, our tour guide gave us all many insights to the workings of this national treasure, the highlights for me was visiting the famous Long Room and learning about its history and traditions and seeing the huge 7 metre wide and 2 metre high tapestry that depicts the history of the MCG including the many sporting spectacles to blockbuster concerts and other famous people who  held court on the hallowed turf included Billy Graham and Pope John Paul II. A lunch in the Hugh Trumble cafe topped off a most enjoyable day.

PS  Some of the group had more interesting trips home on the train than others, from being offloaded onto buses for final part of the journey, to having to negotiate quickly the overpass at Ringwood x2 inorder to catch a train to Lilydale only then for our brave Peter to take on a young , drugged up punk who was abusively attacking a vending machine.

NOVEMBER – The Stokes Collection and Forest Glade Gardens in Mt Macedon

November’s bus trip to The Stokes Collection and Forest Glade Gardens in Mt Macedon was a huge success enjoyed by 49 members and friends. We enjoyed a morning tea on the way with delicious home made slices. Many thanks to Sue McMahon, Nola Petty, Mabel Greer and Nance Neale for the tasty treats.
The porcelain collection was AMAZING! how one man ‘Cyril Stokes’ could amass such an eclectic collection in his lifetime is incredible. The gardens surrounding the museum also reflected Cyril’s eclectic taste in garden styles, chinese garden, a peony walk, fern gully, numerous maples, quirky statues and garden art to name but a few of the attractions. We all enjoyed a picnic  lunch together in the gardens. Luckily we were just getting on the bus for the return trip as the heavens opened. Rob the bus driver did a great job in the treacherous conditions and got us all home safely.
 
 
DAY TRIP TO CRANBOURNE BOTANIC GARDENS
22 brave souls ventured out Friday 26th rugged up in hats, coats, scarves and umbrellas ready to make the best of Melbourne’s fickle weather to explore the fabulous Australian native botanic gardens in Cranbourne.  We were not disappointed,10 of us had the luxury of a covered explorer bus and remainder walked the trails, both groups had very knowledgeable volunteer guides to explain the gardens history and what the layout and the plantings symbolised.  At the coastal garden, Rod and Margot even had a chance  to soak up a fleeting patch of sun! The size and scale of the gardens was truely amazing. We all learnt so much more about our Australian flora there was not enough time to take it all in before the weather changed again. The group hurriedback to enjoyed the delights of lunch in the Boon Wurrng Cafe. Despite the weather a good day was had by all.
JANUARY – Monday 27th Australia Day Public Holiday Picnic
Australia Day Picnic was again a great day to start the year. 35 members and one visitor (The Abley’s granddaughter – Miss Ruby) we all enjoyed a mild sunny day at Silvan Resevoir there was lots of laughter, food, good company and lamingtons. A number participated in ‘thong’ throwing and ‘Finska’ competitions to the amusement of others.
 Col Pask was again the winner of the Thong Throwing  but it was close, the tape measure came out to clinch it! Might have had something to do with his action!
I was lucky to be the winner of the Finska despite not have such style with my throwing action as Col!