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MURRAY RIVER MEANDERINGS 2006

The 9th of September 2006  heralded the start of the bi-annual tour undertaken by the Morris Minor Touring Club of Australia; this year their tour would take them from Albury, New South Wales, where the Murray River starts to flow to Victor Harbour in South Australia. The whole journey would take them some 1 3-days, and that doesn't include the journey to and from the start point which for some folk was another 8-hours behind the wheel, and would see the convoy of Minors cover some 1981 kilometres! There were 33 cars entered on the tour, but the numbers changed daily as people would join and leave at various points throughout the tour, with the biggest number in attendance on anyone day being over 60 cars at Mannum mid way through the tour. Organisers Pat and Rose Fagan have kindly sent us this log of the clubs epic journey.

DAY 1. After the usual vehicle checks and a quick clutch adjustment as it was engaging too early, the Minor was ready for the off. The first evening was spent at the Jindera Pub, a short trip of 15kms away for a meal organised and part paid for by the Albury Wodonga Morris Minor car club. It was great to see some old and new faces

DAY 2. Today's trip will take us from Albury to Yarrawonga and on the way we stop off at the Morris Winery, pictured below, for a tour and tasting ses­sion. Then it was off again to Yarrawonga, via lunch at the lakeside at Chiltern, to the caravan park, our home for the night.

DAY 3. From Yarrawonga to Echuca, not a long journey but on the way we visited Cobram and Tocumwal. There we visited the Christies Museum to see a splendid display of motoring memorabilia. Over to Echuca via Nathalia, Strathmerton and Cobram to set up camp.

DAY 4. Echuca to Swan Hill, on the road again and it was a very cold morning with mist swirling through the meadows playing tricks on the road signs! Stopped at Kerang to visit a garage which is still as it was when Austin and Morris ruled the

roads and still operated by the same family. They had a well preserved 4-door Saloon out the front and lots of spares inside but sadly not for sale. Lunch was at Lake Boga Commercial Hotel, during the war the lake was used for flying boat repairs, at the museum we were shown a short film all about the operations that were carried out there, very interesting. Finally we arrived at Swan Hill.

DAY 5. Swan Hill to Mildura along the Murray Valley high­way. We had a beautiful drive through Nyah, Piangil, Boundery Bend and then stopped at Robinvale for morning tea. Back over the Murray River into New South Wales again to get to Mildura, on towards Euston Town and to the Mallie Fowl rest area. Onto the Sturt Highway surrounded by orchards and into Mildura.

DAY 6. Paddle Steamer Day! The paddle steamer is called The Melbourne and is still powered by its original steam engine although the boiler has been overhauled which burns wood collected from the woodlands nearby. Our tour badges show the Melbourne as its centre piece so it was great to be able to sail on her. Journey was very enjoyable, watching the locks in use, and the Melbourne had a fair turn of speed. Off to the pub in the evening then time for bed.

DAY 7. Mildura to Renmark. Only a short trip today, just 140kms. Made a diversion to Wentworth, where the rivers, Murray and the Darling meet. Headed onto Renmark, found the campsite and had a community BBQ as most people where there already. Weather is now perfect.

DAY 8. Renmark to Morgan. Found our caravan park at Morgan then off to the Commercial Hotel for dinner, there must be a million Commercial Hotels in Australia!

DAY 9. Morgan to Mannum, fine morning, heading more or less due south today along local roads over the Murray River. After visiting various towns we were last to arrive at Mannum, where The South Australian Morris Club was hosting lunch for us, and what a meal it was.The touring Club presented the Adelaide Club with some engraved glasses, each with a different Morris model inscribed thereon, plus some wine purchased from The IIlawarra Motoring Museum.

DAY 10. At Mannum for the second day. Down to the River side to do the photo shoot sadly the paddle steamer is away but we had a near perfect line up of Morris' and some great shots were taken. Heard that the Murray Princess, pictured below, a large paddle steamer was further down the river so went for a look-see. A fine looking vessel getting ready to take passengers up to one of the flood celebrations.

DAY 11. Mannum to Victor Harbour, only a short trip today, with our first port of call being the Murray Bridge, named after the first bridge over the river in South Australia, and a big impressive bridge it is too! We then headed out to Strathalbyn, where we pulled up outside the old railway station before heading on towards Victor Harbour and the caravan park we would be staying at. We went to visit a private car museum, and encountered our first rain of the trip. This turned out to be the best museum I have ever visited and included some rare BSA cars, Arial car, and one Morris of course! There were also lots of badges, signs, petrol pumps and hundreds of photos to look at, so thanks to Dennis Martin and Bill Adliss for allowing us all to view their collection.

DAY 12. Spent another day around Victor Harbour today visiting Granite Island on a horse drawn Tram. Some others had problems with their cars today, a clutch change on a Nissan engined Morris and trouble with a dissy on another.

DAY 13. Start the return journey today, Victor Harbour to Tailem Bend only a short run again. Passed through Wellington where we had to catch the ferry and stopped at the Court House and Lockup, now a museum and cafe.Crossed the river and went up to the campsite.

DAY 14. Tailem Bend to Nhill. Bit of a longer journey today with high winds and very cold weather. Crossed the border from South Australia and into Victoria and into the Nhill caravan park which was right next to the truck interchange. All those in tents had the rumble of trucks all night along with the wind that was howling through the trees and very cold!

DAY 15. Still at Nhill for another day. Went to a Heritage Farm Museum and had a look around, lake there was empty as they had not had rain for 10-years.

DAY 16. Nhill to Bendigo, lots of new roads for us today, weather still very cold and we had some rain later on in the day, passed through Dimboola and onto Warracknabeal where we had a quick break then onto Donald for lunch. Stopped off at Wedderburn and went to a cafe which turned out to be a real look back into the past. It was originally a department store, which when the owner died the townsfolk purchased and kept for posterity, what a wonderful collection of old gear, exactly as when the owner had died. Finally arrived at Bendigo and the Golden Nugget site.

DAY 17. At Bendigo for a second day, had an early morning walk, frost everywhere! Spent the day looking around the shops then spent the evening in the company of the Bendigo Morris Minor Car Club at the RSL club.

DAY 18. Bendigo to Shepparton, another very cold morning. Set off on the Midland Highway towards Elmore then onto Mooroopna, did a U-turn back to Shepparton to find the caravan site. Spent the evening at the Emerald Bank Nursery with all the cars on display beside the lake. Wes took the best car prize, well deserved as a splendid vehicle.

DAY 19. Shepparton to Beechworth. Went to the Deca Training site and had a lecture on safe driving and the problems of hoons on the roads. Left Deca on road to Benalla. Got on the highway to Beechworth along some very steep hills and the Morris was struggling a bit with the trailer behind!

DAY 20. Still at Beechworth, spent the day shopping and looking around the town. The final do at The Old Priory had about 30-members there as our numbers had shrunk during the long trip. Had a splendid meal and then gave out some joke prizes including one for OBE, or Oldest Bugger 'Ere, which was won by Wes Pearce.

DAY 21. Beechworth to Albury via Yackadandra, the final leg of our tour. Made our way back to the same campsite that we started our journey from, as we had seen where the Murray River exits into the sea we decided to see where it starts,. at the Hume Dam. We then went shopping in Albury and went for a final meal at the Commercial Club with the few remaining members, Tour Over!Here's to the next tour, Cheers.

We travelled around 3500 kilometres including the trip from home to the start and back and used around $447.00 worth of fuel, give or take a service station or two!