Saturday morning the 26/6/10.

At 9:20 Four Austin A30s and one Mini set out from Diamond Creek in the sunshine heading for St Andrews via Kangaroo Ground and Panton Hills. In the cars were Maxine and Jim Fowler, Brian Brooks, Graeme McIntosh, Sue and Don Jones, and Dianne Davie with her friend Judy.

Percy Ro and Ian were waiting at St Andrews with there A30 for us to arrive.  We spent about an hour and a half looking around the market. Maxine bought some plants and veggies and she also bought a toy mouth organ for one of the grand children. The other club members also left money behind, buying some of the goodies at the various stalls. We had a coffee with Don and Sue then headed to the bakery, where we had arranged to meet before heading up the mountain to Kinglake.

About one mile out of Kinglake the weather closed in with fog and rain. After parking the cars in the car park we all headed for the shops where Mary and Ted Jones were waiting with their pick-up. The weather being poor we had lunch in a nice warm cafe.

After lunch it was back into the cars and through the fog and rain down or was it up to Kinglake West where there was a second hand store that looked interesting. As we were entering I was wondering what we might come out with, but luck was with me and everything stayed in the store. Here Mary and Ted left us to head home and the rest of us went on to Whittlesea.

On the way down the fog cleared and the rain stopped. We arrived in Whittlesea almost in sunshine. What a day, all the seasons in one day! We walked up and down the main street then found a coffee shop and had afternoon tea. We said our goodbyes and departed about 3:30 to go our separate ways.

We all had a good day despite the weather. We were in the cars or inside for the worst of the rain. It was sad to see the extent of the devastation from “BLACK SATURDAY”. Some of the trees have started to recover from the fires and there are houses also being rebuilt. Hopefully we can do this run again when the weather is better and the trees have had had more time to grow back.

Jim and Maxine Fowler