Saturday, October 25, 2008

Day 18 - Saturday, October 25, 2008


Enjoying dinner in Inverloch. L to R: Jill Murphy, Darrell Horton, Jocelyn Coates, Janet Diffey, Ruth Hirst, John Harvey, Phil Diffey, Helen Storrar, Chris Storrar, and Harriet Storrar.

A rest day in Healesville, and a visit to the nearby Healesville Sanctuary to see up close and personal all the live native Australian animals we've been close to seeing over the past 18 days.

Birds of prey, Parrots, Kangaroos, Wallabies, Tasmanian Devils, Wombats, Koalas, Platypus, Dingoes, Emus, Possums, Reptiles, and many other nocturnal animals were to be seen. The sanctuary is doing a great job of preserving these animals in their natural habitat. Since 1788, over 200 species of native Australian animals have become extinct, a greater number than anywhere else in the world.

Tonight was the closing dinner, and the last time we would be all together as a group.

The first class buffet dinner was outstanding in every aspect, and a fitting finale to what has been an amazing 18 days of classic car motoring and camaraderie. The late Julian Collins, to whom the tour is dedicated, would have thoroughly approved.

Acknowledgements were made to all those involved in both Australia and the U.K. in making the JNBC Tour of Victoria the immense success it has been.

3 comments:

Tiger said...

HUGE Congratulations to you all.

Well done, Johnny—terrific reporting. I shall miss the daily updates.

Now. Where do I buy an Alvis so I can be with you all for the next grand tour?

God Bless . . . it is memories such as these that makes the ride of life so well worth it.

John Layzell said...

Talk of the next tour in Tasmania in 2010/11.

The blokes down under will find a car for you to buy to avoid shipping. But first you have to learn to drive one.

Tiger said...

Shit, mate. Drive one? Why me and Saltbush Bill . . .

But DRIVING is my special gift, my chiefest, sole delight;
Just ask a wild duck can it swim, a wildcat can it fight.
There's nothing clothed in hair or hide, or built of flesh or steel,
There's nothing walks or jumps, or runs, on axle, hoof, or wheel,
But what I'll sit, while hide will hold and girths and straps are tight:
I'll DRIVE this here FOUR-wheeled ALVIS right straight away at sight."

(Banjo . . . my humblest apologies.)