Another wonderful day's outing with the Model A Ford Club of NSW members & their vehicles driving through the picturesque Southern Highlands & then onto the Burrawang General Store & Cafe for lunch.
This morning started for me at 0600, my first obligation was to prepare morning tea for our first stop at Pheasants Nest (south) on the Hume Highway approximately 1 1/2 hours south of Cronulla where I reside in 'the Shire'.
My favourite morning tea on occasions like this is: SAO biscuits, cheese & Vegemite then of course a Thermos full of (hot) Bushell's tea to wash it down with.
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| Departing Fitzroy Falls in the Morton National Park |
I picked up my travelling mate Peter Deane at 0730 at Loftus, we hit the road running, transversing the Heathcote Road to hook up with the Hume Motorway at Liverpool for the 1-hour drive to the mustering point at the 7-Eleven at Pheasants Nest (south) roadside stop.
Upon arriving at the 7-Eleven we set ourselves up on the picnic table & chairs to enjoy our morning tea & biscuits. It was not long before other Club members joined us.
Once every one had arrived & enjoyed their morning tea we once again set sail at 1000 for the 1-hour drive to Fitzroy Falls Lookout and visitor centre.
In the photograph above you can see at least twenty-three happy Model A Ford Club Members enjoying the scenery looking out over the Yarrunga Valley - 640 metres above sea level, at the Fitzroy Falls lookout on a picture perfect day.
The falls are where the Yarrunga Creek cascades over the escarpment into the Kangaroo Valley and flows into the Kangaroo River. We enjoyed taking in the scenery for about 1-hour, then it was time to leave Fitzroy Falls in the Morton National Park to drive on to the Burranwang General Store & Cafe for our luncheon reservation at noon.
In one of the photos above you can see my Burgundy 1931 2-door Tudor Delux sedan departing the Fitzroy Falls, shortly after departing the Park l needed petrol badly, so Peter recommended that I continue up the road a couple of clicks & we would find a service station to get me out of trouble (I always carry a spare 5-litre container on petrol just for occasions like this).
When we stopped at this very small service station out in the sticks, they would only allow us to purchase a maximum of $20 worth of fuel, because they were running low themselves, at least that would get us out of trouble & allow us to drive onto the next service station, hopefully to fill the 8-gallon tank of the Model A Ford.
Whilst stopped at the Service Station for our 20-bucks worth of fuel, three or four Parakeets decided that they wanted to check out the Model A Ford more closely, you can see Peter checking out one of the Parrots that had landed on the roof of the Model A Ford, (How cool is that?).
Now that we were mobile once again we drove onto the Burrawang General Store & Cafe to meet up with every one else for lunch. When we arrived at the Burrawang Cafe, Peter and myself were the last to arrive because of the unplanned petrol & Parrot diversions.
Here we were in the Southern Highlands only a couple of kilometres from Robertson, we were greeted by this wonderful (1867 General Store) that has been trading continuously for over 140 years, now converted into a magnificent restaurant.
There were a total of 30 people or more in our party, so guess what there was no room left for us inside the restaurant so management found us a table on the outside verandah which was OK by us.
Such a lovely setting, you can see that Peter & myself were also joined for lunch by Leon Panov & Gary Smith from the Model A Car Club on the verandah.
Once lunch was completed & our bellies were full it was time to say 'Cheerio' to the Burrawang Cafe & the other Club Members & head for home.
Of course l could not help myself & suggested to Peter my Navigator, that we will be calling into the 'Famous' Robertson Pie Shop on the way home for dessert. What better way to finish off a delightful lunch with an Apple Pie & Cream, (the icing on the cake, I reckon).
By now I really felt like a 'Whale' & decided it was time to once again hit the road & head for home via the rugged Macquarie Pass driving the Model A Ford down the mountain to Albion Park to by pass the HARS Aviation Museum located at the Illawarra Regional Airport.
Every time I drive past the HARS Aviation Museum my heart always skips a beat or two because they have one of the ex-Qantas Boeing 747 Jumbo jets parked on the tarmac. During my flying career of 34-years l would have spent 100s of hours, on this particular aircraft flying around the world serving the punters, chicken or beef, followed by hot tea or coffee.
FYI; if you are interested. This very Qantas 747-438 'VH-OJA' Boeing Jumbo Jet named the City of Canberra was retired to Wollongong after 25-years of service, the City of Canberra was in Qantas service for 25.3 years, flew 13,833 flights, carried 4,094,568 passengers and has flown nearly 85 million kilometers, which is equivalent to 110.2 return trips to the moon.
This aircraft also holds the world record for the longest non-stop flight by a commercial aircraft - London to Sydney in August 1989 for a total flight time of 20 hrs & 9 minutes at an average speed of - 893km/h for a total distance of 18,012 km.
Now, sorry l got carried away. Back to today's excursion. My 1931 Model A Ford 2-door Tudor Delux sedan covered a distance of 280 kilometres (180 miles), definitely no comparison to the Jumbo Jet that l have been telling you about. However, let me assure you that today's journey was very enjoyable with out the PC & no jet lag!
Cheers for now.
Warbo
Once every one had arrived & enjoyed their morning tea we once again set sail at 1000 for the 1-hour drive to Fitzroy Falls Lookout and visitor centre.
 |
| Twenty-three happy members of the Model A Ford Club captured at Fitzroy Falls in the NSW southern highlands |
In the photograph above you can see at least twenty-three happy Model A Ford Club Members enjoying the scenery looking out over the Yarrunga Valley - 640 metres above sea level, at the Fitzroy Falls lookout on a picture perfect day.
The falls are where the Yarrunga Creek cascades over the escarpment into the Kangaroo Valley and flows into the Kangaroo River. We enjoyed taking in the scenery for about 1-hour, then it was time to leave Fitzroy Falls in the Morton National Park to drive on to the Burranwang General Store & Cafe for our luncheon reservation at noon.
 |
| The Fitzroy Falls are where the Yarrunga Creek cascades over the escarpment into the Yarrunga valley and flows into the Kangaroo River. |
In one of the photos above you can see my Burgundy 1931 2-door Tudor Delux sedan departing the Fitzroy Falls, shortly after departing the Park l needed petrol badly, so Peter recommended that I continue up the road a couple of clicks & we would find a service station to get me out of trouble (I always carry a spare 5-litre container on petrol just for occasions like this).
When we stopped at this very small service station out in the sticks, they would only allow us to purchase a maximum of $20 worth of fuel, because they were running low themselves, at least that would get us out of trouble & allow us to drive onto the next service station, hopefully to fill the 8-gallon tank of the Model A Ford.
 |
| A friendly Parakeet joined us a local fuel stop. |
Whilst stopped at the Service Station for our 20-bucks worth of fuel, three or four Parakeets decided that they wanted to check out the Model A Ford more closely, you can see Peter checking out one of the Parrots that had landed on the roof of the Model A Ford, (How cool is that?).
 |
| Peter Deane checks out the parakeet that wanted to take a closer look at my Model A Ford |
Now that we were mobile once again we drove onto the Burrawang General Store & Cafe to meet up with every one else for lunch. When we arrived at the Burrawang Cafe, Peter and myself were the last to arrive because of the unplanned petrol & Parrot diversions.
 |
| The Burrawang General Store & Café |
Here we were in the Southern Highlands only a couple of kilometres from Robertson, we were greeted by this wonderful (1867 General Store) that has been trading continuously for over 140 years, now converted into a magnificent restaurant.
There were a total of 30 people or more in our party, so guess what there was no room left for us inside the restaurant so management found us a table on the outside verandah which was OK by us.
 |
| Lunch on the verandah of the Burrawang General Store & Cafe with Peter Deane [left] then myself and Leon Panov and Gary Smith from the Model A Club |
Such a lovely setting, you can see that Peter & myself were also joined for lunch by Leon Panov & Gary Smith from the Model A Car Club on the verandah.
Once lunch was completed & our bellies were full it was time to say 'Cheerio' to the Burrawang Cafe & the other Club Members & head for home.
 |
| We made a great diversionary stop into the Robertson Pie Shop for a road-stop dessert of Apple Pie with cream. |
Of course l could not help myself & suggested to Peter my Navigator, that we will be calling into the 'Famous' Robertson Pie Shop on the way home for dessert. What better way to finish off a delightful lunch with an Apple Pie & Cream, (the icing on the cake, I reckon).
By now I really felt like a 'Whale' & decided it was time to once again hit the road & head for home via the rugged Macquarie Pass driving the Model A Ford down the mountain to Albion Park to by pass the HARS Aviation Museum located at the Illawarra Regional Airport.
Every time I drive past the HARS Aviation Museum my heart always skips a beat or two because they have one of the ex-Qantas Boeing 747 Jumbo jets parked on the tarmac. During my flying career of 34-years l would have spent 100s of hours, on this particular aircraft flying around the world serving the punters, chicken or beef, followed by hot tea or coffee.
 |
| The retired Qantas B747-400 'VH-OJA' now sits on static display at the HARS Museum at the Illawarra Regional Airport. I spent many hours of my Qantas working life aboard this very aircraft. |
FYI; if you are interested. This very Qantas 747-438 'VH-OJA' Boeing Jumbo Jet named the City of Canberra was retired to Wollongong after 25-years of service, the City of Canberra was in Qantas service for 25.3 years, flew 13,833 flights, carried 4,094,568 passengers and has flown nearly 85 million kilometers, which is equivalent to 110.2 return trips to the moon.
This aircraft also holds the world record for the longest non-stop flight by a commercial aircraft - London to Sydney in August 1989 for a total flight time of 20 hrs & 9 minutes at an average speed of - 893km/h for a total distance of 18,012 km.
Now, sorry l got carried away. Back to today's excursion. My 1931 Model A Ford 2-door Tudor Delux sedan covered a distance of 280 kilometres (180 miles), definitely no comparison to the Jumbo Jet that l have been telling you about. However, let me assure you that today's journey was very enjoyable with out the PC & no jet lag!
Cheers for now.
Warbo
