[VIC] Cruise - Save the date! - 27th Oct - Great Alpine Road

Ok, planning the next cruise.

This one is quite a few months away, due to snow/icy conditions, I do not want to lead a bunch of cars up here and risk anything.
So hopefully around the end of October, things have warmed up abit!

This is a 10 HOUR round trip with NO STOPS.

For anyone that has been up this way, please provide feedback on places to eat, pit stops or great locations for photo shoot's, looking at Google images, this road seems SPECTACULAR.

I have heard feathertop is AWESOME and may be great for a photoshoot.

This will turn into a big day, so a early start is needed and preparation.
We have approximately 3 months so start saving for those new tyres, coilover's, upgrades etc now!

Date/times/route is FLEXIBLE and open to suggestions!

Meet Point: Fawkner Mcdonalds. Corner of Mahoneys Rd & Hume Hwy
Meet Time: 4AM (YES 4AM)
Leave Time: 4.30





Break 1.
Myrtleford
Approx 3hour drive from start point.


In between Pit Stops & Lunch Breaks to be discussed and updated


End Point.
Barnsdale (6.5 hours from start point continuous)

Return Home Via Princes Highway

Current Route Proposal CLICK HERE

I shall leave you with some teasters of this road below, hopefully it may entice more fanatics to get out than the Great Ocean Road!























Please post below if you are interested as usual and feel free to comment, suggest!


1. Selien
2. JS330
3. Kstrooch
4. Shook
5. GJA003

Im in....again haha

Haha fawkner maccas is perfect, just down the road from my place!

I am definatley down again.

Originally Posted by JS330

Im in....again haha

Originally Posted by Kstrooch

Haha fawkner maccas is perfect, just down the road from my place!

I am definatley down again.

Chosen it as its the quickest and easiest way to get to Myrtleford, which seems to be the start of the Great Alpine Rd!

I'm down.

But it is on a Monday?

Originally Posted by shook

I'm down.

But it is on a Monday?

My bad, 27th Oct! Thanks!

In ... Although 4 days before exams should be a good break.

October already? Now that's keen..
I've always been inclined to do the GAR. 10 hours no stops? I'd run out of petrol AND spring a leak in the seat.

Originally Posted by E46 Coupe

October already? Now that's keen..
I've always been inclined to do the GAR. 10 hours no stops? I'd run out of petrol AND spring a leak in the seat.

I'm out of petrol in 400KM so I can't go

I've only been as far as Dinner Plain on this route which I have to tell you is stunning (especially in winter) but can offer a few suggestions already. Going outside of the ski season means we can forget chains and indeed potential park entry fee issues (though they don't apply if you just pass thru). They use number plate cameras at the boundaries to work out if you've done this.

We should take a short cut near Glenrowan and exit the Hume Fwy there (a bit before Wangaratta) just past the big twin service centres (Maccas). This is C522 - Glenrowan to Myrtleford Road. Goes thru Milawa (famous for its cheese and chicken among other things). This cuts about 20-25 mins off the trip. It meets the Great Alpine Road just west of Myrtleford. Sticking to the speed limit will be especially important on this shortcut.

We can top up 98 octane fuel at the twin service centres, at Myrtleford or at Bright. I understand the next fuel possible stop which is Omeo does not have 98 but I could be wrong. I've not been there yet but I understand the drop down into there is awesome as told to me by a local when I was last up there in August 2011. There are two service stations in Bright that sell 98. This is about 3 hours into the trip so it would probably be the safer (though more $$) top up point.

Bright has an excellent bakery that I've stopped at numerous times, it's right on the main street. There is also a great brewery there but I expect we'll be thru there before it opens (11am).

Photo shoot wise. Assuming the weather is compliant we should do a shoot in the large carpark located a km or so before Hotham Central just near the reservoir that is adjacent to top of the Heavenly quad chairlift. This (gravel) car park is at around 1840m and has a stunning rugged mountain backdrop (including Mt Feathertop) as far as the eye can see. Unless the ski season dies hard we should still have snow caps in the background here and probably snow drifts about the summit area of the ski resort. There is a shear drop of well over 1000m behind the car park!



As the photos show, the climb into Hotham from Harrietville is just awesome. Once you get out onto the open ridges the road alignment is just insane. Whoever designed this road had driving bliss in mind. The drive from Hotham thru Dinner Plain and onward before the drop into Omeo is mostly straight and flat despite the fact you're over 1500m above sea level. It's a nice pleasant cruise surrounded by snow gums and cold cold air!

Perhaps lunch in Omeo? Not sure.

Anyway the Great Alpine Road is the highest publicly accessible road in the country and is definitely one of the greatest roads we have. Should be a long but very enjoyable day.

You guys should really do an overnight run and go back down through Bonnie Doon etc the next day.
Can meet you all in Myrtleford/Beechworth area if you stop there for lunch.

Originally Posted by Nae323

You guys should really do an overnight run and go back down through Bonnie Doon etc the next day.
Can meet you all in Myrtleford/Beechworth area if you stop there for lunch.

Beechworth = Bridge Road Brewery!

We actually all went thru Bonnie Doon on Saturday coming from Mansfield back to Melbourne. To go that way we'd be coming back down from Hotham the same way we came up to it, less we did the entire trip in reverse.

Originally Posted by netgun

Beechworth = Bridge Road Brewery!

We actually all went thru Bonnie Doon on Saturday coming from Mansfield back to Melbourne. To go that way we'd be coming back down from Hotham the same way we came up to it, less we did the entire trip in reverse.

I love Beechworth and all those little mountain towns
So cosy, fun roads everywhere and usually bugger all cars.
Too bad your cars aren't 4x4, could have some real fun around there.

Originally Posted by selien

[U][B][COLOR=Red]This is a 10 HOUR round trip with NO STOPS.

Sorry, should have been more clear, this is not a non stop drive, I just wanted to state how long this drive would be with no stops involved, so everyone could understand it will be a looong day!

Sent from my HTC Wildfire using Bimmer App

Looks like we're following Mr.Gun again!!

Originally Posted by YGOAMG

Looks like we're following Mr.Gun again!!

Lol....it's a pretty straight forward route but I'm happy to lead if need be

looks like i'll need to strip the interior out for the 323 toi keep up with your M

Originally Posted by N4NOOK

looks like i'll need to strip the interior out for the 323 toi keep up with your M

hahaha

nah just go at you own pace..

god dammit ill be in transit to Vegas at that time...next time

would be an awesome overnighter stopping at hotham

Originally Posted by YGOAMG

hahaha

nah just go at you own pace..

Or the speed limit.