The Vintage Sports Car Club of Australia

Hill End Three Day Run 16th-18th April 2010

A strong turnout of Club members ensured this weekend was a great success. 38 cars carried 74 members as shown on the attached list.

The tour started on Friday midday at the Information Centre at Glenbrook which makes for a nice easy start for those who got there on time. Unfortunately traffic around Sydney was appalling and a number arrived later at the lunch at the Grandview Hotel at Wentworth Falls. This was an economical and cheerful lunch.

We then motored on through the Blue Mountains and stopped at Hartley Village on the other side for a brief stroll around and sightseeing of these early historic buildings. After that it was on to Bathurst via the stunning poplar trees of the Meadow Flats by pass, which many of the cars missed.

At Bathurst we stayed at the new Citigate Hotel at the end of Con Rod Straight at Mt Panorama which proved to be one of the best locations we have enjoyed for many years. Sharing the hotel were 250 Triumph Motorcycle Club members and a large country wedding with 120 people, so the place was full! We were well served however with undercover parking and even some lock up garages.

Saturday was perfect weather and we set off for the short drive of 75kms to historic Hill End which is now bitumen sealed all the way. This is a very pleasing drive both scenically and for driving with many twisty hilly sections that was well suited to our cars.

At Hill End we took it easy and enjoyed the village at our own pace. A terrific al fresco lunch in the back yard under the trees of the historic Great Western Store was provided by Libby Burich, a friend of Club Member John Firth Smith. Many thanks to both of them. The drive back was equally enjoyable and members were back at Citigate in good time for pre dinner drinks.

Despite the pressure on the hotel kitchen, dinner on Saturday night was a memorable affair. Many members said to me that they thought Citigate to be the best hotel the Club has stayed in in recent memory. Cheap too!.

Sunday saw us visiting the Bathurst National Trust property, Miss Traill's house, which was well organised and presented in small tours groups by Trust members. After that it was onto Tarana Hotel via the beautifully scenic back roads for yet another satisfactory meal and then onto home.

Fewer vintage cars than usual, but all interesting none the less. Good to see Harry and Cathy Hickling in the Peking to Paris MG SA and new member John May in his Citroen SM.

 Tim Shellshear