Collecting Cars

Social Run to Cape Kitchen, Phillip Island

Sunday, 6 February 2022 Story: Rob and Sylvia Rogers Photos: Neville Sampson Run notes and maps: Geoffrey Mould

After the Club’s several attempts to have a the Spring Run and re-scheduling due to COVID-19 lockdowns, we finally got to catch up our friends in Warburton on Sunday 6th February, for a Spring/Summer run. For many the first run was actually an hour navigating through traffic and roadworks from home to Warburton, but it was a relief getting out of the suburbs and into the hills where our cars belong – aside from on the track.

The run from Warburton to the Cape Kitchen restaurant in Newhaven on Phillip Island was a long one – but I didn’t hear any complaints with the opportunity to get out of second gear and thread our way through the windy roads through the valleys and hills around Powelltown Tarago forest mountains and then climb up to the Drouin-Korumburra Ridge Road, with its spectacular views down to the farmlands to the east and Westernport Bay to the West.

Geoff did a really good job selecting the route for this run and with the usual CFA morning tea feast COVID cancelled, the run whet our appetite for the renown Cape Kitchen lunch. The run was punctuated with a short caffeine fix at Drouin and it was interesting to see other car and bike clubs now out and about, post COVID.

There was a long train of 38 Porsches ranging from the early 911’s to the current 992 models, all driven at spirited pace and within the speed limits - generally. It was a showroom on wheels and with the sunny weather, many with the tops down or half down with the Targas. Travelling along behind a mix of cars, you could see the DNA of the original Porsche in the shape of all the cars , but the cornering speed differences between the older and newer models was evident with later model 4WD and traction control and wider rear tyres holding the road so much better.

The Cape Kitchen restaurant is set amongst the sand dunes on Cape Woolamai, with vistas out over the Bass Straight and is soon to be complimented with a massive Hot Springs Spa Centre between the restaurant and the highway, (maybe include a spa after the next run Geoff). The menu was something different with a serve yourself selection of Entree and Mains complimented with a great selection of local wines. Between courses the club welcomed new members Goran Grdic, Deborah Lane, Russell Phillips, Tony Schibeci and Christian Seisun; each presented with a complimentary bottle of wine.

Overall, if was a great day mixing good food and a great run and we look forward to the next one.