On Friday the 22nd of May at 730am, 41 adult members and three children left Pheasants Nest, bound for Myrtleford, Victoria.Myrtleford is a town on the alpine way in the king valley located in Victorian high country. 20 classic Italian vehicles turned onto the Hume Hwy, Southbound which marked the beginning of an unforgettable event.
The cars all performed very well with stops along the way at Yass, Wadonga and finally Myrtleford.
one car experienced problems and as a consequence, the car was quickly dispatched home efficiently compliments of the the premium care package offered by the NRMA.
We arrived in Myrtleford that afternoon between 3- 5pm. AT 530, members boarded a bus which took us to Gapstead winery which took us to dinner, prepared by the well known chef Stefano Manfredi (and his team!) the meal was fantastic, the company exceptional! The atmosphere was incredible and the premium wines were adorable! The night passed quickly, as usual all good things come to an end.members boarded the bus and returned to their accommodation.Saturday morning welcomed us with an icy reception at 0 degrees! None the less, we set out for the piazza to display our cars. The day was filled with many things to do and see including food stalls, local produce and home grown entertainers.
Saturday night, members were invited to " Pizzeria Bastoni". The IMSMC crowd were provided with beanies, one in particular was used to raise money for the "Cure Brain Cancer Foundation". Serena the owner donated $50, members quickly followed suit, opening their wallets and at the end of the evening IMSMC managed to raise $350, The club matched the generous contribution of its members for a further $350! Rita Murer, mentioned that through Westpac's fundraising policy, the money raised could again be doubled and as a consequence $1400 was raised for the Cure Brain Cancer foundation! A fantastic result!
The IMSMC choir, yet again left its mark in Myrtleford.. embracing the moment to sing a few good old songs ( The wine may have helped!). From Bastoni, some returned to their lodgings, while many members opted to go to FEZ for a few after dinner drinks.
Sunday morning, members returned to FEZ for breakfast a cafe with a Moroccan twist. After breakfast, members were then off to Michelini's winery for a tasting, returning afterwards to Gapstead winery for further tastings. The afternoon saw members going in various directions exploring Myrtleford and its surrounds.
A large proportion of members enjoyed the polenta and spezzatino lunch offered by the Trentini association. A live chess game was held in the piazza, themed in Renaissance Italy, costumes, banners and performance. At the same time at the local soccer club, a soccer derby was unfolding between Myrtleford and Wangaratta which was won 2-0 by Myrtleford, a spectacular game of soccer!
That evening a buffet dinner was at the Savoy club, a live piano accordionist entertained guests along the vocal talents of member Joe Losinno!
Our weekend came to a conclusion, with breakfast at Delizie cafe. At the conclusion of breakfast members began to make their long way home, looking forward to an exciting 700kms +/- trip back to Sydney through picturesque scenery. Passing through towns like Yackandandah,Wodonga and onto Albury and finally Sydney and surrounds.
Thank you to all members of IMSMC who were a part of this event, an excellent weekend that was enjoyed by all.
