2018 Autumn Tour

'Forays in the High Country II'

Alpine Alfisti Autumn Tour 2018

Friday 4th May to Monday 7th May

From Albury to Rutherglen via Lake Dartmouth and the King Valley

On a Friday evening early in May, 37 Alfisti in 22 Alfa Romeos gathered in Albury for a ‘Pre-Tour’ dinner at Downtown Pizzeria and the begining of the 2018 Alpine Alfisti Autumn Tour

The Alfisti on Tour had ventured from Berri (SA), Ballarat, Bendigo, Melbourne, Eldorado, Canberra, Milton (NSW) and Sydney

Alpine Alfisti @ Dartmouth (Photo: L Cottle)

The "Alfas" on Tour included: 6 (932) GTs; 4 (105) GTVs; 3 159s; 2 (940) Giuliettas; a (116) GTV; an Alfa90; an Alfa33 P4; a (916) Spider; a (939) Spider; a 4C and a solitary Scandinavian quattroporte - whose identity was masked by the strategic placement of an Alpine Alfisti logo!

Alpine Alfas @ Dartmouth (Photo: L Cottle)

Day 1 - Saturday

Tour route: Day 1 - Saturday Image: (Google) Route map

After breakfast at the Brick Lane Café, the Tour headed east to the Riverina Hwy, crossed Lake Hume, passed through Lake Hume Village, then followed the Murray River Road to the Granya Gap Road. This took us through a mountain pass before joining the Murray Valley Highway. We travelled past Old Tallangatta then turned south onto the Omeo Highway.

The morning tea break was at the Church Café in Eskdale.

Alpine Alfas @ Church Café, Eskdale (Photo: A Sadow)

From Eskdale we headed for Lake Dartmouth for a few photos (above), then back to Mitta Mitta for lunch at the Mitta Pub.

The afternoon run back to Albury was via Lockharts Gap Road and Yackandandah - a pretty little ‘tourist’ town and an ideal place for a stroll or a coffee.

Alpine Alfa in Yackandandah (Photo: L Cottle)

Dinner on Saturday evening was at Bistro Selle in Albury.

Day 2 - Sunday

Sunday morning - Albury to Whitfield

Sunday's breakfast was at Mr Benedict in Albury.

Tour route: Day 2 - Sunday morning Image: (Google) Route map

Following breakfast, the Tour left Albury and headed west, intentionally taking an indirect but scenic route via Kiewa, Stanley and Milawa, to Whitfield.

1750 mirror full of Alfas in wine country (Photo: B Hay)

Lunch was at the Mountain View Hotel in Whitfield.

Alpine Alfas @ Whitfield (Photo: P Atkinson)

Sunday afternoon - Whitfield to Rutherglen
... via Lake Mokoan & Warby Ranges

Following lunch in the King Valley, the Tour group set off for Rutherglen.

This section of the Tour ran through environments that were quite different to previous Alpine Tours - Sclerophyll forests and wetlands. There are fewer hills on the west side of the Hume in Victoria, and the region is more arid than the High Country, but there are still interesting roads and interesting country to traverse.

Tour route: Day 2 - Sunday afternoon Image: (Google) Route map

The Tour departed Whitfield for Rutherglen, travelling via Myrrhee and Winton and then skirting around the western and northern shores of Lake Mokoan.

After a short stop at the Lake Mokoan Wetlands the group travelled on through the Warby Ranges then headed north towards Peechelba then to Rutherglen.

Dinner was a delightful meal held at Taste@Rutherglen.

Day 3 - Monday

After Breakfast at Tuileries the group visited several boutique Rutherglen wineries, including Scion Vineyard and Andrew Buller Wines @ Cannobie for tastings of some delightful products. Following the tastings, the group headed to Wahgunyah for lunch at the Pickled Sisters Café.

Lunch marked the end of the 2018 Alpine Alfisti Autumn Tour.