Category Archives: Social

For this year we had 15 display place allocated.  Unfortunately Mike Garafillis R12 Gordini did not make it on the day.  We had many people interested in our cars, particularly the Alpines A110 and A310, and in the Renault 750.

It cost each person $30.00 to display their car. In return they received 2 X 4 day general admission passes to the event. In addition, each person goes into a draw for a  number of Pit Lane walks.  Two from our club were lucky enough to win.  We believe we were the only club with multiple winners.

There was also on display at the event, a Dauphine that held set a land speed record last year at Bonneville at 123 kph.  This stunned may of us as it has a larger motor than a standard Dauphine which we thought would have been able to do that speed easily.

Some of our members took a very relaxed approach to the day.

CAMS gave us a write up on their website too: See the rare Renault Gordini at the Australian Grand Prix

Our drive day for March will be to Marysville for lunch at the Bakery.

We will be meeting at McDonalds Tecoma (rear of) at 9.30am for a 9.45am departure.

In addition to club members, anyone driving a Renault is welcome to join us.

As might be expected, there are Renault models and variants on the market in Europe that we never see in Australia. A recent trip to the UK, France and Germany highlighted this for me. However, my overall impression was that apart from the exotic Twizzy and the all-electric Zoe, some of the offerings were losing some of the traditional French uniqueness and flair. The new Espace –the big Renault—looked too much like a big Jeep while the latest Scenic appeared to have lost most of its quirky features, especially the 17-odd storage pockets. Even the Zoe, though neat, looked like a Cleo with batteries.

Apart from the Twizzy, the highlight was the L’Atelier Renault on the Champs-Elysees in central Paris. This shop featured current Renault models, historic details on the company, an excellent gifts and souvenirs area and an upstairs café. Similar shops presented by Toyota, Mercedes, BMW, Peugeot and Citroen were more glitz and less information with the Citroen display was dominated some stunning architecture. Very much worth a visit! Three models selected from L’Atelier Renault show a Twizzy, a micro, radio-controlled Renault Sport R.S. 01, and the grand Renault RM2 Reinastella from 1932.

From another interesting perspective –though I admit that perhaps I am biased— I felt that I saw fewer Peugeots anywhere in Europe, even compared with Australia, and that there was nothing of note amongst them that caught his eye.

Our drive day commenced with a meeting at McDonalds Berwick, Unfortunately we did not realise there were two McDonalds in Clyde Rd Berwick and a couple went to the other one (I wont say wrong one).

We remained mainly south of the freeway through to Drouin for coffee. Our Convoy had Clio’s 2,3 & 4, Megane 265’s, a Renault 750 and a Renault 12 Gordini.

We travelled from Drouin to Moe for lunch at the racecourse bistro staying north of the freeway. After lunch we set out for Maffra, again using back roads, avoiding the freeway.

The car collection was interesting with a Dauphine Gordini and a 1908 Renault on display with a number of other interesting and unusual vehicles including French cars Berliet and Mors.

Starting from Mc Donalds, Clyde Road in Berwick. Assemble 9.00am for 9.30am departure.

The coffee break will be at Nick’s Bakehouse in Drouin and lunch at the Moe Racing Club Bistro.

The theme of the current exhibition at Maffra is “Never Been Kissed” meaning most of the motorcycles, cars & trucks have little or no restoration work done.

Exhibits range from a 1908 Renault which remained in the ownership of one family for over 100 years, to a 1922 Vulcan truck on solid rubber tyres, with lots of interesting motoring history in between. Look for the 1911 MORS. The company was established in France in 1897 (older than Renault).  The rolling chassis was imported and the body fitted in Melbourne.

Admission to the Vehicle Collection is $8.00 per adult (group of 10 or more) and children under 15 are free. Tea/coffee and light refreshments are available.

The run does not touch the freeway and includes some interesting roads and scenery including the immense W Power Station at Yallourn.

Come along and join the convoy.

Anyone planning to attend should advise numbers by email to “” by end of 18/08/2016.

Last Sunday we had  15 Renaults (and a Mercedes) carrying 19 members and one potential new member for our drive day to the Farmers Arms Hotel in Beeac .  The potential new member had previously enquired about joining the club  and when I sent out the info I inadvertently selected “all contacts” instead of the social list. Even Vic Roads were advised of the run.

We started from Glen Iris, collected from Lara and joined all but one of the rest in Geelong for coffee. Ian Duffy from Camperdown met us at Beeac for lunch.

The owner has a collection of about 50 cars, a few of which are stored in a renovated stable behind the hotel. He was on hand to give us a rundown on the cars there.

Steve Cavanagh had his first official club run I his recently restored Alpine A110.

I would like to thank Alan and Venus Lane for providing the photos.

We had an excellent turnout for breakfast at Garazi this morning. About twenty members and friends attended for breakfast and a talkfest. Not all came to see the Liberator so it was good that they joined us for breakfast.

At about 11.00am we headed to Werribee and had guided tours of the Liberator and the restoration facility. As well as the Liberator they are also restoring a Boomerang (Australian designed and made fighter) an d an Airspeed Oxford (used for navigation training).

Towards the end of the tour, Steve Cavanagh arrived with his recently (this was its first outing) restored Alpine A110.

At this point a few of us adjourned to Werribee for lunch before going home.

Maxine Joly writes ‘I’ve just finished writing my book about the Megane RS and orders are 
launched. I have written a text in case of some people from Australia 
would be interested in buying it despite the text in French. If you can 
share the information, that would be very nice !‘

www.meganers-lelivre.com