Ian De B.'s, aka Aussie Clown, trip from Bendigo to Ballarat
Departed Bendigo at 945am and drove to Ballarat via Castlemaine and Dalesford. The drive was a good run for Mokie and she did not miss a beat. Other road users were ok except for a few who were to busy touring and watching the countryside instead of the road.

Met up with the rest of the Crew in Ballarat and after a few hours, drove back to Bendigo

Total km for day was 270km and used 22 lt of fuel = 12.2 km/l

 AC

Melbourne to Ballarat by Terry
The Melbourne group assembled in nice Sunshine near the start of the Western Freeway and with everyone assembled left the meeting point and made the first wrong turn about 50 mtrs up the road! There were a couple of other wrong turns due to lack of a map and trying to do the route by memory but nobody noticed as it was still a good drive and nice to be off the main highway to Ballarat.

After a steep climb out of a valley we met up with the Geelong group at Mt Wallace for a quick chat and discussion on a route. More back roads and lots of bumps later we were going through a few little towns just outside Ballarat checking out all the sheds we could see from the road for Mokes. :)

We regrouped as Luke P. lead us through the Main street of Ballarat and out to the Lake to find a nice empty car park just the right size for our Mokes, even if a couple on the end had to park in the disabled spaces. Lots of chatting some eating and a photo shoot and some more chatting as some left and others assembled to leave.

I lead what was left of the Melbourne group back down the highway and then took a 'short cut' to take in some more back roads and stopped for an ice cream and Plane Spotting near the airport, with Mokes heading off home along the way.

Terry

Photos courtesy of Ian and Terry

Story and photos by Brett N, aka Bnicho
My IMD started with an unexpected setback.  I went out to the garage at 8:15am with time to spare, only to find Mopoke's battery was flat.  I ripped the battery out of my MR2 and quickly swapped them over.  Fortunately it fitted okay.  Then I pounded down some dirt road shortcuts to save time.  I was a little late to the meeting point.  Sorry guys!

Geelong/Lara/Werribee/Surf Coast group meet up at Little River - five Mokes:





Geelong crew at the Mount Wallace Cross-Roads, where we would meet the Melbourne group.  We arrived first and had to back-track after over-shooting it.  It wasn't much of a cross-roads. 



SeaMoke, seeker of bathrooms, could not hold off any longer...



The Melbourne group arrived and the numbers swelled.  Now we were 15 Mokes.



What a perfect day for Moking.  The sun was bright, but not so bad you would get burnt.  There was a chill in the wind.  For the hardy among us who travelled with tops down or doors off, winter gear was required when on the move.  The jackets quickly came off when we stopped.

We travelled some great backrods with almost nill other traffic:














Entering Ballarat we lost a few briefly as traffic lights divided us, before regrouping:



THen we arrived at our final destination on the side of Lake Wendouree.   AC was already there in Mokie, having driven from Bendigo by himself.  All sixteen Mokes lined up:















The usual admirers, questions, and tourists taking photos of themselves with the Mokes ensued. 

A Ballarat local's Moke was not yet finished, so he brought his tin snail instead:



Finished for the day, Geelong group leaving:



I travelled home via Bacchus Marsh, visiting another Moker who couldn't make it.  I finally arrived home about 7pm. 

Cheers,