This annual event began in 2011 for South Australian and Victorian Aston Martin owners to come together and share a long weekend of cars and camaraderie but members of AMOC from anywhere in Australia are most welcome to join us.
This year the event was held from Friday 11 to 13 October 2024 in the coastal town of Victor Harbor, 80km south of Adelaide, surrounded by fabulous scenic driving roads.
“Victor” as it is known is situated on the wide sandy arc of Encounter Bay, named in 1802 by Matthew Flinders, and is a vibrant beachside town that offers a huge range of activities and scenery, and the beautiful Fleurieu Peninsula is the perfect area to explore for those who may wish to extend their stay.
After travelling 750kms the Victorian AMOC nestled into their accommodation ready to join the South Australians on two days of scenic runs and a selection of our local foods and wine.
The event started with a welcome dinner preceded by drinks and canapes which were generously funded by the local Aston Martin Principle “Solitaire Automotive”.
68 members and guests from both states started the weekend with a 100km run through the Fleurieu Peninsula ending at “The Winehouse” Langhorne Creek. “The Winehouse” was one of the first collaborative cellar doors in SA, allowing a number of producers to sell their wine from the one premise.
After returning to our accommodation and resting up we gathered for dinner at a local hotel which was a nice finish to a big day.
Day 2 brought on another 115km run travelling through the Inman Valley ending at the Murray Mouth.
Inman Valley was surveyed in late 1839 by a party under Senior Surveyor N. Lipscomb Kentish, formerly of Sydney, assisted by Surveyor Henry Ide, formerly a corporal in the Royal Sappers & Miners. They pegged out the sections and also a line of road suitable for drays leading from Rapid Bay to Encounter Bay, which is now Inman Valley Road.
The mouth of the Murray River is about 10 kilometres (6.2 miles) south east of Goolwa and about 75 kilometres (47 miles) south-south-east of the Adelaide city. The mouth is an opening in the coastal dune system which separates the river system from the ocean and which extends from near Goolwa in a south-easterly direction along the continental coastline for about 145 kilometres (90 miles).
Water flows throughout the mouth from two directions. Firstly, the flow from the west passes along a passage known as the Goolwa Channel which is bounded by Hindmarsh Island to its north side. Secondly, the flow from the east passes along a passage known as the Coorong Channel.
We relaxed and enjoyed a much earned lunch at the Islanders Tavern overlooking the water ways of Goolwa before heading back to our accommodation and preparing for the evenings dinner.
The SA branch of the AMOC had organized a goodbye BBQ where we all unwound from the weekends adventures. A wonderful opportunity to catch up and recall all the fun times with our Victorian counterparts.
This event shows no signs of slowing down and builds in numbers every year. We look forward to the next catch up where the SA members will be travelling to Victoria for no doubt another fabulous gathering.
Co-written by Cintra Amos AMOC SA Secretary and Martin Farkas AMOC SA Area Rep.