Walhalla Ghost Ride Social Weekend
Saturday 7th & Sunday 8th November 2009
This particular social weekend had been planned for earlier in the year and was to align itself close to Halloween, hence the Ghost Ride Weekend.
Special thank you to Mal Kidd and Richo for making this weekend come together.
The weekend started for some at Mooroolbark with Chris, Sharyn, Dean, Tracy, Bob, Ian and Kerry departing at 9.15 am for the Stanford Hotel at Rowville the official departure venue for a weekend of good riding and social fun.
Some of the attendees at the Stanford Hotel prior to our departure.
It was good to see Eric (The Viking) and his mate Mario join with us for the ride to Rawson even though they were unable to stay for the Ghost Tour at Walhalla in the evening, another person to note is our welfare office David Hall who rode all the way from Phillip Island in the morning to ride with us until 4.00 pm when he then needed to return to the Island for work, what an effort!!!!
Richo with David all the way from Phillip Island.
Bob, Mario and Eric "The Viking".
We also had a good number of non VMMA members attend the ride and weekend along with members attending a social weekend for the first time.
Dean led the ride from Rowville via the Dandenong Ranges up to Yarra Junction and then across to The Tool Shed at Noojee for lunch, traffic was a little hectic on Wellington Road largely due to a lot of road works being carried out, but we did manage to ride as a group for most of the ride.
We were met by Gary & Glenda at The Tool Shed for they had ridden up from Moe to join the Ghost Weekend, whilst at The Tool Shed we all witnessed a very good setup one chap had for touring on a motorcycle, wait for it, his Harley had absolutely no gear strapped to it, but his lady partner had bag upon bag strapped onto her motorcycle, Chris thought this was innovative but soon after thought it would just not work with Sharyn!!!!
Ian Goddard and Ian Faulkner on their first social weekend away with the VMMA.
Glen and Ian turning from the Poweltown Road onto the Noojee Road heading to The Tool Shed at Noojee for lunch.
After lunch we departed The Tool Shed at 1.30 pm for the ride via Willow Grove down to Moe for a re fuel stop, this particular ride is very popular with motorcycles for it takes you through nice cool forest that have majestic trees and tree ferns along the route whilst being able to ride on nicely formed roads.
Yes all VMMA members partaking in a social weekend.
After re fueling and some seeking out refreshments it was time for Dean to lead the way up from Moe to Rawson Village, this again is a very pleasant and easy ride up through the mountains arriving at Rawson Village around 3.00 pm.
Our illustrious Accommodation Officer Richo who had booked, un booked and booked others in thought his accommodation duties were complete, alas not so quickly for on our arrival we were informed our cabin accommodation had been given to another group by mistake (what is that Richo we take no enemies!!!) and they were in the process of making up beds in another cabin block, so all was good.
If you are inquiring Richo is all okay!!!!
Once again our numbers increased on our arrival at Rawson for we were greeted by Peter & Pam Mahoney from Mansfield who had driven over the top into Walhalla, Brian and Red had driven directly up to Rawson and Noel Harris joined us for the evening and kindly opened the Walhalla Masonic Centre for us during our Ghost Tour of Walhalla.
Honestly it was rather hot, even in those hills around Rawson so the next couple of hours was spent relaxing prior to our dinner that was booked for 6.00 pm to ensure we could be up at Walhalla by 8.00 pm for the Ghost Tour.
Saturday dinner was set for 6.00 pm so that we had time to get to Walhalla by 8.00 pm to register for the Ghost Tour.
Chris, Dean and Brian took the opportunity to have a "Breathless" 2010 Ride meeting for the VMMA will be having the MOU signed next week with CFV.
After dinner we assembled in the top car park at Rawson Village to determine who was riding up to Walhalla for we had a number of cars present that could transport safely members up to Walhalla for the rode is well known for its wildlife in the evening.
It is time to assemble for the short ride or if you were lucky drive in a car to Walhalla for the Ghost Tour.
Walhalla Township is full of early gold mining history.
Chris led the convoy up to Walhalla both motorcycles and cars to the car park just opposition the Walhalla Museum which was the registration point for the Ghost Tour.
The Ghost Tour is run by a dedicated group of people whom are involved in the Walhalla Heritage Group, everyone had to sign a disclaimer prior to partaking in the Ghost Tour for we will be walking with oil lamps due to there being no street lights along the ghost tour.
This Ghost Tour was not limited to the VMMA and we were joined by a number of other small groups, whilst waiting for everyone to register for the tour we found in the shop fronts some interesting items, one being Casper the Ghost, did our Casper find Casper the Ghost, of course but which one is the real Casper the Ghost?
Which is the real Casper the Ghost?
Prior to commencement of the Ghost Tour our two hosts for the evening gave out the oil lamps which gave the evening a particular feeling, they then continued to explain the history of Walhalla from its early days to present and gave details of notable events and individuals which then set the scene for our Ghost Tour.
Start of the introductions of the evenings Ghost Tour. Follow us please!!!!!!
The tour guides set up the evening mood from the beginning and encouraged you to take many photographs for when you look at them at a later date you just may very well find some unexplained image within your photograph, they spoke of many people after partaking in a Ghost Tour reporting that they are sensed a presence or in fact had unexplained images within their photographs.
In fact after the Ghost Tour both Glenda and Peter who were not standing together on the Alpine Track high above Walhalla heard very clearly a mouth organ being played whilst everyone was stopped listening to the guides, it is interesting to note that people standing next to them heard nothing at all.
Noel Harris was good enough to join with us for the Ghost Tour and opened the Walhalla Masonic Centre.
We were led around the Walhalla Township with frequent stops at buildings and sites to be informed of various sighting of things!!!!!
On returning back to the starting point of the tour we were invited into the museum to conclude the Ghost Tour and finally departed Walhalla around 11.00 pm for a very cautious ride back to Rawson Village, I am happy to report no wildlife became entangled in our machine and we made it back safely.
Some continued into the early hours socialising whilst other went to bed and yes their was another who thought he was going to bed to sleep but actually unwillingly listened to the Ho Ho of friendship/socialising (How are you Richo?).
Breakfast was booked from 8.00 am in the dinning room at the Rawson Village, this was all inclusive in the accommodation cost and you could not have wanted for a better breakfast.
Sunday morning at breakfast.
There was not set plan for Sunday and it eventuated that some went home directly whilst two groups formed with one riding back into Walhalla to visit the cemetery and then ride onto the Thompson Dam and the other riding directly to the Thompson Dam and then home.
Sharyn and I rode with the group back into Walhalla and yes I walked, crawled or whatever up to track to the cemetery before rolling all the way back to the car park, on our way back home we stopped at the Noojee Hotel for a quick refreshment and low and behold Peter and Pam Mahoney followed shortly after, they had taken a good gravel road over Mt Baw Baw and came into Noojee that way.
The weekend was hot and great fun.
Reported by CW
