Dear Member
You are invited to join us on a run to the historic town of Clunes situated North of Ballarat. Clunes was the site of Victoria's first gold strike in 1851 which led to a gold rush which swept through central Victoria, resulting in a massive population boost for the state and great wealth for many.
These days, Clunes is an agricultural, pastoral and tourist township, nestled in a scenic valley. Many of the original buildings in Clunes have been preserved from those gold rush days, perfectly illustrated with a visit to the wide and elegant Fraser Street. It is lined with 19th century buildings and shop fronts including the National Hotel (1862), Club Hotel (1870) and Union Bank (1865).
That streetscape has caught the eye of film producers including those who produced Mad Max. Shooting took place in and around Melbourne. Many of the car chase scenes for Mad Max were filmed near the town of Little River, northeast of Geelong. The early town scenes with the Toe Cutter Gang were filmed in the main street of Clunes. Much of the streetscape remains unchanged.
MEET: BP Service center (outbound), 1789 Western Highway, Rockbank
DEPART: 10:30am
DISTANCE: Rockbank to Clunes 106 km
VENUE: National Hotel, 35 Fraser St, Clunes
LUNCH: 12 noon
