Image: Ellie Hamilton

Recount news of food, roller coasters and magic winter Lotus driving in the latest edition of Quokka Talk, chronicling the adventures of the WA Lotus Club. Thanks to Steve Pretzel.

Sometimes Eating is the Priority

by Steve Pretzel

Normally our monthly ‘Meet & Eat’ nights involve a balance of driving and socialising.  Our June event was skewed heavily in favour of the food.

On a chilly Perth winter night all roofs were on and nobody seemed to mind picking the closest reasonable eatery as a convenient destination.

The Vic Hotel in Subiaco is only a 5 kilometre drive, but the food is good, the beer is cold and there is good off-street parking.  It may also soon be gone – a casualty of the new Perth Stadium siphoning off the previous Subi football crowd.

As always there was plenty to talk about – the last drive; the next drive; the new boss of Lotus…

Warmed, lubricated and well fed, we all departed The Vic for what may be the last time.

Wild Goose Chase

by: Steve Pretzel

photos by: Ellie Hamilton

Continuing our program of rotating route planners, the June EMR was set and expertly led by Steve and Bea Grobler (Esprit Turbo).

Winter driving doesn’t get much better than this, with a brilliant blue sky, temperature in the low 20s and a vista of the greenest of green hills to enjoy.

The start of our drive was not dissimilar to last month – a suburban exit through newly-developed suburbs featuring lots of roundabouts.  Fortunately, we were soon into the delightful Chittering Valley, re-tracing some of the Targa West route, pausing at Bullsbrook for a short break before ascending the Darling Scarp through the upmarket Brigadoon development.

This is a drive we do frequently – and with good reason.  The climb offers spectacular views of the Avon Valley, but the real fun is when we reach the top.  ‘The Rollercoaster’ is a duet of plunging valleys that play with g-forces as the steep downhill suddenly becomes an equally steep uphill.  Yee-ha!!

The road stays good.  Turn left a kilometre later and we’re into O’Brien Road – one of the best driving roads this close to Perth.  Fortunately, today there is little traffic to impede our progress as our multi-coloured Lotus train sweeps and flows.

Our lunch destination is the Wild Goose restaurant at Gidgegannup.  This is a cavernous and quite spectacular mud brick, stone and timber building that is reminiscent of a large ski lodge, replete with huge open fire.  The steak sandwiches were excellent and we all enjoyed a good feed before cruising home to enjoy the rest of the day’s sunshine.