We left Wheelers Hill on our "Mystery Tour" in Vicki and Herbie Lamble's coach at 9AM on a damp and cool Friday morning and headed down the South Gippsland Highway before stopping for morning tea in the shelter beside the inlet off Westernport Bay at Tooradin.
Vicki and Herbie have the morning tea routine for their guests down pat with hot water kettles, tea, coffee and milo ready for serving together with rich soft fruit cake, cheese and bickies.
After morning tea we toured on to Grantville to the home of Annette Kennedy who grows and sells the beautiful African Violet species
(Saintpaulia). Annette gave our assembled group a marvellous presentation on how to propogate, grow and care for the violets. Afterwards
we inspected her hot house setup and collection of more than 200 different named varieties and purchased several potted plants, potting
mix and special fertiliser .
At last the cloud lifted and the sun came out. After loading our purchases into the cargo hold of the bus we drove to
Alan and Dianne Ramsay's winery, the "Vin Rose", at the Gurdies for a BBQ and salad lunch.
This fine boutique winery of only 5 acres is set on a westerly facing hillside adjacent to an old lawn bowling green and
clubhouse which the Ramsey's have transformed into a beautiful rose garden and restaurant. The scenic outlook across
Westernport Bay is breathtaking. We spent some time before lunch was served admiring the rose garden. Dianne gave advice
on how to care for roses. Lunch was then served accompanied by a wine tasting of the fine wines they produce.
After lunch Alan and Dianne gave a talk on the running of their winery and how their boutique wines are produced. Alan took us into the winery to show us the equipment and processes used in wine production.
After leaving the winery we headed for the township of Bass where we looked at the Knitting Mill operation which makes
thermal underware and the adjoining shop. There was also time to wander through the local Opportunity Shop to look for a
bargain. Maureen Atkins purchased a beautifully packaged soft toy bunny with Easter eggs and donated it for a lucky prize
draw on the bus's return to Wheelers Hill. The bunny was won by Barbara and John Matthews.
We finally returned to Wheelers Hill around 5PM after a very enjoyable day. What great company. Ian Jackson, our club
President made a special vote of thanks to Club outing organisers Pat and Alan Taylor and also to the Lamble's for another
terrific Club event.