Brass Monkeys Camping Weekend
Lake Lyell - December 2021
Photos by Phil Guilfoyle, Jeremy Morris, Steve Morley and Alistair Palmer
The best way to view these beautiful photographs is to click on the first one to enlarge it and then click on the arrows to take you through the entire collection.
Why Brass Monkeys
The VSCCA camping weekend at Lake Lyell near Lithgow was called The Brass Monkeys Camping Weekend because it was planned for freezing cold August 2021. Due to Covid restrictions, it was then postponed until October and finally took place on the 10th to 12th of December.
We booked nine adjoining sites on a bluff above the lake. Facilities are good (not luxurious).
We had eight adults and four kids, with one cancellation. The fees charged covered Club costs. A special thanks to Warwick Gordon-Smith, for his thoughtful recommendations, generously sharing local knowledge. There were more great options than were possible to complete in one weekend, so we plan to go back to Lake Lyell again – so many roads un-driven, so many sites unseen.
DAY ONE
A loose convoy set out from Chatswood and drove up via the M2/M7, Bells Line of Road, through Bilpin and Lithgow to Lake Lyell. Stage = 150KM. This consisted of; Alistair Palmer and son Lex in the Lancia Lambda, Jeremy Morris in the Frazer-Nash TT Rep., Christo Morris in the Alvis 12/50, Phil Guilfoyle in the Sunbeam 14/40 Sports, and Steve Morley in his Jeep with glamping trailer (no convenience omitted).
Christo’s sons, William and Henry, and their mate Archie and his dad Mark, swapped around between the cars all weekend.
Peter Weir drove up from Wollongong in his Vauxhall 30/98 and Graeme Louk from Leura in a modern.
Leaving Sydney was raining, cold and unpleasant, but it cleared up by Bilpin. Lithgow was 10ºC and it stayed cool all weekend.
We set up the tents around a common fire pit with an additional cooking pit. All set for tomorrow.
DAY TWO
All Club cars, plus the Jeep, left Lake Lyell for Tarana, then taking the road recommended by Warwick, criss-crossed the railway line to the Bathurst road. This was simply fabulous vintage motoring, with old railway viaducts and empty roads, which were steep and rough in places. We had two roadside repairs due to some abrupt transitions from road to railway bridge. Then fast driving through O’Connell down to Oberon, then on to the Morris property “Rosewood” at Isabella for a BBQ lunch. Stage = 136KM.
The return was via Shooters Hill / Edith Road, Nunans Hill Road (dirt), through Hazellgrove to Tarana and back to camp. Stage = 120KM. A full day of vintage motoring on great roads in sunny cool weather. Day total = 256KM.
DAY THREE
We broke camp, some headed home, while others set off for the Lithgow Small Arms Factory – another recommendation from Warwick. This is an enormous old industrial complex with an excellent museum, mainly relating to the factory. It has a comprehensive rifle, machine and hand gun collection. But the highlight for me was the Machinery Hall. This contains many of the machines used to make the armaments, many of which were explained and demonstrated by the excellent volunteer staff. This is a fantastic destination for a future VSCCA event and it could accommodate every car in the Club – it is huge – and we would be most welcome.
Then back to Sydney via the Great Western Hwy, M7/M2. Stage = 165KM.
Special thanks
I would like to thank the Morris family for their hospitality at Rosewood, Warwick Gordon-Smith for his recommendations, and Steve Morley for his invaluable logistical (and psychological) support. It was good to know that the Jeep was sweeping the route. Total distance = 571KM.
Conclusion
This event highlighted to all that we should have more camping weekends on the Club calendar. With minimal fixed planning and driving to suit the roads and weather, and a bit of luck, this event worked well. Using the campsite as a hub in the middle of country roads worked, and we have tentatively rebooked for 8th, 9th & 10th July 2022. That’ll be real Brass Monkey weather. All welcome.
Enjoy the PowerPoint presentation of our weekend by clicking the button below.