Black Saturday Rememberance Day Cruise 2013

What an amazing day

Dave & l meet at Dorset Road as planned and drove up to Lilydale Industrial Park where to our amazement a few hundred cars had gathered to drive up to Healesville.

It was one of the best organised cruises that Dave & l have been to. As we lined up to leave they had traffic management at the main intersections so the cars could get onto the main road quickly. Then we were off, Dave in front following a late 50' Impala then me with a beautiful 1960's Thunderbird behind me.

We drove up & through Yarra Glenn, then up the divide and turned right towards Toolangi. Then through to Chum Creek and arriving at the back of Healesville where all the cars were assembling.

It was truely a amazing site see hundreds of cars of all makes and models, at six o'clock there was a rememberance for the ones who died in the fires and the playing of the 'bag pipes' a real touching moment for all.

The evening ended and back home along Maroondah Hwy stopping for pizza at La Porchetta.

Great Day, Great Company. Check out some of the cars at the cruise >> An event not to be missed next year.







Theres more photo's of the day on the Facebook page ~ Thunderbirds Downunder
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.423857377692839.97112.399960596749184&type=1#!/pages/Thunderbirds-Downunder/399960596749184

Catch you all at the next cruise day !!

BLACK SATURDAY CRUISE

Saturday Feb 7th 2009, The day Victoria burnt
173 people died, 500 prople were injured 2000 homes were lost, and the wildlife losses are incomprehensible.

When you watch the News as an event like Black Saturday unfolds in front of you I guess you're insulated sitting in your favourite chair alongside the missus the dog and knowing that your kids what ever thier age are somewhere safe, the full impact of this disaster doesn't really hit home, until you attand an event like Today.

As Giovanni said what a day I didn't know what to expect and I've gotta say i was blown away, we arrived at Lilydale at 3:45pm and turned into an Industrial complex which looked like every classic, Custom & Hot Rod that ever turned a wheel in Victoria was parked here, It seemed like we drove thru miles of this industrial complex every inch of it lined with Car Guys, Car Girls and beautifull cars.

At 4pm the cars qued and started to pull out of the factory complex, traffic controllers stopping the traffic to allow what was estimated as between 500 & 600 cars take to the road in convoy, WOW!!!! to see that convoy snaking out of Lilydale headed for Yarra Glen thru some of the most beautifull landscape in Victoria,

it was amazing how many cars daily drivers with john citizen at the wheel had pulled to the side of the road to just wave as the Conga line of beautiful cars snaked thru the Yarra Valley, as we drove into Yarra Glen it was a strange eiry moment very touching as the only sound that could be heard was the local CFA station sounding it's fire siren to welcome the Convoy into Town.

At lilydale we had been told to tune our car radios to the local Yarra Valley Radio Station as they would be broadcasting from the gathering point and welcomed and thanked all the cruisers for attending, the broadcast continued with interviews with people affected by the fires those who lost loved ones & thier homes then as we drove thru Talangi and Chum Creek they read out a eulogy to all those who perished, i gotta tell you this was difficult listening to the eulogy with tears in my eyes looking at the still black and chared trees seeing the Mums, Dads and kids sitting in chairs out front of homes shops etc and waving to us as we cruised thru. We were here to show respect to those who had perished and to show those still bareing the scars of that day that we as a car community do care and yet it was as tho these little towns were saluting us for taking the time to show up and care.

We arrived at the Healesville railyards with maybe 200 cars ahead of us and the tail of the convoy (according to the radio coverage) just leaving Lilydale, as we drove in there was a Flat Top semi with a band playing, CFA Fire Trucks and voulenteers cooking up a storm on the BBQ's and a real good atmosphere and feeling throughout this huge venue, not like a normal car show this was one that touched everyones heart, and you could just feel it in the air.

The Rememberance ceremony started at around 6:30pm as tributes were paid to those heroes who did and didn't make it thru Black Saturday, a one minute silence was observed and it was like someone had hit the mute button on the World, then a lone piper started up and I doubt there was a dry eye amongst the huge crowd in attendance.

When I left home this afternoon heading for Boronia to meet Gio, we were just headed for another cruise / car show, How wrong was I we were headed for an afternoon / Evening that will live with me until the day I die.

I'm sorry i've rambled on a bit here but today was one like no other, driving thru those townships trying to imagine the horror that must of unfolded on that day, 46.4 deg 120km/hr winds, blinding smoke and the roar of those flames would have been terrifying.

Congratulations to the organisers of this event, I hope it continues for years to come and raises millions of dollars for the individuals and Townships that were affected, I for one will be there each year to support this cause..

Guys if you only do one cruise next year, make this the one, I promise you wont regret it.

Hi fellas
I'm back It's great youve opened the forum again ive been coming in and having a look but didnt post
i was at the Black saturday Cruise yesterday didn't see you guys damn would have been good to catch up
You could have at least put up a pic of my car, although there were 3 or 4 66 fairlanes there. Looking forward to do some stuff with you guys i still havent joined a club so lets get one going here
I saw your breakfast gettogether Ill try to get there on Sunday the wife has a family do but it's lunch so hopefully i can come along.

ok, you got me Bluffed, who are the 2 guys next to Anastasia ??????????

1963-FTB wrote:ok, you got me Bluffed, who are the 2 guys next to Anastasia ??????????

Oh, there the two most attractive guys on the forum ~ George Clooney & Brad Pitt :

Giobus wrote:

1963-FTB wrote:ok, you got me Bluffed, who are the 2 guys next to Anastasia ??????????

Oh, there the two most attractive guys on the forum ~ George Clooney & Brad Pitt :

Nice, must get their Autographs for the scrap book.

1963-FTB wrote:

Giobus wrote:

1963-FTB wrote:ok, you got me Bluffed, who are the 2 guys next to Anastasia ??????????

Oh, there the two most attractive guys on the forum ~ George Clooney & Brad Pitt :

Nice, must get their Autographs for the scrap book.

Whooo....... that's gonna cost ya... Big Fella

Wow this sounds like one i'll do next year, my girlfriends Aunty lost her house, Ididn't even know this cruise was on.