Auto Collectors Club takes 10th anniversary pub run to Greenman Inn
Murray Bridge car club members have enjoyed a ride to an historic pub.
This post was contributed by Graham Edwards.
Ten years ago, Auto Collectors Club of Murray Bridge members John and Vickie Courtney organized the initial “Pub Run” for 50 club members and their classic vehicles.
They travelled to the Greenman Inn via Brinkley Road, Langhorne Creek, Belvedere, Strathalbyn markets, Paris Creek, Bull Creek and onto Ashbourne.
The Greenman Inn was built in 1865 and was the original post office and general store for the Ashbourne area.
Over the years, the inn has had many owners and changes, so in early 2018 it underwent extensive renovations.
The Courtneys therefore decided that this year’s pub run, the club’s 10th, would revisit the Greenman Inn to celebrate the anniversary.
On July 17, 54 club members and their 27 classic and modern vehicles met at the Johnstone Park clubrooms for details and directions from Mr and Mrs Courtney prior to setting off.
Once the vice president gave the orders to “belt up and start your engines”, vehicles began to cruise out of Johnstone Park at 10.30am, heading out along the Old Princes Highway through Callington to a comfort stop at Strathalbyn.
The club then headed up through the rolling fields, past green grass, almost-full dams and the Strathalbyn golf course, before arriving at the Greenman Inn, Ashbourne in a shower of rain, which classic car owners didn’t pray for on the day.
Members were quite damp by the time they were seated for lunch.
Some were indoors, and others out on the enclosed verandah with some heating and a view of the road, the rolling hills and low cloud formations.
After much chatter and a drink, meals began to arrive.
During lunch, several large showers came across the hills, dumping a large quantity of rain on the historic township and surrounding areas, while between showers, the sun shone brightly into the verandah, bringing warmth to those dining outside.
As members finished lunch they continued to chat amongst themselves, and making sure new members Fred and Helen McInerny and David and Trudy Brew – on their first club outing – were made welcome.
With the day drawing to a close, past president and life member Graham Edwards proposed a vote of thanks to Mr and Mrs Courtney for their efforts in planning yet another successful pub run, and thanked all members for their attendance.
Who was the member who left and travelled some kilometers towards home before turning around and driving back to the Greenman Inn, forgetting that he had left without paying for his and his wife’s meal?
These are the humorous things that happen at outings and meetings that continue to make the Auto Collectors Club of Murray Bridge well worth giving some thought to joining.
- More information: autocollectorsmurraybridge.com.
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