The Gundaroo Gift

03 July 2025 / Author: Tony McDonald - Photos: Tony McDonald

22 chapter members gathered at 2 Before 10 at Denman Village shops for coffee, tea, and sundry treats prior to departing on the day’s run.  A further 4 members drove directly to our lunch venue at Gundaroo.  Some of our group opted to visit the architectural award-winning toilet block opposite the shops!  Were they impressed? Not sure!  Following a short briefing on the day’s route, 14 MX5s – including many NCs – departed in low temperatures but on a clear day with bright sunshine.

Once on Mountain Creek Road, the driving became more challenging and the scenery more interesting.  An early close encounter with a large kangaroo reminded all to be alert on the narrow road with its close timbered verges.  A huge wombat and, a little later, a large kangaroo (both dead in the middle of the road) were avoided due to our heightened diligence.  Whilst the road was mostly deserted, one of our group was harassed by an unladen logging truck whose driver obviously thought we weren’t driving fast enough!

Skirting Yass, we joined the Barton Highway and headed back towards Murrumbateman for a brief break before exiting on Murrumbateman Road towards Gundaroo.  After leaving the village, our steady progress was interrupted by several roadworks, but we still managed to arrive at the Gundaroo Inn only minutes later than planned.

The inn had reserved a separate dining room for our group, so we were able to mingle easily whilst awaiting our lunch.  The food was excellent and servings generous, and all attendees indicated their satisfaction with the lunch. 

In summary, a great day was had by all with some suggesting a repeat run in the future.  Given today’s experience with Gundaroo Inn, and our discovery that it has an 80-seat function room, the Chapter should also consider it as a possible venue for future large gatherings such as Christmas in July.

Tony McDonald