Bush Restaurant – Dining with the Stars
25th/26th March 2006 “Somewhere near Lithgow”

The Cooks
Rhonda Boyce – Defender TD5
Carol Brown – Disco SII V8
Dave Glover – Range Rover (vintage)
Bob Bignold – co-driving Dave’s Rangie
Kylie Godden – Defender TD5
Ros Meyer – Defender TD5

The Assistants
Terry Boyce – Defender TD5
Ron Brown – Disco SII petrol guzzling V8
Dave & Di Casey – Defender TD5
John Godden – Defender TD5
Fred Meyer – Defender TD5

Technical Advisors
Roger & Judy Riley – Defender TD5

The Diners
All of the above and -
Barry & Bev Keogh and Family – County V8
Chris & Jenny Malikoff -
Jon & Karen Beauman & Family - Patrol
Michael & Anne Thorpe and Family – Disco SII TD5

Written by Ron & Carol Brown

It was raining as Carol and I headed west on the Saturday morning. All the best laid plans of mice and LROC club members couldn’t change the fact that an open-air bush restaurant would be a fizzer if it rained. But we were optimistic.

Out of town via Windsor and Richmond and onto the quaintly named Bells Line of Road. By the time we reached Kurrajong Village it was time for a caffeine break and lo, the clouds had parted and the sun was shining. A stop at the Sassafras Creek café and gallery in the village (recommended) saw us refreshed and about to be on our way when my mobile rang and Chris Malifoff was enquiring was the restaurant still on as it was raining at Appin? You bet it was on, it was sunny at Kurrajong! But I spoke too soon.

And so we proceeded, but not before getting lost in the back streets of Kurrajong (?) as Ron decided to try a short cut. Nice country. Back on the Bell’s road and so on over the Blue Mountains, which at times were greyer than blue as the sun hid and down came the rain.

We stopped at the Zig-Zag railway at Clarence for a pit stop and railway coffee (wet and warm) before heading up Old Bells Line of Road and into the Newnes State Forest. The track was rough but the rain had laid the dust. Instead we had sandy mud but only a thin layer, just enough to show that we had been off-road (and just enough to be a nuisance when we arrived back home and had to clean it off without using a hose). Twenty more minutes or so saw us past Bungleboori (on the Newnes Glow Worm Tunnel road) and at the campsite and what a sight greeted us.

The Boyce’s, Godden’s and Casey’s had all arrived the day before and Dave Glover, Bob Bignold and the Meyer’s had left home at first light and so were well ahead of us. Tents were pitched, marquee’s had been erected to cover the dining area and chain saws were in full roar as the woodpile grew. Even the cooking fires we well alight. No doubting the keenness of this crew!

Now some of us, having endured years of tenting and at times, roughing it, have indulged in these new fangle camper vans to save our aging bones, and we are one of those. So it didn’t take long for us to set up camp, organise some lunch and then get into the preparation for the evening. The rain showers persisted but grew less frequent and by around 4pm the sun was finally shining and there was blue sky above. During the afternoon the diners had all arrived and set up camp, some also in campervans.

Over the cooking fires camp ovens now bubbled with roast beef and all the vegies prepared by the Kylie and John Godden, while Carol prepared her “rogan josh” with rice and Dave and Bob prepared the first course of hot honey glazed sausages and marinated chicken wings.

By 5.30pm it was time to get into the glad rags and prepare to party. Tables were set with tablecloths, candles, cutlery and glasses. Corks were pulled from their bottles (although some had twist tops) and Dave and Bob arrived from their campervan with first course hor-douvres. Dress was a mixture of formal and the wacky, with some real imagination shown by some. I think that Chris Malikoff’s rather large (huge?) black tie rates a mention.

The meal proceeded with much jovial banter as is normal among club members and all of the roast beef and rogan josh was cleaned up, with some members going for seconds. Too bad, they had forgotten that Ros Meyer had prepared her stewed apples and fresh fruit for desert, but that left more for the rest of us!

After the meal the cooks were thanked, the glad rags were put away and it was time to sit around the more traditional campfire and “chew the fat” to round off the night. With the rain now gone this truly was a night “Dining with the Stars”.

Sunday dawned bright and sunny with a clear blue sky. Time for a leisurely breakfast, or maybe brunch for late risers. Time for the sun to dry the canvas of the night dew and yesterdays rain. Then time to pack up and head home.

A great weekend with friends old and some new.