

North East Victoria's
top four drives
NORTH East Victoria - and parts of the Southern Riverina and Gippsland - is home to some of the best driving roads in the country, where every journey encourages you to 'take the long way home'.
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Thousands of kilometres of highways and byways criss-cross Australia's premier inland playground, plus there are so many other interesting back roads through awe-inspiring scenery to choose from.
Our expert's top four regional drives

LOCAL motoring/travel writer and author, Darryl Starr, has been driving these parts for the past 60 years, so his knowledge of the roads of the region is immeasurable.
So, what are you waiting for?
Fill your tank/charge your battery and hit the road to discover for yourself his four best tried and tested touring routes. - Pictured above: Tourist town of Bright, Ovens Valley - Rob Blackburn


Historic Winton tickets now on sale
ENTRY and camping tickets for this year's 48th Historic Winton are now on sale.
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The two day event will be held on Saturday, May 24, and Sunday, May 25, and tickets can be purchased by visiting www.historicwinton.org, or www.ticketebo.com.au.
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Entry fee (18 years +) Saturday $40, Sunday $50, weekend $80 - Darryl Starr

The background to car badges
EVERYTHING English seems to have a fascinating back story, and car badges are no exception.
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Car company Vauxhall (long since departed Australia) has a car badge that has a story to tell. It features a Griffin, the heraldic symbol of 12th century lord Fulk Le Bréant.
He and his wife built a house south of the Thames which became known as Fulk’s Hall. This was later corrupted to Vauxhall. By the Victorian era, the once stylish district had become run down and slightly disreputable.
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In 1857, Alexander Wilson established the Vauxhall Ironworks in Lambeth to produce engines for steamers and tugboats. At the turn of the 20th century the company expanded into motor cars, the first being built in 1903. Needing more space, they moved to the outskirts of Luton in 1907, setting up on land that had been owned by Fulk Le Bréant 700 years earlier. - Paul Murrell, seniordriver.aus.com
Local motoring history books free to read on line
'The Thomson Diary', by E.L. Holmes, and 'A spirit of progress - 110 years of motoring in Albury-Wodonga', and 'Are we there yet, Mr Holmes?', by Darryl Starr, are popular local motoring history e-books that are free to read online. Click on a book cover and wait a few moments for the book to load.