Just this morning, Australian time, Wulf left a comment in the post I wrote full of tips for photographing your car. Part of Wulf’s comment was as follows:

- Keep your camera in the car. I missed many great photo opportunities because I didn’t have my camera with me.

Just this morning, as I left for an intra-state trip for work, I glanced at my point-and-shoot camera and then kept going about my business, not giving it, nor Wulf’s comment, another thought.

Two hours later, I regretted. ALWAYS CARRY YOUR CAMERA.

As I drove north I made the mandatory pitstop along the Midlands Highway in a spot called Campbell Town. I pulled up behind a gleaming open top Triumph. The driver was outside the car and smiled as he looked back, saying something to his co-driver. Just then, another gleaming tourer pulled up beside him and they chatted for a bit. As I got out of the car, I noticed a vintage Porsche 356 on the other side of the road, all done up in race paint.

Further afield was a classic BMW 3.0 CSi and an Alfa Spider. Filling up at the petrol station was a Healey and another look back across the road revealed more Porsche 911s than you could poke a stick at. A Ferrari Dino GT finally finished off the feast of classic metal.

What I’d come across was the morning tea break for competitors in the Melbourne Mille, an annual event of 1,000-plus kilometers that’s usually run in Victoria (the southern most state of the Aussie mainland) but was being run this week in Tasmania for the first time.

There were around 35 machines in all and they were touring the state in a clockwise fashion for just short of a week before getting back on the boat and heading home.

Two regrets: not being able to join them, and not having my camera on hand to share the experience here.

Wulf, your lesson is well learned!

And for those of you thinking of visiting Tasmania some time in the future, it’s worth clicking that link and studying the ’supplementary information’ for some hints as to their route. It’s a fantastic drive they’re embarking on, full of wonderful roads and God’s own postcard scenery.

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