Where the Ferry Drops You… Straight Into Paradise

Cars at the Restaurant
Ebenezer Hawkesbury The group at Paradise pizza

16 August 2026 / Story: Jonathan Wood Photos: Jason Brown and Mark Godfrey

We had a fantastic turnout for this year’s edition of one of our favourite runs to Paradise Pizza on the Hawkesbury. The forecast was threatening showers, but that didn’t stop many of us from leaving Benzin Café with the roofs down. With highway restrictions and the usual Saturday traffic, the start was a little staccato as we made our way clockwise around the outskirts of Dural.

After regrouping at Dural Country Club, we settled into the wonderfully twisty Cattai Ridge Road. With radio chatter keeping the front, middle and rear cars connected, the convoy made its first crossing of the Hawkesbury at Windsor. From there, the scenery became increasingly rural, complete with the unmistakable aromas of the countryside, as we headed through Wilberforce and gathered at Ebenezer Church.

Refreshed and ready to roll, we were joined by a few more RPM members before setting off again. The next leg was a short but thoroughly enjoyable run past another favourite stop, Tractor 828, and on to the Lower Portland ferry.

With room for just eight MX-5s at a time, the ferry required two trips—and a mere 15 minutes—to deliver the entire convoy to our lunch destination, Paradise Café. We were lucky enough to be invited to park right on the foreshore, where our collection of MX-5s attracted plenty of attention from fellow diners. Who could blame them?

Lunch was delicious and also a great opportunity to catch up with friends from the Sydney Chapter, RPM and the Breakfast Club, as well as put some faces to names and welcome a few new members. These relaxed days are always a great reminder that it’s as much about the people and places as it is the driving.

A big thank you to Bob and Marnie for leading another terrific run. Sadly, the rain finally caught up with us after lunch, forcing the roofs up for the journey home. Still, a little rain couldn’t dampen a great day out.

So, keep an eye on our events page, book early and make sure you don’t miss out next year!