I knew it wouldn’t take long to seriously get into planning my first extended trip here in Australia after I bought the XT660X – so here’s my first stab with some helpful advice from Mr Nigel Dalton (author of the Dalton Diversion) and Mr John Shippick.
Comments on this route greatly appreciated, thoughts on the towns I should visit, when I should ride – I need all the help I can get.
I live down in Geelong and can safely say the ride along the great ocean road will be awesome! Have fun!
nice one – thanks Ross – I’ve done the Great Ocean Road in the car – can’t wait to slide those bends on a bike. Geelong – seems very popular with the in crowd at the moment!
I’m afraid I don’t have any tips because I’m a west coast girl, but I’m keen hear how you enjoy that bit up from Port Augusta to Quorn and around there, planning a trip out there in May ourselves …
Thanks Amanda – I’ll be blogging about it here – looks a really good run.
Looks like an awesome trip.
If you are going to make it all the way up to Hawker, I would really recommend going a few hundred extra kms to Wilpena Pound. It is one of the most incredible places you will ever see – a natural pount about 15kms across and 1km high around – like a meteor hit it. It’s in the Flinders Ranges which is a must see – the real outback Australia. You can do a circuit up to Wilpena Pound and around via Blinman and Parachilna. If you’re game you can go on a bit further to Arkaroola in the Gammon Ranges – apparently the former edge of Gondwana land and unchanged for billions of years. The fossil people are really into it. Great wildlife, stars, views from a peak over Lake Frome, etc etc.
Long run from West of Broken Hill through to Bourke. Big country out there. Broken Hill is interesting – Wilcannnia and Bourke a bit disappointing unfortunately.
You’ll love the Great Ocean rd, Robe, and the Sapphire coast (southern NSW).
You won’t get much mobile reception in central SA or Western NSW. I’d recommend buying an EPIRB (Emergency Positioning Beacon). If you come off your bike in a dirt track, you can press the help button, and someone will be on their way. The other option is a satellite phone.
Cheers John – fantastic advice there.
A few people have suggested the Wilpena Pound and it doesn’t seem that much of a diversion really – so I think that’s now in the plan.
I’m only going to Bourke so I can say I’ve been to the back of Bourke 🙂
Thanks for the tips on the EPIRB – I definitely think I should be investing in a sat phone if I intend doing more riding in the big country. I want something that would work all over the world though as the plan is to ride home to the UK in 5 years.
Looks like an awesome trip Matthew.
Reccommend picking up a meat pie from Braidwood Bakery.
Detour to Pebbly Beach before you hit Bateman’s Bay…unsealed road a bit of the way down through the trees to the coast, but great little beach always full of kangaroos.
Fantastic fish and chips to be had at O’Brien’s Boatshed at Tuross Heads.
Reccommend a short stop in Tilba Tilba on the way south past Tuross Heads.
Great Ocean road is brilliant on a bike.
Definitely take a ride out to Silverton from Broken Hill.
Probably worth keeping an eye on distances and fuel stations, particularly in and out of Broken Hill.
Look forward to reading about it.
Mate, you defo have to get out to Broken Hill and Silverton – I wonder if the artist who paints in Vegemite still lives there? If you decide to go there, I’ll get you to look up a reli for me, should be easy, he’s in the graveyard. And Wilpena Pound’s a must too like everyone says. Mind you what do I know it’s 22 years since I was there.
Oh and I’ll give my cousin a ring in Adelaide too, I’m sure he’d give you a place to crash and a good night or two out on the town.
Thanks everyone for all your help…. I’ve created a google my map that everyone can edit as I start to plan the route in full detail – http://www.thelondonbiker.com/blog/2009/06/help-me-map-this-thing-out-australia-road-trip/
please help!