Darwin to Melbourne 2021
Day 109 - Tynong to Seaford - 61km
With little sleep I set off and road few new housing estates being built one with a dragon play area. Past fields and old suburbs and approaching the coast.
It was a weird feeling that I was getting close to my final destination after 109 days on the road with me and the bike.
I turned into my sisters place and gave her a hug, I was back in Melbourne with my family.
Back to a warm home, a shower and a rest.
Day 108 - Side of freeway to Tynong - 84km
Last camp
It was my penultimate day on the road and I was getting close to Melbourne, I could tell as the traffic was getting worse. I slept well last night but my shoes were still wet.
The riding wasn't too exciting being on a big freeway full of traffic and I was just trying to get the kilometres up. Luckily the rain held off.
At my camp I tried to use my camp stove to dry out my socks and shoes but it didn't really work.
I didn't sleep well as my feet were cold and it was a cold night but it was okay as it was my last night on the road.
Day 107 - Providence Ponds to side of Freeway - 91km
I had found another rail trail from Stratford to Traralgon. It's been nice to get away from the roads and I saw many blue tongues and echidna on the track. It's great they do railtrails and it seems a lot are popping up these days.
The clouds were forming up ahead and then a flash and the crack of thunder rang out and on cue the rain started to fall. Riding along the rail trail on my metal bike I felt like I was a prime target for a strike. After sitting under a tree for a while and the rain continuing to pour, I made the mad dash to the try and get ahead of the storm, I was already soaking wet.
The rain slowed and I got back onto the freeway and got some kilometres in, the clouds were forming again and I decided to pull over the next good spot I found.
By the time I had my tent up the rain was back and I dived into my tent.
Day 106 - Lakes Entrance to Providence Ponds - 80km
My childhood
The motel owner bid me farewell and gave me his card and said he could pick me up if my wheel doesn't hold out Lakes Entrance has been a very friendly place.
I connected up to the East Gippsland Rail Trail and I was a lovely ride, I do enjoy rail trails they seem like a perfect idea, turning an old rail line into a bike track just makes sense. I passed many other cyclists and made my way into Bairnsdale.
I met up with a family friend who runs a British Cafe in Bairnsdale and got some English lollies and chips, free of charge too! Thank you Simon.
The road onwards was straight and flat a nice reprieve from the hills I had endured since Camberra. Full of sugar I flew along until I found a nice spot to pitch my tent for the night.
Day 105 - Lakes Entrance
I had holidayed here as a kid once and I remember driving a car for the first time here just down to the beach. I again visited about 5 years ago and always enjoyed the place. It seems like it’s been developed a bit since my last visit, I guess covid has brought many people out here.
The main drag is filled with motels of varying eras, fish and chip, surf and icecream shops. It’s a small seaside town, big fishing presence and laid back feel.
I switched motels and the new place told me where the bike shop was, I got a new tyre, repair kit, tubes and tyre levers. They also told me about a rail trail I can take to Bairnsdale. Everyone is so friendly here. I explored the op shops and wandered the town before getting some fish and chips and heading back to the motel.
I set up my new tyre and my bike was all ready and I couldn’t wait to get on it tomorrow morning and ride.
Day 104 - Murrungowar to Lakes Entrance - 70km
The weather totally changed from yesterday's blue skies and sunshine, it was overcast and drissle. My camp was at the top of a hill so maybe as I head lower it will improve.
I stopped into to Orbost and got some food from the bakery and another tube from the hardware store. It looks like it's a lovely old town with lots of character and history, on the way out an old trestle bridge runs parallel to the highway it looked like its about to collapse at any second.
My goal was Lakes Entrance, the first town I've actually visited this far out east, I also might be able to get a new tyre. The ride was mainly downhill and my bike held up until I rolled into town and another flat hit.
The whole town seemed booked out with NO VACANCY outside most, I managed to get a room, that had no air-con for the night and collapsed into bed. I was feeling pretty exhausted physically and mentally from the numerous flats but I can fix that all tomorrow.
Day 103 - Drummer Rainforest to Murrungowar - 62km
I set off riding for a while then stopping to pump up my tyres, I had run out of patches and the hole was right next to the valve which was night on impossible to patch.
I made it into Cann River, I have been here before on the Vline bus, the cross roads of the Princes Hwy up the coast and the Monaro Hwy to Canberra, a great little town with a nice old pub and a few shops. Unfortunately no tyre repair kits or inner tubes.
I got some food and went to the camp spot and looked around if any other campers had bikes to no avail, I was attempting to use duct tape to fix the tyre when an old bloke stopped and asked if I needed a hand. After a chat he said he will drive on ahead to Orbost and see if he can get me a tube and will meet me on the road. What a nice fellow.
The sun was out today and was about 30 degrees, I was sweating away up the hills, my solar panel was charging up my batteries in no time.
The man returned with two inner tubes and wished me a Merry Christmas and no need to pay. I thanked him and set on putting a new tube in, turns out they were the wrong valves but I filed down the wheels to fit in in and it just about worked.
I made it to camp and set in for the storm coming over, the wind was blowing and down came the rain.
Day 102 - Scrubby Creek to Drummer Rainforest - 75km
The landscape flattened out as I was at the Victorian border in no time. My home state and my last crossing, it still hasn't really caught up with me what I've done yet, but crossing the border I did feel something, I was back where I grew up and where my family are.
The road stayed flat from here and I made my way towards Cann River, the next town with petrol as the signs had told me. The sun was out and I was back to just wearing a t shirt and putting on sunscreen.
I passed through forest and you could see where the fires had come through and other places left untouched. The road was realitively quiet apart from the odd logging truck heading north full and south empty.
I didn't quite make it to Cann River but stopped at Drummer Rainforest and went on the little bushwalk instead, past creeks, ferns and the sounds of frogs and birds. I collected some water from the creek and put it through my filter.
I ate and crawled into bed, the frogs and insects lulling me to sleep.
Day 101 - Merimbula to Scrubby Creek - 45km
I left Merimbula and made my way through the hills to Eden, observing the green leaves bursting out of the burnt out eucalyptus trees.
The bike tyre was playing up again, the back tyre is wearing down and sharp things are getting through, I pushed into camp with the second flat and lined the tyre with duct tape and did a thorough inspection of the tyres and tubes. Fingers crossed that will give me a few days. There isn't much from here for a few hundred kilometres.
Bike issues are really slowing me down and I hope from now on I get get my kilometres back up. I'm almost back home to Melbourne and I am looking forward to seeing family and friends again.
Day 100 - Merimbula
The only photo I took in town
Wow, day 100 of the trip!
I took my bike to the shop and the the owner was very kind to put it on the rack and show me what was wrong, the derailer was bent and he realigned it asking me how the he'll I did it and I'm lucky I even got here on it. I got a new brake cable and some chain lube and road off on my fixed bike.
I checked out the town and the op shops, there were plenty of people around and there was a council election on. I went back to the motel with some fish and chips and watched the new Beatles doco by Peter Jackson.
Day 99 - Beamba to Merimbula - 26km
Nice to see representation
My bike was playing up and in some gears it was clicking like mad, I couldn't work out was going on and didn't really have a way to go through all the gears and try and adjust them. I soildered on sticking to the few gears that didn't make a worrying sound.
I turned off to Merimbula and as I got into the seaside town my front break cable snapped. I sat on the waterfront and looked to see if there was a bike shop here. Looks like there is and probably the last one for a long time however it's Sunday so it's shut. Probably a sign to book into motel and get my bike tuned up, get some new break cables and maybe a new back tyre and chainlube.
I checked into a cheap motel and stripped my bike ready to take it to the shop, first thing tomorrow. I was near the airport and planes occasional landed or took off they were so close you felt you could almost touch them.
I didn't realise Merimbula was so big, a lovely coastal town, with oyster farms. Obviously also a holiday location and the place was packed, it's strange how these towns appear out of nowhere from the forest.
Day 98 - Bermagui to Beamba - 57km
The rain settled and I bid farewell to Daniel and Che and headed off to Carbargo, made famous by it's residents, post the bushfires, telling Scott Morrison to get lost. There was still a light drissle but I had dried out from the day before and in good spirits.
On to the Princes Highway, it's a very lumpy road crossing through farmland, cows and sheep. It's mainly dairy country around here and the next town is famous for its cheese, Bega.
In Bega I got some food and a packet of mint slice's to enjoy later. Further down the road I noticed a flat. I had been lazy and hadn't repaired the previous flat so it was a side of the road job to repair two tyres.
I found a tiny puncture hole on one tube and lined it up with the other, bingo, we had a puncture in the same spot on both tubes. Scanning the tyre a found a pin embedded and removed it, hopefully that's the end of it. On repairing the tube I noticed my chain was pretty dry, must have washed a lot away with the rain from yesterday. I couldn't find my oil, must have fell of the bike at some point. Thinking what I could use instead, the oil in my Mi Goreng packets or sunscreen were the two options I went with the latter.
My next stop is Eden and I think ill spend the night there, after sorting out my bike it was time to find a place to camp, I found an old gravel pit, and set my tent up early to dry it out, still soaked from yesterday.
Day 97 - Bodalla rest area to Bermagui - 42km
Off grid paradise
The rain went all night and everything was damp except me. I packed up in the drizzle and ate it back to the road. I was off to Bermagui to see an old friend, living off grid and slowly building his own home and garden on a few acres.
As I rode the rain was light but constant and I slowly became drenched, it seemed the closer I got the harder the rain came down. The cold was getting to me and I piled on more layers. My hands and feet wet and wrinkled I pushed on. I've had a good run and have only been hit by rain a handful of times but this was the worst so far.
I arrived at Daniels and had a little look around he wasn't home yet. It was familiar but there were little changes around. The rain stopped and Daniel arrived back. We had a chat and he went to plant some new natives as I had an outdoor shower and washed my closes.
We ate fresh salad from his garden and some smoked trout which was delicious. The fire was lit and we sat around until it got dark and then headed to bed. I had dried out from the day and was feeling refreshed
Day 96 - Broulee to Bodalla rest area - 45km
My camp
Sleeping near the beach whilst it's raining had left me with a damp tent and sand everywhere. The rain had stopped but a big storm was coming around 2pm and I didn't feel like getting drenched even with my new coat.
I made it to my camp and set up next to a sheltered table, placing a tarp over to protect me from the rain. I really wanted a fire but the incoming rain made that pointless.
A Rooster roamed the camp, cockle doddle dooing on occasion and chasing my sunflower seed husks as I threw them. The cloud cover was low and the sky white between the treetops, the only sign rain was near was when it suddenly became still.
The rain came down, and everything got wet, luckily I had my little shelter and watched on.
I caught up on my diary, made some food and settled into the tent hoping it didn't get too wet.
Day 95 - Tallaganda State Forest to Broulee - 167km (127km by car)
Riding through farmland on gravel roads, I was heading for the coast, I knew up ahead would be the hardest part, I was currently on the southern tablelands and to get to the coast meant I needed to go about a kilometre downhill off the high lands. My route would be the old gold mining route from Araluen.
I had just come through a farmers gate and there were two horses grazing in front of me, their heads went up when I got close. One went back to grazing the other kept staring at me, stamping it’s feet and swishing its tail. Now I know little about horses but this seemed to be a sign to back off, so I backed off and watched. The road I was following turned past a small property with a picket fence, a car parked out the front and a small paddock where the horses were. I decided to play the waiting game and see if they wondered off, every movement I made the one horse was watching me. After about 30 minutes of slowly inching forward and backing away if needed, I slipped between a telephone pole and then behind the car and on to freedom, I was glad to get through the next gate.
I was following Johnys route and I came to my second roadblock, Road Closed signs across the entrance, I found a detour around and started my decent into Araluen, a windy road heading down with little shoulder.
Araluen is an old gold mining town, in a valley between two mountain ranges, it has an old pub and not much else. I rode through wanting to get a start on the pass through to the coast.
A big sign up ahead said Road Closed, NO through road, landslide. I sat on the roadside and went through my options, backtrack up the winding road, most likely pushing most of my way up or take a route I had found on google maps through fire trails of an area I knew had been decimated by the fires. Of course I decided the latter, it would be an adventure.
I made my way past the Road Closed sign and started the ride on gravel roads winding along the hills a steep drop down to the river below. About 10km in I found my turning, the gate read: Private Property Keep Out. Before I could even take it in and admit defeat, a ute pulled up.
The driver asked where I was going and I said the coast, he was a council worker who was checking on the progress of a new bypass around the two landslides which had made the road unpassable. He said he was headed home to the coast and could give me a lift.
It's funny how on this trip, I've had a few times where I had found my self in a situation where it wasn't looking good and a person has showed up and given me a hand.
After we got my bike in the back and secured, Andrew and I jumped in the ute and we were off. Chatting about my trip and of the bushfires which had decimated the area. I was getting a first hand telling of the worst bushfires to ever hit Australia. It sounded terrible and how the community had come together to fight for their property and lives. The work was still ongoing and many are still recovering.
I got a glimpse of Poohs corner a famous icon in the area a little cave filled with stuffed toys of Winnie the Pooh, Andrew told me its been there for over 50 years and the cave was originally filled with dynamite during the war and was to be blown up if the area was ever invaded.
Funnily enough Andrews parents had come from England and had settled in Batemans Bay in the 60s, he asked me where in England I was from and turns out we are from the same place, Reading! Now I don't believe in a higher being but it truly felt like our meeting was meant to be.
Andrew dropped me in Broulee and wished me well for the rest of my trip. What a day it had been, a roller-coaster almost as much as the drive down to the coast.
Day 94 - Canberra to Tallaganda state forest - 70km
Ned Kelly, i’ve seen him in every state i’ve been through I feel.
It was time to go into the bush again and get away from the big smoke. I had a route from one of the housemates boyfriend (thanks Johny).
Making my way past parliament house I was hoping I might see a politician or someone I knew from TV and I did, I saw ABC journalist, David Spears, crossing the road, it was strange as he was checking me out on my bike as I was looking at him.
Through Queanbeyan and up the big hill on the otherside, I turned off onto Captains Flat road and then again onto a dirt road, I had slowly progressed from the big smoke to dirt roads cutting through state forests, seeing kangaroos, an echidna and parrots.
Stopped for my first flat of the trip, my tyres were getting pretty worn down and may need to get a new set, i’ll see how I go.
The roads were rough cut up by logging trucks and I continued on into farm land, going through farmers gates and past fields filled with cattle and sheep.
I set up camp under a huge tree, cooked my dinner, is was good to be back in the middle of nowhere.
Day 89-93 - Canberra
The ride into Canberra was beautiful, the morning fog settled over the valley as I rolled into it, the telstra tower stuck out of the fog. Over the next few days I enjoyed seeing it from different vantage points, it reminded me of old soviet architecture.
I met up with my friend Ross again and noted it had taken him 3.5 hours to drive Sydney to Canberra and on the bike it had taken me 3.5 days.
Ross was living in a share house with 4 other people. I was to join as the 6th person for for weekend. It was a lovely retro house and had a lot of character. His housemates were all lovely people, as usual that was some drama, it was nice to be in a big share house again it had been a while.
I noticed I was spending a lot of time outside and had been warned that a big trip like this can change you like that.
I explored the galleries and Canberra by public transport and foot and soon realised Canberra is a city where you really need a car.
It's a designed city and has that charm of being laid out well and has that feeling of everywhere has its place. On the flip side it did feel a bit artificial.
We went to see a drag show in Civic and then went to a few bars on Friday night and met the locals. I had timed it well as Canberra had just come out of lockdown and the place felt alive.
I met up with another old room mate, Sunny, and went for a lovely walk around south Canberra.
I also got my third COVID dose and shaved my beard off.
Once again by the end of the weekend I was itching to get out and I had been given a route to take back to the coast.
Day 88 - Marulan to Canberra - 110km
I was told the lake is not normally full like this.
I stopped at the servo and got some breakfast and a big M, soon after I turned off for the federal highway and the traffic dropped significantly and it was a breeze to ride.
I came to Lake George, riding it's edge, the road between the lake and a mountain range, I'm sure I will have to go over at some point.
Wind turbines lined the opposite side of the lake. They always take me back to roadtrips on the UK and passing them on the way to Cornwall. I always enjoy the view of them, they seem somewhat peaceful slowly turning.
I stopped at the lookout and then road down and onto the ACT, adding my flag and onto a camp-site just on the outskirts of the nation's capital.
Day 87 - Nepean River to Marulan - 84km
I was awoken by the cold and the temperature had dropped to 4 degrees overnight. I thought back to my time in the NT where I couldn't even get to sleep until past midnight due to the heat.
After living up in Darwin for a while, I had become accustomed to the fairly even length of each day. Today it dawned on me that there is so much daylight with the sun rising around 6am and it not getting dark until around 8pm and we haven't even reached the solstice yet.
I passed a truck on its side and wondered if it had been a victim of the high winds from yesterday, I couldn't see any other way it could have happened.
The ride on remained busy and truck heavy, my grip on my handlebars from yesterday had left them aching. It was slow going as I up and down over many hills. The landscape slowly turning into farmland.
I found an old road and set up for the night, I have grown accustomed to the road noise by now and slept well, a little warmer than the night before.
Day 86 - Sydney to Nepean River - 70km
After following some bike tracks and side streets, I met an old man getting his bins in and had a chat about my trip. This far in the journey most people are shocked I've come from Darwin and to be honest it doesn't feel real to myself.
I turned onto the freeway and joined the traffic heading west out of Sydney. The shoulder was littered with gravel, sticks, wheel trims and the odd badge which I added to my collection. The Hume highway has been my best highway for picking up badges and consequently the most busiest. I managed to pick up a Mercedes which I had been wanting to add to the collection.
After leaving the city outskirts the wind picked up and that coupled with the passing of b-doubles every few seconds, blew me around a bit and at some points became a little to close for comfort. At times with heavy winds I swapped to pushing my bike. The shoulder disappeared at bridges and I pushed again but it allowed me to get some beautiful views of rivers flowing far below with sharp rocky escarpments either side.
One close call had me falling over towards traffic luckily I was still inside the shoulder and got my heart racing.
After a long day and a few close calls I set up camp in the bush near one of these rivers and prepared my dinner. The temperature began to drop and I was in for a cold night.
