Road Trip from Adelaide to Brisbane

Our trip home from Adelaide to Brisbane was a bit different than the usual long days on the highways.  We had a few extra days for the drive – so we decided to take in a few National Parks on the way.

The first one was Mungo National Park near the south west corner of NSW. We drove there in a day from Adelaide, via Renmark and Mildura. It was easy going until the last 100kms – which was a graded dirt road – but there had obviously been a fair bit of rain recently. The Ute performed well on all the dirt roads that we travelled. The campground at the National Park was busy – but the camping spots were private and surrounded by bush. The next morning we woke to the sight of heaps of lovely kangaroos grazing nearby. They weren’t scared of us at all – and let us come quite close to snap off some photos. We had contemplated riding the 70kms scenic route that we read about on the N.P. brochure – but we chose to drive it.

It was a good decision because the road was very corrugated – and there was a lot of flat scrubby bush between the “scenic” bits. Our first stop was “The Great Wall of China” – which was “33kms of orange and white earth surrounded by sand dunes, where erosion has sculptured the sand and clay into fragile yet dramatic formations”.  It was true what the brochure said  “these look amazing and offer stunning photo opportunities in the changing light”.

It was already mid-day by the time we had finished the scenic drive – so we looked on the map and decided to drive in an easterly direction to the next National Park. After driving the whole afternoon on what were basically graded farm tracks we turned into the entrance to Willandra National Park. After 5kms we almost gave up and turned back! The track was in seriously poor condition and it looked like some young guys had been out for a play in their 4-Wheel drives for fun in the mud. There were deep tire tracks veering off in all directions. Also the landscape was none too inspiring. It was flat and overgrazed by sheep and cattle. However, we persevered as it was getting late in the day.

We finally got to a homestead and N.P. Office – but no-one was around – so we made our way past there to the signed campground - wondering all the while why it had been made a National Park.

When we got to the campground we could see why. The Willandra Creek was full of water – and surrounded by gums, peppercorns and blue-black saltbush shrubs.  It was just our kind of country – and we had it all to ourselves!

After a very peaceful night of camping in the ute we again consulted the map – and saw the most direct route back to the Newell Highway was via Lake Cargelligo and Condobolin, with only 80kms more of dirt roads! This time a truck had obviously not bothered to stay off the road when it was wet – causing huge ruts the whole way.

 The "bedroom" (or bedstee in Dutch)

After the fun of all the dirt roads we followed the usual route home via the Newell Highway.

Our last night of camping was at the Coonabarabran Caravan Park – which was great until we realised how close to the highway it was. The trucks were going past all night.  Also, the bright lights of the footy oval next door were turned on at 7p.m. for practise – Rugby League this time!

Unfortunately, it’s back to work for us this week. Already planning the next adventure….

Mawson Trail Part 2 Clare Valley and the Barossa to Adelaide

Day 12: Rest day in Clare. A very pretty town with lots of old stone buildings. We had a very relaxing day walking around town – and getting our clothes dry from the day before.

 

Day 13: The weather was overcast and cold – but the rain has stopped. We followed the Riesling Rail Trail from Clare to Auburn – then the Rattler Rail Trail from Auburn to Riverton. It was a very easy day of riding as most of the way had a slight downhill gradient. We had a short detour 7kms from Clare called “the Way of the Cross” which took us through the Seven Hills Winery. It is the oldest winery in the Clare Valley – and was started by the Jesuits for making sacrificial wine.

 

 

Day 14: The day started well with some great riding though farm tracks – and the trails were quite firm considering all the rain. Then….we turned on to a road that was wet sticky clay that stuck to the tires like glue. After scraping off the tires and looking at the map we made a beeline for the nearest bitumen road. We called an early stop to the day at Kapunda as the rain had set in again … and it was freezing. Rients bought a dishwashing brush and spent 3 hours cleaning the gunk off the bikes - while I reminded myself how to play patience with the new pack of cards that he bought me. We have resorted to staying in cabins instead of camping by now.

 

Day 15:  We had intending getting back on the Mawson Trail – but there was no accommodation at Birdwood due to a Medieval Fair that was being held on the weekend. We had a look at the map and decided to divert to Williamstown and then get back onto the trail the following day. This proved to be a good decision as there was a really fun bike path called the “Jack Bobridge Bike Track” from Tanunda to Lyndoch. It went past heaps of vineyards – including Jacobs Creek. Also, a High School friend of Donna’s lives in Lyndoch so it was great – so it was great to catch up. Our cabin in Williamstown was directly opposite the footy oval – so we could watch a game of Aussie Rules from out of the front window.

There wasn’t much of a food selection in the Williamstown General Store – so it was baked beans for dinner!

Day 16:  We got back on to the trail just north of Birdwood – as it had stopped raining for a couple of days and the trails had dried out a bit. The last days riding took us through the Cudlee Creek Forest. The trails and scenery were awesome – although there was quite a bit of climbing. The views from the top were amazing. After descending down through the Gorge the trail took us onto Gorge Road – which was spectacular – but busy and narrow. We were quite relieved to find the bike path that took us into Adelaide. The bike path along the Torrens River was a great way to finish the Mawson Trail.

 

Mawson Trail Part 1 The Flinders Ranges

Day 1: Started the trip with a 7 hour bus ride to Parachilna (32kms from Blinman). The Mawson Trail officially starts in Blinman – but the bus didn’t go there. We arrived at Parachilna mid-afternoon. It was hot, there were lots of flies, and the Hotel was surprisingly full of people who had arrived by car. The campground had no shade at all and was in full view of all the people at the pub – so we rode 10kms through Parachilna Gorge and found a great bush campsite.

Day 2: Cycled through Parachilna Gorge to Blinman – mostly climbing – then had a great 15km descent on bitumen to get to the trail head. The Mawson Trail signage was easy to see throughout the whole trip. We only missed a couple of signs – but didn’t have to ride far before Rients’ spotted our mistake on his GPS and we turned back. The rest of our ride for the day was mostly on fire road trails – before we made camp at a bush site near Brachina Creek.

 

Day 3: Great days ride to Wilpena Pound Campsite in Flinders Ranges National Park. We rode rolling hills to Bunyeroo Valley Lookout on a wide dirt road – then a fun descent to Bunyeroo Gorge – which was very scenic. After that there was more fire road through a landscape of pines and shale that looked almost lunar. The days ride finished with some fun single track into the campground. The shop at the campground was very well stocked –  we realised we needn’t have carried so much food with us after all.

 

 Day 4:  Started the days riding with 10kms of bitumen before turning into a fire road – where we were greatly assisted by a tail wind. The trail to Rawnsley Park was rough and rocky. From Rawnsley Park to Wilpena Rd was all downhill. After a few kms on a busy bitumen road the trail turned off to Moralana Scenic Drive. At this stage we almost decided to leave the trail – as we had turned into a very strong head wind – and we were only 25kms from Hawker on the bitumen road with a tailwind. Also, if we kept following the trail signs then Hawker was another 80kms away! We ended up staying on the trail – and it proved to be worth it. After riding through the scenic route – with the dramatic Elder Ranges surrounding us – then through a Gorge with amazing red gums lining the creeks – we arrived at a bush camp at Merna Mora Station. It was our favourite bush camp of the whole trip. We were next to another creek bed lined with red gums – and had the ranges as our view from the tent. The stars at night were spectacular.

 

 






Day 5:  The ride for the day started with a steady 10km uphill gradient on bitumen – before turning into some farm tracks – which were great fun until we got to Mernmerna Hill. It was very steep and rocky – and unrideable. As we were walking up it in the heat of the afternoon a mountain goat popped its head out and bleated at us. After that it was a mostly a flat ride into Hawker. Food shopping at Hawker was expensive and the choice was minimal. The Wilpena Panorama at the Jeff Morgan Gallery is well worth a visit.

 

The staple food cut to size for the frame bag.......

Day 6: Most of the days riding consisted of long flat stretches of graded dirt road. We met our first cyclists riding the trail in the opposite direction. After a quick chat - swapping information about the trail ahead – we rode on to the Kanyaka Ruins on the Gordon-Springsure Road. They were very extensive – it would have been a glorious homestead with outbuildings in 1851, when it was built. After a long day of riding – mostly in the big ring - we finally found Buckaringa North Campsite. It was on the Heyson Trail (a walking trail) – and was fenced in – so we had a bit of hard work lifting the bikes over the fence.

 

Day 7:  A short day of riding to Quorn. We first visited Proby’s Grave – a 1 ½ tonne slab that was shipped out from England by his family. Hugh Proby drowned trying to save his cattle from floods – he was 24.

The ride was mostly uphill to Yarrah Vale Gorge. There were great views from the top of the hill over pastoral land and mountain ranges. Quorn is a very quaint old town – and the caravan park had a great camp kitchen.

Day 8: Climbed through Richman Gap – then lots of rolling hills (mostly uphill) to Wilmington. Deja vu: we had lunch at the same cafe where we stopped on the bus trip exactly one week ago. We even saw the bus pulling out as we rode into town. The rest of the days riding was on very straight flat graded roads into Melrose. We set up camp at the Caravan Park and then walked into town. Melrose has a great bike shop/cafe and has become a mountain biking mecca.

  

Day 9: The day started with a great coffee at the ”Over the Edge”  Cafe – then a long climb – before hitting some rolling hills though farm lands before reaching Wirrabara Forest. Wirrabara Forest was burnt out in February of this year – and is just starting to recover. As we were riding through we could see how extensive the fire had been. We visited the King Tree – which is a red gum that has a circumference of 11 metres. Needless to say – it was massive! The afternoon riding consisted of fun farm tracks – then an easy ride on the rail trail into Laura.

  

Day 10:  Riding out of Laura was an uphill slog through cleared pastoral lands - until the Bundaleer Forest. After the forest there was more downhill and we had a great tail wind. It was hard to find a sheltered spot for lunch – but we eventually found a ruin just off the trail we could shelter behind.

After sighting a road sign that read Spalding 10kms – we were diverted onto a very rough farm track that followed the Bundaleer Channels for 15kms. They were interesting at first – but 15kms of them was a bit boring. We stayed at the Barbed Wire Hotel in Spalding – and met some interesting local characters and got to see the Barbed Wire Museum.

                                                         

 Day 11: The weather took a turn for the worse! It rained all night and was still raining hard when we got up in the morning. We waited for a break in the weather – but it never came – so we decided to ride the 40kms to Clare on the bitumen. The Mawson Trail leads to Hallett and Burra from Spalding – before coming back to Clare – but given the weather conditions and the fact that we had been warned by other riders that the tracks were already muddy - we made the decision to skip this part. After a cold wet miserable ride on a fairly busy road we made it to Clare and booked into a Motel.  We did discover that our rain gear worked well.