Daily Log, Australia Bicycle Tour
2001
Scott Ellington
Date Day Start
2/21 Wed Melbourne
Warm, some clouds, change PM. High about 31 C.
Did not find much for maps. Called VK3APN, will try to visit 4/15. ( His father just died..) Visit Tim, VK3IM. Tim is very knowledgeable about fields, software.
Date Day Start
2/22 Thurs Melbourne
Cool and sunny, about 24 C.
Can't get to Richmond station. Melbourne traffic is horrible. Very fast, no consideration of pedestrians. Give up on going to Gladstone to exchange maps.
Lunch with VK3IM.
Roger calls PM, cut off when I accidentally mute phone. We're still meeting in Dunkeld.
Meet Randy Miller and Jody PM. Dinner with Melbourne Bicycle Touring Club members. Meeting, pub afterwards. Talk to some (Wayne, did RAGBRAI in '90), but all these places too noisy for conversation. Randy and Jody are getting married, spending a year cycling around Australia. Will add to email list.
Date Day Start End km/day km/cum Vave Vmax
2/23 Fri Terang Dunkeld 116.0 116 19.6 44.5
Train from Melbourne to Terang
Drizzle AM, then sunny, about 28C. Late cool sea breeze. Wind 20-30 kph, S/var.
Awful traffic getting to station via Flinders Ln, a "small" downtown Melbourne street. One of the wide main streets might have been better.
Loaded bike in baggage car - room to lie it down. No problem. Train old and grubby, but leaves on time. 11:30 in Terang.
A barren ride--no nice places to stop. Nothing in Woorndool or Chatsworth. Little traffic, most roads 1 lane. Route towards Darlington. Mortlake road quite busy. a few hills, no big climbs.
In Dunkeld 5:45, Wendy and Roger there, just leaving to meet me. Dinner at restaurant, only customers. Caravan park is cheap, with showers, some road noise.
Date Day Start End km/day km/cum Vave Vmax
2/24 Sat Dunkeld Jimmy
Creek 38.7 156 17.5 58.5
Clear night and chilly AM. Sunny AM, cloudy PM. High about 24, S. wind.
Road through park very nice. Light traffic. Very nice campground at Wannon Crossing, walk-in sites, mostly empty. Went on to Jimmy Creek campground. Not as nice, got last site. Water.
Steep hike up to overlook. Park very green, undeveloped. Nice.
Kangaroos in the campground. As we're making dinner, Wendy spots one by my bike. "What's he eating?" she says. Never leave your bananas unattended when there are kangaroos about.
Kookaburras. No bugs. Neighbors quiet 8:30 PM. Campfires, but downwind of us. Very quiet night.
Date Day Start
2/25 Sun Jimmy
Creek Day
Hike
Cloudy AM, then sunny and warm, about 30. Wind light SW.
Day hike towards Stockyard Saddle. A 4 hour round trip to helipad, supposed to be 3 km each way! Turned back, low on water. No great views. Saddle must be much more that 13 km round trip, but it turns out I was pretty close. (Roger and Wendy turned back much earlier.) Back at 2 PM. Police officer comes by to find fishing pole left by a camper. Found it near our campsite.
Roger went for PM bike ride. Weekend campers leaving. "Marsh flies", like big horseflies, local to marshy areas. Comfortable in shade at campground.
Possums got into Roger and Wendy's trash at 4 AM, I had to get up to hang it properly.
Date Day Start End km/day km/cum Vave Vmax
2/26 Mon Jimmy
Creek Halls
Gap 36.4 193 17.6 52.0
Cool night, warmed quickly. High about 32. Sunny AM, PC PM. Wind north, light.
Very easy climb over divide. Traffic about same as Sat. Hall's Gap touristy, but very small-scale. Small supermarket. Internet at $10/hr. Caravan park downtown, $20 or 3 of us. OK, but tent sites unshaded, barren, no tables. Park nearby, though.
Bush camping doesn't appeal to Roger - he likes restaurants. Even Australian ones.
Dinner at "Darcy's", just south of center. Nice, hot too expensive. Wasted time walking north looking for Hall's Gap Hotel, which turned out to be about 3 km out of town. Sent Report 1, short. Poor terminal.
When we wake up in the morning, dozens of kangaroos are grazing amongst the tents. While we watch from our tents, as if on cue, they all suddenly leave, a long parade hopping off into the bush.
Awful caravan park, but better tent sites just to the north, which we didn't discover until leaving town. Same management. Ours was crowded, noisy. Hall's Gap is a sprawly new town.
Date Day Start End km/day km/cum Vave Vmax
2/28 Tues Hall's
Gap Ararat 88.3 281 18.6 62.0
Clear all day. Cool AM, then high about 27, low humidity. Wind S, about 15 kph. Very comfortable.
No place open for breakfast until 9 AM. Very late start.
Route: Pomonal, Moyston, Maroona, east about 7 km, north to Ararat. Very nice route, little traffic except Lake Bolac road (moderate).
Long chat with birdwatcher/guide at Pomonal. Woman at store in Moyston tells of pumas at Jimmy's Creek, supposedly descendents of pets released by American soldiers after WWII. (We’re a little skeptical.) Bartender at Maroona says dryness normal for summer.
Very nice park at Pomonal (east). Water, toilets, chairs. No campsites, but could camp. Also sports grounds at Moyston, possible campsite.
Little traffic entering Ararat. Dinner at Ararat Hotel. Get to caravan park just before dark. (On Pyrenees Hwy, east edge of town.) Nice place. $6.50/person, good tent sites. Little road noise. Some trains. Clean.
Date Day Start End km/day km/cum Vave Vmax
2/28 Wed Ararat
Avoca 73.1 352 20.0 50.0
Cool AM, cool day. High about 22C. Some clouds PM, sprinkle. Strong SW wind, about 30 kph, mostly tailwind.
AM in Ararat: Gasket material (for stove) at engine shop, RACV maps -- free! Surrounded by magpies in town square.
Route via Pyrenees Hwy. Some trucks and traffic, unpleasant. Estimate > 800/day. Climbs very gradual. Nice tailwind. Poor store in Elmhurst. Art gallery, store in Amphitheater.
Avoca caravan park nice -- basic, cheap. All of us use ladies shower. (Not at the same time!) It’s Wendy’s turn to pay for the campsite, and when she gets her wallet out from under her shirt the locals think she’s getting undressed. Bar meal at hotel, $6.00.
Nice downtown, but lots of business closed or for sale.
Date Day Start End km/day km/cum Vave Vmax
3/1 Thurs Avoca Avoca 22.5 375 16.1 30.5
No clouds. Very cool night and morning (~10 C). Warm PM, High ~30. Light south wind.
Short ride to two wineries: Mt. Avoca (small), Blue Pyrenees (large.). Tasted wine, bought two bottles. NZ couple at Pyrenees. Had wine in afternoon back in Avoca. Played recorder in Lions park. Relaxing day. Quite warm PM. Few flies. Nice. More wine before dinner at town square. Dinner at hotel again, long wait. Warm evening.
Date Day Start End km/day km/cum Vave Vmax
3/2 Fri Avoca Dunolly 61.4 346 20.0 35.5
Not as cold overnight and AM. No clouds all day, high ~27. Hot in sun. Wind S/var ~20 kph.
Route via Bealiba. Easy riding, tailwind to Bealiba. No big climbs. Minimal traffic. Excellent. Store in Bealiba. Natte Yallock was west of route, didn't check out. Bealiba looks like classic Australian town. Very old, not much left.
Dunolly has bakery, grocery, butcher, etc. Very poor caravan park -- mostly residents, manager tried to rip us off. Nice park, swimming pool. Pizza for dinner. Nice town except caravan park. (Camping amid junk cars.)
Roger and Wendy went for ride after dinner.
Diurnal temperature range is amazing here. Cold nights and mornings, hot afternoons. Very hot in PM sun. When is sun closest to earth? March?
Guys in bar ask me how it is in the paddock (caravan park). By now I suppose everyone in town knows about us.
Quiet night. Trains not a problem.
Date Day Start End km/day km/cum Vave Vmax
3/3 Sat Dunolly Maldon 48.3 485 15.9 43.5
Warmer still AM, high ~28. Cloudless. Wind north, ~20 kph.
Route via Eddington, Barringhup.
Weekend traffic unpleasant. Too close to Melbourne. Steady climb to Maldon. Lots of cafes, etc. in Maldon. Very nice caravan park -- green grass.
No luck with ATM card in grocery, nor Roger.
Lost tent stakes in Dunolly. Free wire from Maldon hardware store, blacksmith grinds and bends for $2. Heavy, though.
Nice parks in Maldon -- pool.
Date Day Start End km/day km/cum Vave Vmax
3/4 Sun Maldon Maldon 22.0 507 12.1 45.5
Warm, sunny, ~28. Warm morning. Wind south, ~20 kph.
Rode to Mt. Tarrangower early. 570 M, but too hazy for distant views.
Morning decision to stay in Maldon. Beehive mine ruins, steam train to Muckleford, Carran's Tunnel tour. Lots of Melbourne tourists in town - must be quieter Sunday night. Dinner at Hotel.
Date Day Start End km/day km/cum Vave Vmax
3/5 Mon Maldon Castlemaine 23.5 530 15.8 48.0
Sunny again, high ~30. Light winds.
Short, easy ride, but lots of traffic and nasty drivers.
Castlemaine has lots of services, also lots of traffic.
Wendy and Roger take train to Melbourne tomorrow.
Tomorrow to St. Arnaud via Maldon, Tarnagulla, Logan. (Train to north of Bendigo evening only.) Then Horsham, Edenhope, Kaniva, Jeparit, Hopetoun, Swan Hill (3/11).
A very warm evening at 9:45 PM, maybe warmest yet.
Date Day Start End km/day km/cum Vave Vmax
3/6 Tues Castlemaine St.
Arnaud 119.2 649 19.1 49.0
Hot, 32+, sunny. Wind NW, 10-20 kph. Headwind most of day. Humidity low.
Said farewell to Roger and Wendy outside a café before breakfast.
Via Maldon, Dunolly, Bealiba, Emu. Castlemaine-Maldon miserable traffic. Much better yellow hwy after Maldon. Excellent Dunolly-Sunraysia Hwy. Short stretch on Sunraysia unpleasant, uphill.
Found tent stakes in Dunnoly caravan park, right where I left them. Left Wendy and Roger ~8:30 in Castlemaine, they waiting for a cafe to open for breakfast. They were to take 10 AM train to Melbourne.
First snake: Roadkill. Big, ~2M.
Guy in Dunolly invites me to visit in Echuca. "Christian" jewelry makes me suspicious.
A good day of biking. Feels good to do some distance. Good pace, but didn't push hard. No big climbs, many small ones.
Find shop in St. Arnaud with internet
access open late. Send email to
Bonnie.
Very, very dry. This place needs rain. Hopefully, after I'm somewhere else!
Lots of kids driving around St. Arnaud. Gas is way too cheap. (Howard reduced gas tax before election.)
Date Day Start End km/day km/cum Vave Vmax
3/7 Wed St.
Arnaud Murtoa 98.8 748 19.4 46.5
Hot, ~35. A few clouds PM, first in a while. Wind mostly NW, shifted to S late.
Late start, waiting for computer store to open. Headwind most of the way, including last stretch to south. Not too strong, kept flies away.
Heat not too uncomfortable. Low humidity. Lots of water.
Pretty bleak, dry country. Harvest Nov-Dec, according to local in Minyip.
Route via Banyena, Minyip. Banyena: Hall, tennis courts, maintained. Nothing else. Minyip: Store, pool, no caravan park, but could probably camp by track.
Little traffic on Sunraysia Hwy leaving St. Arnaud. Some Minyip-Murtoa ~5 PM - commuters. Grain truck drivers pretty good on one-lane roads - get message to stay on pavement when I signal.
Willy-willies -- caught in very small one, saw big one, >50 M high.
Murtoa caravan park very bad - cramped, full of dogs. Shower fairly clean, though. Lots of chlorine.
Still hot at 7 PM.
Murtoa really a dying town. Many abandoned buildings. Grocery, dairy, hardware still open. Too close to Horsham. Hotel dinner good, $13.
Old 15 meter beam (ham radio antenna), fenced lot, no obvious access near center of town. Weird. Lots of corrugated fences. Dumpy town, but public toilets OK. Maybe Horsham bedroom?
Date Day Start End km/day km/cum Vave Vmax
3/8 Thurs Murtoa Horsham 39.1 787 18.8 33.0
Hot again - 33-35? Wind E AM (tailwind).
Lots of traffic on one-lane roads out of Murtoa, including 4 km gravel stretch. Not fun. Detour? "Field Days?" Fine after Western Hwy turn-off (~13 km east of Horsham.) Bike lane into town, across river. In town by ~11 AM. Gravel stretch very rough, traffic didn't help. Dusty.
Nice caravan park in Horsham. Pricey, $13.50. Should be fairly quiet.
Horsham is a major center, but downtown traffic not too bad.
Email a library - no report.
Cleaned chain, trued front wheel PM. Played recorder in Botanical Gardens.
Huge grass tennis court complex next to caravan park. No takers by 6 PM. Hot, but not that bad. I suppose they play in winter. Big swimming competition at pool. Cycle track in town, signs on road.
Dew point higher than cold beer.
Town water OK.
Tent pole split - lost end. Used stake, bought bolts. Now check pole ends.
PM - Germans camped very close - no need. Obnoxious, talked late. Ear plugs.
Date Day Start End km/day km/cum Vave Vmax
3/9 Fri Horsham Harrow 89.8 877 23.0 62.0
Hot, 35+, windy, cirrus clouds. Wind NE early, then N, ~30 kph.
Easy riding with tailwind. Nurrabiel and Douglass only town halls (with tennis courts). Start ~9 AM, Harrow about 1 PM. Great roads beyond Horsham traffic. Salt lakes, some livestock.
Harrow has store, cafe, pub, camping. Nice setting in valley, big descent into town. Reminds me a little of a driftless area valley. Very small, nice, the kind of town I've been seeking. Big event this weekend: "Bush Billy Car" races, like soap box derby. Big mob expected at caravan park, but I'm way out back. Bore water salty, tank water brown. Caravan park $5, hot showers.
Store doing lots of business ~5 PM. Locals use credit. Prices reasonable. Nearest large town 33 km, must be far enough.
Nice shady spot, found chair. Kids come by while I'm playing recorder.
Haven't heard a plane in two weeks.
Far from other campers in caravan park, but local dogs bark all night. Ear plugs again.
Date Day Start End km/day km/cum Vave Vmax
3/10 Sat Harrow Casterton 104.2 984 17.0 64.0
Clouds overnight, sprinkle early AM, then cold change. Warm AM, dropping all day, ~20 by 6 PM. Cloudy most of day, short sunny break late. Light showers, not much. Wind south, ~30 kph. Strong.
Route: Coleraine, Merino, Casterton. Some weekend traffic. Coleraine dying, but still some businesses. Merino dead, dump. (Public toilets OK, has swimming pool.) Filthy, poor store, pub. Bad vibes. Could have camped at Lions Park, though. Casterton more vital. Classic car weekend, local cruisers in park. Caravan park very cramped, no resident manager. Found spot at edge, no sign of manager by 10 PM. Expect lots of traffic tonight.
Cooked dinner in park shelter - lots of stove trouble. (Leaky cap.)
Australian towns:
1. "Locality": Hall, toilets, tennis courts.
2. Harrow: Very small, isolated, store, pub, swimming. Nice.
3. Dying: Bigger, lots of closed businesses. Public toilets OK.
4. Major Centers: The reason others are dying.
Very interesting terrain -- much like driftless area, only drier. Valleys are more than 100 M deep, with big climbs over ridges. Cross-drainage to Merino, hard work with headwind. Tailwind, mostly valley Merino-Casterton.
Big change from heat - comfortable, evening cool. A very quiet night - surprising.
Date Day Start End km/day km/cum Vave Vmax
3/11 Sun Casterton Penola 64.0 1050 21.9 46.5
Sunny, cool. High ~20. Wind S ~20 kph. Nice. Tailwind most of way. Easy day.
Mature forest W of Casterton, second growth. White cockatoos seem to prefer disturbed areas. Edge dwellers? Corn near Lake Mundi. Commercial pine forest SA border toward Penola.
Climb out of Casterton mostly with car rally traffic. (Antiques, stink.) Quite flat after that. Some weekend traffic on yellow road - few trucks. (Fortunately, rally traffic turned off toward Mt. Gambier.) Traffic 90/hr around 12 Noon, often less.
Penola sort of a tourist town. (Wine area.) No signs of usual decay. One "nice" restaurant. Strange caravan park: "En Suite" campsites. Could use my bathroom to park bike. Only $13.50, though. Laundry OK. Caravan park was full last night - watch out for weekends!
Weather big change. Feels good to sit in sun now. Breeze has bite of southern ocean.
Most caravan parks have lots of "permanent" residents. Makes them less pleasant, but I suppose without them caravan parks wouldn't be there. Can't say any of them have been problems. Would be nice if more had separate tent areas, tables. Most have BBQ area, but not Penola or Casterton.
Tomorrow is "Labor Day" in Victoria, but not South Australia.
Really getting tired of squawking cockatoos. Need predators! Coyotes of the sky.
Date Day Start End km/day km/cum Vave Vmax
3/12 Mon Penola Edenhope 80.2 1136 22.4 66.0
Very cool, ~18. PC, rain early AM, day dry. Wind 20-40 kph, S AM, SW PM.
Tailwind, but direction not right to help much. Some hills near Dergholm. Steep, but short.
AM in Penola: O-rings for stove, internet at library, sent report 3.
Penola touristy, but not dying. Only a couple business for sale. Lots of road noise at caravan park.
Traffic light on route today. Only a few trucks. Hall in Dorodong (no tennis), small shop/pub in Dergholm. Lots of commercial forest, some second growth gum forests.
Saw woman cyclist ~37 km S of Edenhope. No gear, not friendly, but fighting wind.
Guy with trailer full of fence clips, lost a couple bags. stopped in road to talk. Runs business making fencing. Friendly, but I'm glad I didn't get hit by one of his loose bags of clips!
Edenhope another dying town, though lake helps. (Almost dry now.) Many business for sale. Pretty isolated, strange that the businesses aren’t doing better. Naracoorte 54 km.
"Blue gums" (?) in plantations. Native alternative to radiata pines? Huge tracts of them, mostly small.
Nice caravan park. Almost empty, maybe no permanent residents. Tent area, table and chairs. About one block off highway. Little traffic but some trucks at night. Friendly manager likes to talk. (Later found his picture in Melbourne newspaper with article about Lake Wallace drying up.)
Date Day Start End km/day km/cum Vave Vmax
3/13 Tues Edenhope Kaniva 88.5 1226 21.4 33.0
Cloudy and cool until ~2 PM, then sunny. AM ~15, PM high ~20. SW wind ~20 kph.
Seemed like steady climb, but mainly flat. Lots of second-growth gum, scrubby brush in park. Nice caravan park at Lake Charlegrark, lake ~3 M low - pier high and dry. May be store in Minimay (sign only). Minimal traffic.
Breakfast at bakery in Edenhope - bacon and eggs, ~8 AM. Called work at 7 AM.
Tailwind, but didn't seem to help much. AM quite cold, damp, uncomfortable. Time to get away from cold ocean.
Edenhope AM: Met woman cyclist I passed yesterday. Now friendly, just fighting wind yesterday. Training for 540 K Swan Hill relay. Sign up sheet in bakery, one name, probably hers.
Kaniva seems vital, but no real park, BBQ, etc. Find spot at netball courts. Deserted. Green oval - cricket? Nice, but very small caravan park. No shelter, table, etc. Showers and laundry fine. $11.
May have fixed stove: sanded off surface, used square O-ring from Penola. Seemed to work for short test. Old gasket cracking.
Chinese dinner at hotel - weird. Chinese cooks in back.
Date Day Start End km/day km/cum Vave Vmax
3/14 Wed Kaniva Jeparit 103.0 1331 20.0 39.5
Sunny, cool AM, ~27 PM. Wind NE ~20 kph AM, F/V PM.
Route: Broughton, Yanac, Netherby. Halls only Broughton, Yanac. Pub Netherby. Rolling hills, sort of like Iowa, some long climbs.
Lake Hindmarsh completely dry - dried up ~3 months ago. Last time it dried up > 20 years ago.
Dinner at hotel, $10, steak and veg. Talked to local farmer - another complaint about US subsidies. Grows variety of crops - sounds like area is very productive during growing season.
Some nice looking houses in Jeparit. Retirees? Some closed stores, only one bank branch left. Basic business OK. No bakery.
Caravan park deserted, seems OK. No tables, etc. Play recorder at tennis club next door.
Rooster at 1:47 AM.
Date Day Start End km/day km/cum Vave Vmax
3/15 Thurs Jeparit Hopetoun 84.4 1415 19.0 38.5
Sunny AM, cirrus late PM. Warm, ~28. Wind NE ~20kph. Headwind all day - slow going.
Light traffic. Route Rainbow, Abacutya, Hopevale, yellow road.
Rainbow nice town, caravan park, bakery.
"Pioneer Museum" in Jeparit. Lots of old junk, poorly maintained. Dying. Retiree gives personal tour. Friendly people.