The stats:
• 11 days
• 4,350 km
• 2 ferry rides
• Ride-day PB: 10 hours / 1,010 km
• Hottest days: 45°C & 43°C (brutal)
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Day 1 – Hobart → Devonport
Rolled out of Hobart and headed north. Finished the day with a little boat ride to the big island. Spirits high, gear loaded, adventure officially underway.
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Day 2 – Geelong → Gosford
A monster highway day and a new personal best: 1,010 km in a single hit. Long hours in the saddle, but everything clicked.
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Day 3 – Gosford → Cessnock
Old Pacific Highway, Wisemans Ferry, Yengo NP, Wollombi, Corrabare, Kitchener, Werakata.
Met up with the full crew — and from there it was on. Endless twisty bitumen, dirt tracks, and a night camping at a local caravan park. A storm rolled through and gave our tents a solid weather-resistance test.
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Day 4 – Cessnock → Nundle
Via Bishop’s Bridge, Telerah, Lorn, Woolooma NP, Aberdeen, Scone.
A big dirt day following a pink line on the GPS — ride it till it ends, reroute, repeat. Stunning countryside, but got absolutely smashed by a storm between Scone and Nundle. The Peel Inn was a very welcome sight to dry out for the night.
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Day 5 – Nundle → Gloucester
Hanging Rock, Barrington Tops, Curracabundi NP, Woko NP.
A full dirt day exploring Barrington Tops — rolling hills, sweeping bends, and water crossings everywhere. Proper adventure riding.
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Day 6 – Gloucester → Coxs River Camp
Quick highway stint, then back into the Blue Mountains.
Original campsite was full, so we hunted for another. Found a “shortcut” that got us within 100 m… separated by a river. After checking options, we stacked rocks and repaired an old bridge to get across. One of those days you’ll remember forever.
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Day 7 – Coxs River Camp → Goulburn
After a short hike to Bowtells Suspension Bridge, it was back on the bikes. Fire trails and forest tracks through Jenolan Karst, Oberon, Mares Forest, Taralga, and Cookbundoon.
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Day 8 – Goulburn → Buchan
Bungendore, Tallaganda NP, Captains Flat, Cooma, Dalgety, Jindabyne, Kosciuszko NP, Barry Way, Snowy River NP, McKillops Bridge.
On my own again. After a locked gate and a reroute, I rolled into the servo with 1 km of fuel left according to the dash😳.
Planned to camp at McKillops Bridge (Victoria’s longest timber bridge at 250 m), but the heat was savage — 45°C, most of the day over 40. Ended up in accommodation at Buchan. Multiple stops dunking my riding gear in the Snowy River along Barry Way just to keep body temp under control.
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Day 9 – Buchan → Melbourne
Forestry roads toward Dargo… then turned back due to fire-related closures. Added about 140 km of backtracking, marking the end of dirt riding for the trip thanks to severe VIC fires.
Still pushed through to the Dargo Hotel for lunch — iconic pub, unreal road in with more bends than a bowl of spaghetti.
By then it was 42–43°C, so after lunch I committed to pushing all the way to Melbourne. Regular stops: buy water, drink some, pour the rest over myself.
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Day 10 – Melbourne → Spirit of Tasmania
Late start. Breakfast with some Antarctic mates, a wander through hiking shops, then onto the ferry for the overnight trip home.
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Day 11 – Devonport → Hobart
UNO reverse card. 8°C and rain, absolutely freezing after the last few days of extreme heat.
Rolled into Hobart safe and sound — and nothing beats seeing the family waiting at home.