Melbourne to Adelaide bike ride

 When I ordered my bike during the pandemic the goal of riding to Adelaide popped into my head. I thought it would be cute to ride from Brighton, Vic to Brighton, SA. It took me a while to work out how I could carry camping gear on the bike, then I got out my oldest setup (because it was the most compact) and it was time to go. I didn't even plan my route properly, I just had a vague plan to ride around the coast because it would be scenic and not too hot.

27 November A bit of a delayed start as it was raining, finely but persistent, kept stopping then starting again. Eventually I just had to get going. I got to the beach at the bottom of Hampton St and followed the bike path to Mordialloc then another bike path alongside the railway line (new to me) to Frankston where the rain returned. I climbed Olivers Hill for the first time in years and went on the highway to Mornington, where it did not appear to have rained at all.

After morning tea I went on the beachside road to Mount Martha and did the roller coaster to Safety Beach, no shoulder but little traffic. On the peninsula I had a long stretch on the coast bike path passing beaches in a little sunshine and going through the foreshore camping areas. I had a headwind for a change. After Rye the bike path was away from the beach, still nice bush riding, and as I came into Sorrento I could see the ferry was docked so I went straight over there without going into the town. The bay looked great from the ferry. 

In Queenscliff I went to the caravan park; it was stupidly expensive so I pedalled off to find another, the next place cost more with nowhere nearby to get food so I went back to the first one. By now it was a sunny evening and I got fish and chips and ate by the beach with a hundred seagulls around me. 97 kms

28 November After drying out my tent I went on to Point Lonsdale, back road to Ocean Grove and a nice off-road track to Barwon Heads, partly right beside the beach. As I was riding towards Torquay a cyclist passed me and commented on my amount of luggage so I told him where I was going; a few kms up the road he stopped and when I reached him he asked if I wanted to have coffee in Torquay. (I had to speed up so he wouldn't wait too long for me.) We chatted for an hour about bikes and triathlons.

I had come into town on the beachside bike path and I stayed on it, crossing the lagoon on a long boardwalk which seemed precarious on a bike. I set off on the Surf Coast path to Jan Juc and Bells Beach, both beautiful even on a grey day, but the path was only suitable for walkers so I came back to the road. The coastal views were more open from the road. I had a pie in Anglesea and rode to Aireys Inlet in light rain and under the Great Ocean Road arch. Then I had whopping Big Hill and a welcome descent. The rest of the way to Lorne was easy riding and empty beaches, views of misty headlands.

Lorne was busy with schoolies and the campground manager thought I should go out of town so I went to the Cumberland River campsite and regretted this: very exposed, windy and basic facilities, and my tent pole snapped. The wind became worse and worse. 93 kms

29 November I packed up quickly before my tent could get further damaged as the wind gusts were severely contorting the poles, and sat in the bbq shed contemplating having to walk to Apollo Bay if the wind meant I couldn't ride. Then the rain came. When it briefly stopped I set off, soon raining again but it was the gusty wind that made riding tricky, constantly changing direction and strong. It was a lovely ride by the water/beaches/rocks and over headlands even while I was cold, wet and wobbly (seemed less difficult than running the GOR marathon). 

I had a coffee at Kennett River and booked a motel in Apollo Bay. There wasn't too much traffic and the rain worsened but the wind was often from behind. It helped that I know so many landmarks from the marathon. When I reached the koala trees I wasn't keen to peer up into the rain looking for koalas but I quickly found a big fat one sleeping.

Coming into Apollo Bay the side wind was finally so strong I couldn't ride and the town was chockers with day trippers. Pie, shower, tried to dry my clothes. Too wet to visit the beach. 37 kms

30 November I never saw the beach in Apollo Bay. I left early, really windy, and had a big climb, in stages, up through rainforest followed by a descent, in stages, to Aire River and a flattish valley of marsh and grazing. I saw a couple staring at a tree and they pointed out a koala to me. 

At the far edge of the valley the road briefly touched the coast at Castle Cove and I had a snack to prepare for climbing Lavers Hill. This was a protracted climb with a few short respites but the wind was helping. Again rainforest and ferny. The traffic was all courteous and no tour buses. It started to rain as I reached Lavers Hill settlement and I went in the cafe (where I could watch 3 varieties of parrot). The road stayed on the ridge (with a few views of inland hills that were marred by the weather) then a long winding descent among gum trees. 

I crossed Gellibrand River and had a climb I had not expected, then from the top it was all downhill to Princetown with a distant view of coastal cliffs. I had the run-down backpackers to myself, next to the closed down pub and closed down cafe. I walked to the Gellibrand River mouth with a sandy beach to one side and a sandstone bluff to the other. 80 kms

1 December The road swooped and climbed. Time for the sandstone stacks and arches. I stopped at Gibsons Steps for two stacks, then the (fewer than 12) Apostles

 and Loch Ard Gorge where the series of headlands and island were impressive. Then I stopped for early coffee in Port Campbell (prettiest town on GOR). I had sunshine at London Bridge

and a quick look at the Grotto, then another stop at Peterborough before the last stacks: Bay of Martyrs and Bay of Islands.

The road immediately turned away from the coast and with a tailwind I sped along the 50 kms towards Warrnambool through farmland, masses of flies. The traffic was ok until Allansford but then the GOR joined the Princes Highway so I turned off for quiet side roads within sight of the ocean. I crossed Hopkins River (where I walked on my recent visit to Warrnambool) and rode to Maccas to rest and decide what to do next.

I was tired but I went on to Koroit and it was an easy ride with a bike lane and then the rail trail I walked 2 years ago. I set up my tent, walked to the shop and it rained for the first time today. 110 kms

2 December I followed the road above Tower Hill lake then quiet roads back to the rail trail, where it crossed marshland and I saw grey herons and white necked herons, to Port Fairy.

After a quick coffee I set off on what should be the longest unbroken highway stretch of the ride: 60+ kilometres on the Princes Highway. It was dull grazing country, away from the coast, wind farms, but mostly a good shoulder. Just before Narrawong (my lunch stop) I saw a snake on the road and couldn't avoid riding over it (at least I think I did, I didn't look back). It was still windy and became sunny. The only major hill took me up to a ridge and soon I could see Portland. I was able to leave the highway at Allestree for a coast road, straight into the wind but it got me to town. 92 kms

3 December I had read the road to Nelson was rough and full of logging trucks but this was Sunday and I saw few trucks, but it wasn't an exciting ride. It rained a little. First farmland then a little bush and a single great view of huge dunes and the ocean, then pine plantations and logged hillsides. I met a German touring cyclist; we had a one-sided chat because he wanted to talk.

Nelson by the Glenelg River was sunny and unchanged from my last visit on the GSWW, my first long hike. I ate a good pie, bought a freeze dried Thai curry and set off on back roads for Dry Creek campsite in South Australia. No sign at the border.

Dry Creek campsite had a row of boathouses on the Glenelg with toilets and a shelter, pretty because the river is in a limestone gorge, and I had a peaceful hot afternoon there. 79 kms

4 December Blue sky! I had breakfast on the wharf. I took back roads to the Limestone Coast at Brown Bay, long sandy beach, and rode along the ocean. I stopped to see swans at a creek estuary and some offshore rocks and further along the coast I came to Port Macdonell, important centre for rock lobster. It was an obvious place for a day off - waterfront cafes, pub, harbour with walkway - so I stopped for the day at 10. I checked into the pub early hoping to wash my clothes but they had no water until mid afternoon and then I wasn't sure how to get my stuff dry. 30 kms, 620 kms from home

5 December I went around the coast to the spot where the original lighthouse was at Cape Northumberland, South Australia's southernmost point; it was a rugged limestone headland with weird rock formations offshore.

Then a long stretch through agricultural land on a variety of back roads, a little sunshine but cold wind. The landscape was flat, I passed a wind farm, stopped briefly in Kongorong, and saw a couple of hills on the horizon. Lots of straight road, and I was glad to get to Tantanoola, featuring a shelter by the derelict railway station (where I made coffee) and a pub with a tiger on the roof.

The last part to Millicent went by quickly. Millicent was a very ordinary town; I chanced on a reasonable bakery. I continued on the Southern Ports highway. There was a pretty lake on the edge of town and the road undulated for a change, crossing low hills. I stopped at Rendelsham, a settlement that took its history very seriously with lots to read about the railway and chicory farming.

I crossed some wetlands and turned off for Southend, 5 kms off the main road. A lovely small town on Rivoli Bay, the calm water bordered by an endless white sand beach and protected from the wind. I rode to Cape Buffon at the end of the road, stopping at Rainbow Rocks; there were unusual rocks and rocky bays all around the cape.

I also viewed the town's short jetty. There was a basic campsite directly behind the beach. I ate dinner on the dunes. 105 kms

6 December I had breakfast on the dunes then sped to Beachport, enjoying my first day of riding without wind. Coming into Beachport I passed the line of Norfolk Island pines I could see from Southend (except that I couldn't work out what they were from there). There was a bike path along the beach and after that I toured the town, visiting the lighthouse and several headlands for coastal views of limestone islands and sandy coves. I had coffee by the 700 metre jetty (half its original length).

Then back to the Southern Ports highway for Robe. It was nice riding for a highway: very few cars and some views of lagoons between the road and the ocean dunes, some bush, some sheep. Coming into Robe I passed little lakes. I had a very average pie then went to the campground; it had a great view over Guichen Bay, again an endless white sand beach.

I went for a ride around the sights: the iconic obelisk, holes in rocks, limestone cliffs, beaches.

Became very windy, brief shower. I had a zucchini topped pizza for dinner with a glass of local wine, and at sunset the sky was all red. 82 kms

7 December I returned to the quiet highway heading towards Kingston SE. The first highlight was a paddock of grazing camels. Then vineyards and pine plantations.

I turned off for a visit to the coast at Cape Jaffa and rode a lovely wide deserted road passing a few vineyards, including the one where last night's wine came from. Cape Jaffa was a tiny holiday place (with an unplanned cafe) looking out on calm water, strip of beach and very peaceful. 

I returned to the highway on another quiet road and only remained on it briefly before finding a coastal bike path leading right into Kingston, the last part beside a long sandy beach, passing the Cape Jaffa lighthouse which was moved here in 1974 to give the town a tourist attraction. I bought food for the long haul across the Coorong and had lunch at the bakery, ending my time on the Limestone Coast.

I got to the Princes Highway to start on the 145 kms to Meningie, passing the giant lobster that is Kingston's own tourist attraction, and I was pleased to find a reasonable shoulder and little traffic. The road was flat, grassland and low trees. After 25 kms I stopped at a rest area and two cyclists arrived from the opposite direction; we had a good chat and one of them had lost a shoe on the road so I said I would look out for it. That gave me something to keep my mind off my tiredness and I saw lots of things including an echidna and three other shoes. I had a light tailwind and overshot the 28 Mile Crossing campsite turnoff.

The campsite was on the Old Coorong Road; I crossed samphire flats and acacia scrub to reach it and nobody else was there. I went for a walk to the beach, crossing the huge dunes; the beach was windswept. I also climbed the dune by my tent for a view over the samphire flats. For the first time the evening was completely still. 115 kms

8 December I had breakfast on a high dune where I could see the samphire flats inland and also the ocean beyond more dunes. I startled some Adelaide rosellas. It was already hot.

I stayed on the Old Coorong Road for 15 kms to its end, a wide gravel road through the scrub, seeing a kangaroo, a snake, three shingleback lizards and not one vehicle. I had a headwind.

After an hour on the highway (many more trucks today) I went onto another dirt road. This one was badly corrugated. I passed through acacia scrub as the wind became worse and then it rained briefly. I came onto a slight ridge and I could see distant big dunes. I passed a large lake with unattractive murky water then made myself coffee in a sheltered spot by a prettier lake.

When I got going again the wind had died off and soon I had a light tailwind. It was much cooler. I got some water at Salt Creek and continued to the pelican viewing area, once again hot; I saw a snake and some pelicans in flight.

After this the highway undulated right by the water, Coorong southern lagoon, which was nice but became increasingly smelly. I saw several large flocks of pelicans flying overhead. I went out to Parnka Point where the northern and southern sections of the lagoon meet forming a sharp bend. I could see a long way north and south with wide expanses of sand, lots of shore birds, islands, the dunes on the peninsula beyond the Coorong.

My evening did not go exactly to plan. I went to the campsite, saw an emu, and got out my tent; I seemed to have lost the metal sleeve I'd been using to fix the snapped pole and I couldn't manage to put up the tent. So I went back to the second shelter at the point where I'd been earlier (the one I'd been at was full of ants) and laid out the tent inner as a bivy bag with the fly tied down as a roof. 86 kms

December 9 The night was wet and very windy and lots of rain blew into the shelter. I was warm and dry but the noise of the wind made sleeping difficult. In the morning I moved to the other shelter which was better protected from the weather - a good move as it soon poured and poured. The forecast heavy rain had come a day early. The hundreds of birds down on the shore loved it, I've never seen so many egrets and pelicans. Despite the conditions it was an idyllic spot.

When the rain eased I set off back past the campsites (the sandy road quite flooded) and on the last 25 kms of highway to Meningie. It rained steadily.

I went straight to the bakery which was warm inside and the owner gave me towels. The rain got worse and I could only just see Lake Albert across the road. I wished I had booked the motel in town rather than one 2 kms away but when I got there I had a room looking out over the lake and pelicans cruised by. SA got all its average December rain in one day. 29 kms

December 10 In light rain I went the short distance back into town and moved into the other motel as heavy rain was forecast. I stole a spoon to splint my tent pole, then had a walk along the lake and looked at the famous ostrich statue.

December 11 Torrential rain in the night. I left Meningie early and took the back road to Narrung, first by the lake then inland, passing flooded samphire flats, and I had a great tailwind. In Narrung I made coffee then went on the cable ferry across the strip of water connecting Lake Albert with Lake Alexandrina, under the watchful eye of Point Malcolm lighthouse, Australia's only inland lighthouse.

From there I had the most awful headwind and riding was seriously unpleasant. The only distraction was a large flock of sheep crossing the road; when they were half way across they got confused and some went forward, some went back so it took ages for them to be off the road. 

When I reached the Princes Highway for a final stretch I thought conditions would improve but I had a strong crosswind which wasn't fun. I had to stop several times. It was a bleak windswept area of grassland and samphire. Finally I went onto a dirt road parallel with the highway, it was rough but felt much safer. I was happy to turn off for the ferry across the Murray River to Wellington. I was exhausted.

At the Wellington caravan park I got my tent up after a fashion (without the spoon) and just as I finished there was a brief thunderstorm with an incredibly loud thunder crack and then ferocious wind; I lay inside hoping for the best. Then it rained. Again.

While I was at the pub (overlooking the Murray) there was another thunderstorm and a deluge; to my great surprise my tent remained standing and dry inside. 81 kms, 1121 kms from home

December 12 Quite blue sky when I got up and I sat by the river for breakfast but it soon clouded over and as I started the ride to Langhorne Creek the sky looked ominous. It was featureless countryside, cattle grazing, and a distant tree or barn was a distraction. 

About half way I heard thunder then saw lightning and I stopped outside a house so I could run under the porch if it rained. No rain so I went on, in 5 kms it was raining and I saw a derelict stone building for shelter. Unfortunately it was locked but it had narrow eves and I sat there; the mozzies rushed over and when the rain got heavier there were clouds of them all over me, it was awful. In desperation I wrapped my (wet) tent flysheet around me and that kept some of them off me. As soon as the rain lessened I was gone, the light rain felt nice on my bites. A km up the road I saw a shed and I went inside as the rain worsened again. The thunder and lightning had continued all this time.

When I left the shed the air felt fresher and I powered along to Langhorne Creek passing vineyards, although the road was too puddly. I was glad to reach the general store/cafe for a proper break. From there I zigzagged through vineyards to Milang on Lake Alexandrina, very nice apart from a couple of places where the road was flooded - once I had to bush bash and once I got wet legs.

In Milang it was hot and sunny and I dried out my camping gear. Then a fun ride on dirt roads towards Goolwa. I could see the southern end of the Mount Lofty ranges along the horizon. I'd been warned about a ford at Finiss River where the road may be closed due to flooding and it was, but I decided to risk riding through and it was ok.

Then there was a flooded stretch of road which was rideable but deeper. Then I came to another ford (I hadn't known there were two) and this one was even deeper, water up to my knees while riding. 

The last bit into Goolwa was on a busy road. I had a brief visit to Hindmarsh Island over the huge bridge and headed to the caravan park. The day had left me feeling slightly traumatised with the mozzies, storm and flooding. 85 kms

13 December A warm sunny day! From Goolwa I followed an on- and off-road bike route along the coast to Victor Harbor, often slightly above the long beaches and rocky interludes and also through bush corridors. It was scenic but complicated.

I had morning smoko in Victor Harbor as it clouded over. I bought some food and by the time I left town to make my crossing of the Fleurieu Peninsula it was raining and very windy. After yesterday's experience I decided to ride through the rain but I was soon uncomfortably hot in my rain jacket and I stopped at a roadside shelter. Then I sheltered at the Lower Inman tennis club.

One more stop and I got to Inman Valley which I remembered from the Heysen; there was a Christmas party in progress at the shop so I couldn't go in and check if it was better stocked! I had lunch with a cacophony of cockatoos and the weather cleared a bit. The scenery has changed to rolling grassy hills and large gum trees. 

I had a big climb out of Inman Valley, I could see the Gulf St Vincent from the top, and a really nice long descent. At Yankalilla, surprised to find shops, I had coffee.

Easy ride to Normanville and at the caravan park I got a good spot behind the dunes. It was a beautiful beach with a series of misty headlands to the south. Unfortunately far too windy to eat my fish and chips by the beach. 61 kms

14 December I got my tent down as light rain started. Still windy. The hardest hills of the trip awaited me. I called in at Carrickalinga beach then commenced a long steep climb to a ridge with good coastal views. Then slight descent to Myponga dam, rode across the dam wall and up to the viewing area. From here the climb continued over grassy hills. I was glad to be wind assisted and (so far) dry but I could see rain inland. The initial descent was steep then I joined the main road and had an enjoyable descent with full ocean views. 

As I came into Sellicks Beach the rain caught me but I found a cafe. I had to go inland a bit then had a lovely stretch on a beachside trail to Port Willunga beach

then more inland with numerous hills and I came down to Moana beach. There was a good view back along the coast, beaches backed by low cliffs. The beaches feel urban here. I ate hot chips at Moana, that's how cold it was.

The next bit on the clifftop to Noarlunga was great, then I crossed the Onkaparinga River and went up steep beachside roads. At Sullivans beach I had to go inland again, this time on a busy main road which was really unpleasant, until Hallett Cove where I followed a small road then a rail side bike path. Everything is so hilly, quite unexpected.

I was pleased to get to the beach at Kingston Park and it was beautiful in sunshine, finally, so I checked into the Brighton caravan park right on the beach (although not quite in Brighton). I ate at the surf club with a fantastic sea view. Could be my last night ever in the Nemo. 74 kms

15 December A bit of sunshine for the finish. I stayed on the lovely beach path through Seacliff, Brighton with art deco ornamented jetty (original mission accomplished) then Glenelg, West Beach to the Torrens River linear trail.

I followed this trail, sometimes swapping sides of the river, with the river diminishing to a trickle surrounded by trees and then wide and landscaped as I passed the weir and arrived at the festival centre. I went under King William Road bridge and designated Lounders Boatshed cafe to be my finish line. 

Despite copious rainfall and lack of sunshine this has been a great trip. 26 kms, total 1367 kms

Yamba to Nambucca Heads coast walk

I walked most of the Yuraygir Coast Walk in northern NSW as a series of day walks during my escape from covid lockdown in 2020 and I ran most of the Coffs Coast Solitary Islands Walk in 2007 as an ultra. This time I wanted to walk the whole Yuraygir and Solitary Islands trails in one unbroken hike (and perhaps continue south).

8 November I decided to begin in Yamba and walk along the beaches to Angourie, the northern terminus of the Yuraygir Coast Walk, and I made a late start in order to walk at low tide. Several people had advised this. The wide beaches were beautiful and separated by rocky headlands, also I crossed a few rock platforms; it was easy going. At Angourie Point I joined the official trail and went along the cliffs through pandanus and later banksias. I surprised several goannas. This was a swanky new track, a section of trail that was closed when I came in 2020 and not possible on the beach so I hadn't done it. I returned to the sand and after Shelley Beach Head (lunch) I walked along Shelley Beach, the first of the longer beaches. Then another long beach before I came to Lake Arragan. I went on past grey cliffs, over higher red cliffs, more grey cliffs to Grey Cliff campsite right above the beach and with kangaroos hanging around. 19 kms

9 November I walked the beach to Brooms Head at high tide and already hot sun, and had breakfast at the beachside café looking back at the red cliffs. (I had missed out this part of the place in 2020.) I went over the top of Brooms headland (rocks below) and walked the 7 1/2 km beach to the Sandon River mouth. From the north side I got a less than 2-minute boat ride across to Sandon settlement. I clambered around the rocks - slow going - to Sandon Beach and walked the 9 km beach; it was very wide at low tide and had a few 4WDs. The ocean looked stunning.

At the far end I came off the beach for lunch at Illaroo picnic tables. A bush turkey and an enormous goanna (tongue flapping wildly) visited. I had some bush, paperbarks followed by banksia forest, then onto Minnie Water Beach. I walked through the edge of the place, not seeing the shop I had enjoyed in 2020, and then walked the length of MW back beach. It was an incoming tide and I had to walk on softer sand. (I had to keep going so that I can get to Red Rock at low tide tomorrow.) The next bit was rock platforms and small curved beaches, very nice, and a short inland trail to Boorkoom campsite, smallish on the cliff top. 31 kms

10 November I went over Wilsons Headland in bush, stepped over a little brown snake, and down onto Wooli Beach.

It was a muggy grey day with spots of rain. The tide was high so I had to walk on soft sand through seaweed. I glimpsed several dolphins far out. In Wooli I went to the cafe, which was amazingly busy for such a small town. Then I got a boat ride 2 kms out to and across the Wooli Wooli River mouth. This next 7 kms of the trail had been logistically impossible in 2020. It turned out to be quite different from the rest of the trail: small beaches with tiny pebbles and backed by steep hillsides, lots of pandanus, also long rock platforms of sharp granite.

It was slow going and I was glad of some feint paths over the hillsides that avoided the more awkward rocks. I was relieved to reach a sandy beach. After another stretch of rock I came to the curve of sand that was Pebbly Beach and then Station Creek; I waded this and it was just over knee deep. I came onto Station Creek Beach, a huge expanse of flat sand and clearly very low tide. Little islands offshore and the red rock at Red Rock looming prominently. I sped along in sunshine with a tailwind and reached the Corindi River (beside the red rock) dead on low tide. I decided I could cross at the entrance as there were only small waves and the deeper channel was narrow. I packed away all my gear (except my drink bottle) and headed into the water. It shelved gradually to waist deep then plunged to chest deep and I felt a strong undertow but really quickly I was back in shallow water, all ok except that my drink bottle had floated off and soon disappeared. My pack had only let in water where it was torn and my dry bags had done as they're supposed to. I went straight to the caravan park. That's the Yuraygir Coast Walk finished. In the late afternoon I walked up the red rock

and saw that the river crossing would have been treacherous at high tide. I ate at the bowling club. 20 kms

11 November I set out along the first beach of the Solitary Islands walk, a long one in hot sunshine. After 4 kms there was a slight point, backed by pandanus, banksias, casuarinas and Norfolk Island pines,

and then another 4 kms of Corindi beach to Arrawarra. I'm conflicted over these long beaches: daunting in length as I start out but always beautiful. At Arrawarra I made coffee and continued over the headland to a small beach, another larger headland to Mullaway beach and then Mullaway headland, from where I could still see the red rock and it looked very far away. I had to walk longer Safety beach, with some welcome bush at the start, and then I tried to avoid walking all of Woolgoolga beach by turning inland but I was going to be trapped by the Woolgoolga lake so I returned to the beach, and my next challenge was crossing Woolgoolga Creek estuary. It didn't look much and it was only shin deep but the outflowing current was strong and I had a fight to get across. Another kilometre on the beach and I called it a day in Woolgoolga. I walked around Woolgoolga headland without my pack; extensive rock platforms

and a view of many more long sandy beaches, plus a couple of tiny islands (one with a lighthouse). 20 kms

12 November I walked along a back road (saw 2 kangaroos in the bush and yellow tailed black cockatoos) to Wills Creek which barely reached the beach, and continued on Woolgoolga back beach

then beautiful sandy Sandy Beach. I walked out on the headland - little pebbly coves and sheer cliffs -

and along Fiddamans beach to the park in Emerald Beach. The beaches are such perfect sandy sweeps backed by low grassy dunes and steeper bush covered dunes, but it is hot work. Another headland, Dammerels, with a lovely view of the full length of Look At Me Now headland.

After a short beach I was on that headland and there were kangaroos everywhere.

 

When I came around the point I could see dolphins jumping in the water, and a large pod hanging out beyond some surfers. As I started along Moonee beach (4 kms) the pod was alongside for a bit.

Off shore was an island that looked like it had cracked in two, Split Island. At the end of the beach was Moonee Creek estuary crossing I'd been worried about but I was able to paddle across mid thigh deep. Then Sapphire beach and I stopped to rest under a pandanus. At the campground there I bought an ice block and noodles for lunch, having failed to detour to any of the better stocked shops along the route. I went over Diggers headland, rocks below, and walked a little beach; at the far end I had to scramble over rocks to avoid the incoming swell and I wasn't surprised the trail made a turn inland, sadly through a new housing development. I came back to the beach via creeks. Then a nice cliff top walkway partly in bush and a stretch in rainforest with tangled vines. Lots of bush turkeys. This was already Coffs Harbour. I had another sandy beach, Diggers, and the wind had come up strongly. My heart fell as I saw the length of Park beach, my final beach for today, as the wind made walking unpleasant even though it was a tailwind. I was happy to get to the caravan park half way along. 28 kms

13 November I walked to the marina and out on the breakwater to Muttonbird Island. It was extremely windy, now a southerly. I climbed to the high point of the island, past lots of burrows, for views of ..... beaches I had walked, and a grey hinterland. Soon I was setting out on 6 km Boambee beach, a beautiful stretch of emptiness, going directly into the wind and it was high tide so almost no firm sand. The sole movements I saw were a couple of oystercatchers and 2 planes taking off (the airport is behind the dunes).

At the far end I crossed Boambee Creek on a gangway under the railway bridge and walked around the headland (good views of the long beach) to Murrays beach. Half way along was a perfectly situated cafe. I went into Sawtell to buy food then headed to Bonville Creek. This is the southern terminus of the Solitary Islands walk but I was continuing south. I decided to cross even though it wasn't yet low tide and there was plenty of water in the creek. I was only a short way into the water when I realised it was deeper than I first thought so I took off my pack and swam holding onto it with one hand. I had to battle the current to reach the far bank, which shelved steeply. When I was out of the creek I could see my pack was full of water and emptying out the water on the beach it was impossible not to get everything covered in sand. At least I wasn't cold. I was on a truly deserted beach, 7 kms long, and I couldn't see the far end but the wind was no longer an irritation. I had lots of firm sand to walk on. At the end was Bundagen head, a low headland and rocks, and from there I walked a nice trail through rainforest in the swale, coming onto the beach at a cluster of rocks, Tuckers Rocks. Then a rough track into Mylestom and the caravan park. My gear wasn't as wet as I had feared. 26 kms

14 November I had breakfast on the beautiful beach with a return to blue sky. I had to walk inland from Mylestom to get to the first bridge across the Bellinger River. First I walked closely by the wide river, then I crossed it and walked quiet roads to the Kalang River, another wide one. On the far bank, on the outskirts of Urunga, I saw a cafe so I called in. I didn't stay long in Urunga. I walked the long boardwalk through the mangroves to the Bellinger/Kalang combined river mouth - it looked benign but there were warning signs. (I could see Tuckers Rocks up the beach and my 14 kms morning had clearly been a huge detour). Then I was back on a fabulous beach and walked to Hungry Head; the campground I was expecting wasn't there so I went on, and I didn't mind since it was low tide and I had a tailwind. I went around a couple of rocky points and walked the next beach for several hours. Where it morphed from Hungry Head South beach to North Valla beach there was an isolated rock and a creek that didn't reach the ocean. At the far end I continued over the rocks to some smaller coves beneath a headland and passed some caves, only accessible at low tide. I arrived at the next long beach and soon a creek to cross, wide but shallow. A bit further on I crossed the dunes to a footbridge over the same creek, now deep and 50 metres wide, to reach the caravan park in Valla Beach. There were masses of yellow tailed cockatoos. 28 kms

15 November I watched fish jumping in the creek while I had breakfast then went back onto South Valla beach. The sky had a black patch overhead and soon it rained spottily. It was dead on high tide and I had an unavoidable creek followed by beach works where I had to walk in the water. Right there was Nambucca Heads surf club with good views from the veranda cafe of the hinterland peaks and the line of headlands I've passed. I waited for the tide to drop (it didn't) and the rain shower to finish then walked my final beach, Shelly beach, a short curve of sand and a heron. I crossed the headland to the Nambucca River mouth and followed a path alongside mangroves to my motel, then a quick uphill into the centre of Nambucca Heads, my finish line as there is no way across the river except on the highway far inland. 8 kms, total 182 kms

Some walks in Victoria

I found notes on the internet for a route right across the Dandenongs, the Dandenong Ranges Trail, so I decided to walk it over four days.

8 October I drove to Emerald and took the bus to Gembrook where the route started. This section was on the Eastern Dandenong Ranges trail and followed the Puffing Billy train line closely, mainly passing grassy hills with a few forays into forest. I skirted Emerald Lake and walked through the Nobelius Gardens then followed a ridge line to Emerald. 13 kms

9 October I went by train to Belgrave and got the bus to Emerald. I descended a long way to Menzies Creek and followed this creek, then Sassafras Creek, all really lovely with masses of tree ferns but within earshot of roads, which detracted from the sensation of being deep in the forest. I had a break in Kallista then took Coles Ridge Road, one of my favourite trails, to Belgrave. 20 kms

11 October I went back to Belgrave by train. It was a beautiful day and coincidentally the most scenic part of the route. I took the Hillclimb track into Sherbrooke Forest, looked at Sherbrooke Falls and walked through Alfred Nicholas Gardens back down to Sassafras Creek. I followed the creek to Sassafras and went up to Olinda for a cafe break. From here I had a long descent in ferny forest, contoured Mt Dandenong and started the steepish climb. I took a couple of spur trails to the tv towers and the top of Mt Corhanwarrabul, although the best view (to the cbd, bay and You Yangs) was from the lower trail. Then I reached the summit of Mt Dandenong for more views. All day the birds were wonderful - kookaburras, rosellas, cockatoos, a lyrebird. I descended towards Kalorama through the Hamer Arboretum and ended up at a random bus stop on Mt Dandenong Tourist Road in Kalorama. I took a bus to Croydon station. Whoever had programmed the spoken stop announcements had not given clear enough instructions with the result that (for example) "1234 Mt Dandenong Tourist Road" was spoken as "One thousand two hundred and thirty four megatons Dandenong Tourist Road". 18 kms

13 October I returned to Croydon station and hopped on the same bus back to where I left off. Sadly the bus I was on did not go along the same road and I ended up back in Olinda. As the 2 kms section of trail in Kalorama I had been about to embark on was fenced off (I noticed this yesterday) I elected to cut my losses and do an alternative 2 kms return to the main route from Olinda, bypassing the closed section, after a coffee; it was raining and cold. The rain wasn't stopping so I headed out and walked through the Dandenong Ranges Botanic Garden, stunning with all the magnolias, rhododendrons, camelias and azalias in flower. When I wanted to exit the gardens I found only a locked gate and I contemplated climbing it, just then a park ranger turned up and I asked if he could unlock it, which he kindly did. I descended deep into the forest and followed Olinda Creek which was lovely despite the rain: gums, tree ferns and quiet. The bird life was muted today, just a couple of crimson rosellas. Sylvan Reservoir park was closed so I turned for another crossing of Olinda Creek and after a brief time on the pipeline trail (which I remembered not too fondly from the Trailwalker) I was on the Mt Evelyn Aqueduct trail. The rain stopped briefly. This was a pleasant stretch of bush and took me into Mt Evelyn. I had coffee and sat out a heavy shower. I stayed on the trail to a large area of wetlands and remained in urban bush by a swollen Olinda Creek to Lilydale Lake (which was much larger than I expected). When I reached Lilydale it was again pouring so I got the train straight away. 22 kms

Warrnambool to Port Fairy

I was overdue for some coastal walking and I read that it was possible to walk from Warrnambool to Port Fairy along the beach.

16 October As a warm up I walked to the breakwater on the bay in Warrnambool and set out from there heading east on the beach. It was windy and not warm. At the end of the bay was the Hopkins River mouth. I crossed on a bridge and walked on paths to Logans Beach whale watching platform. No whales. I returned along the beach to the bridge then followed the path above the beach back to Warrnambool and my motel. 17 kms

17 October My motel was far from the beach so I had a 4 kms walk to the starting point of the route to Port Fairy at Thunder Rocks. There was a boardwalk above the rocks then a sandy trail, and a couple of small beaches where I had to cross headlands on the scrub covered cliffs. I surprised a snake. At the 5 km mark I came onto the sand. It was mid tide so the sand was ok for walking but I passed a few places that would force you onto the soft sandy dunes at high tide. After a while the sand changed from yellow to beige and the sky changed from cloudy to completely blue. I saw flocks of hooded plovers, a few oystercatchers, gulls and a few fairy terns. Few shells and a lot of seaweed in places. Around half way there were patches of volcanic rocks on the beach and an offshore reef so the ocean became calm. The dunes alternated with flat scrub and the beach was mostly broken into indistinct bays until I passed Killarney and embarked on the final very large bay; I could see Port Fairy lighthouse way in the distance. Coming into Port Fairy I had nice wide beach to walk on and I stayed on it until I had to cross the Moyne River to get into town. The town was unusually quiet. 29 kms

18 October An interesting day. I wanted to walk west along the coast from PF and the tourist centre woman had said it was possible to walk to the Crags and on to Yambuk (for a bus back), even to Portland, although this seemed unlikely to me. At the first beach I asked a local how far I could go along the beaches and she said only a few kilometres because I would have to detour onto private land. Later I asked another local and she said I could go quite a way, to a cliff top cafe (which I never saw). I walked across several lovely pale beaches, noticing far more large swathes of volcanic boulders than yesterday, often with little tracks enabling a way through. The tide was out, the shore birds were chilling and the sun was shining. Ten kms along I crossed a stream and I could see a woman ahead; when I caught up to her I asked about the feasibility of my walk and she guided me through her property, saying I could get to Yambuk quite easily on the beach from then on. Unfortunately this wasn't accurate. After I left her I had a difficult stretch of volcanic boulders and I went across some patches of deep grass (hidden snakes?) on private land. Eventually I reached a footpath and it led back to the beach. This was a long beach of yellow sand with sheer sandy cliffs and yellow rocks dotted around the sand.

I could see flat topped Lady Julia Percy Island out to sea. But at the end of the beach I could see no way of getting past the high rocks and when I climbed onto the cliffs it was all dense bush.

I poked around but I could go no further west so I reluctantly turned back. I had made it 13 kms from PF. I saw a rough trail heading inland and followed it to avoid the awkward boulders and private land, ending up walking a little on the highway. I came back to the beach by the woman's property, crossed the stream and walked the beaches back to town. 27 kms

Northern Grampians

When I went to the Grampians in April I was surprised how beautiful the area was so I decided to go back there for an overnight walk in the northern part. On my drive there Tash announced she had gone into labour; it was such a lovely day that I continued on but curtailed my planned walk to get home sooner. 

23 October I parked at Troopers Creek and started walking towards Mt Difficult, passing three lightly cascading waterfalls. The weather was perfect and the flies abundant. My eyes constantly stung with sweat. I was heading for a cliff line protruding from the thick forest. After reaching the first tier of cliffs I headed for a further line and I was increasingly climbing on rocky steps, sometimes passing between boulders. I dumped my pack and detoured to Briggs Bluff, several times losing the trail and ending up bashing through prickly scrub. The trail was often on huge rock slopes which was fun. The view from the bluff was towards the Wimmera plains. I returned to the main trail and went through bush and over rock to Gar campsite where I again dumped my pack. I went another kilometre to the summit of Mt Difficult (Gar) with a lot of walking on lengthy rock flows. The view from the summit was over the entire Grampians range and local lakes, and quite stunning. I rejoined my pack and put up my tent, by which time it was dusk and the sky was turning red. From the campsite I had a fabulous view across the lower forest towards the western peaks. 12 kms

24 October In the night a really strong wind came up making a huge din. I had breakfast inside the ultra luxurious Gar hut because I couldn't possibly have boiled water outside in the wind. I descended on the rock and steps enjoying the absence of flies. I wanted to stop at one of the waterfalls to make coffee but it was always too windy. I got back to the car and drove to Beehive Falls trailhead then walked the short distance to the falls and found a sheltered spot for coffee. 11 kms

Wilsons Prom 

It's a gap in my walking resume that I haven't properly done the Prom, so I went there.

1 November It was really cold as I set out from Telegraph Saddle and walked the gravel road down into the valley, passing a couple of little waterfalls. I saw a wallaby and huge noisy black cockatoos. Beyond the next junction I was in banksia bush with nice views over the whole forested Prom. At the water's edge, the base of the forest, are huge granite boulders with orange stains. I came to Waterloo Bay with a wide white beach than Little Waterloo Bay with a smaller but equally white beach. From there I was in ferny rainforest crossing an headland until I reached dry tea tree forest. I detoured to Kersops Peak for a view over the many bays but there were better views of multiple beaches and forest on the descent to Refuge Cove. This was a deep cove with two pretty beaches and my campsite among the trees. I made coffee (by the toilet for shelter) and when I got back to my gear a raven had got into my pack via the zip, bitten into my food bag and torn open the flavour sachet from my noodles so there was powder everywhere in my bag. (Later I saw the bird fly off with a hiker's chocolate bar and peck at someone else's bag.) I walked to North Refuge Beach for a nice and peaceful sit on the boulders. The day never warmed up but nor did it rain. 20 kms

2 November I walked back to Waterloo Bay and had breakfast with a view over the bay. Shortly after I saw it sleek wombat chewing away.

I walked the length of Waterloo Beach, so bright I had to put on my sunnies. Then I followed the coastline before having a long climb to get across a headland; at the top I could see the lighthouse two more headlands away. It was pleasant walking, lots of flowering correa, some orchids, with the ocean always there. I walked up to the lighthouse where it was extremely windy (of course, lighthouses are always in windy locations).

I looked around the museum then continued along the coast and when I came to a boulder at the top of the climb I had lunch with a view over the lighthouse's bouldery headland. 

The trail turned inland, going steeply up and down to Roaring Meg campsite beside a (tranquil) creek. It was busy so I had coffee then went on following a vehicle track. A wombat darted across the road. After a few kms I had an extensive view over the western side of the Prom and double humped Norman Island. I stopped at Halfway Hut campsite where there was a school group and little yellow birds. 27 kms

3 November At Telegraph Junction I turned off for Oberon Bay and walked a sandy track through banksias, grass trees and tea tree. I walked the length of this big beach - it was very low tide.

Looming over the end of the beach was towering Mt Oberon. Then the trail followed the coastline to curving Little Oberon Beach and up over a headland towards Tidal River. I detoured to Norman lookout for a view towards islands. The trail ended at huge Norman Beach so I walked that one, then crossed a camping area and made the final (uphill) road walk back to my car. 17 kms