Victorian Highlands (RP)

Here’s an interesting way to get to Port Melbourne from Canberra which avoids the Hume Highway and takes in  a bit of the Victorian Highlands (43% gravel).

Route Plan
Day 1 – Canberra to Taylors Crossing Campsite

The first leg runs thru Cooma and Jindabyne and then via Barry Way and Limestone Road to Benambra.

Shop in Benambra for dinner and breakfast at the campsite. Alternatively, pub stay in Benambra and don’t camp that night – save a 34km round trip to Taylors Crossing.

Destination Distance Arrive Depart
Canberra     11:15 AM
Jindabyne 164 1:45 PM 2:15 PM
Benambra 210    
Taylors Crossing Campsite 17 3:30 PM  
Total 390    
Fuel Range (Jindabyne to Benambra) 210    
Gravel (Barry Way and Limestone Rd) 140    

Benambra Pub has single rooms for $50 incl breakfast.

Day 2 – Taylors Crossing to Horseyards Flat

Breakfast in Omeo, lunch in Dargo. Shop in Briagalong for dinner at campsite.

Either run up to Pinnacles Lookout after setting up the tent or in the morning – or both depending on the road.

Destination Distance Arrive Depart
Taylors Crossing     9:00 AM
Omeo 43 9:45 PM 10:30 AM
Dargo 134 11:45 AM  12:45 PM 
Briagalong 78 2:00 PM  2:30 PM
Horseyards Flat 56 3:30 PM   
Round trip to Pinnacles Lookout 20    
Total 331    
Fuel Range (Omeo to Dargo) 134    
Gravel  (Dargo Highplains Rd) 48    
Gravel (Freestone and Marathon Rds) 99    

Golden Age Hotel in Omeo – $50 single rooms…

Day 3 – Horseyards Flat to Port Melbourne

A late breakfast in Licola and late lunch in Marysville.

Ferry departure is 7:30PM for an overnight passage.

Destination Distance Arrive Depart
Horseyards Flat     9:00 AM
Licola 78 10:45 AM 11:30 AM
Marysville 135 1:30 PM  2:30 PM 
Waterfront Place 103 4:30 PM  
Total 316    
Fuel Range (Licola to Marysville) 135    
Gravel (3 various) 141    

Nundle Overnight (RR)

Ride report: 02-03 November 2018
Highlights
  • Pheasants Creek Road – joins Barrington Tops Forest Road with Tomalla Road. Great scenery and really good track.
  • Nowendoc Road from Nowendoc in the north along the Cooplacurripa, Rowleys and Nowendoc Rivers to Caffreys Flat in the south.


Legend:

  • red line as recorded track,
  • orange dots are spotwalla data points (using BubbleGPS) – 10 minute intervals
  • There may picture icons which contain photos and standard message icons for breaks.
  • S & F – start and finish.
general route
Icon

Nundle Overnight GPX 414.22 KB 17 downloads

2 Tracks - IN and OUT from McDonalds Raymond Terrace to Nundle overnight. The OUT...

From Raymond Terrace, via:

East Seaham, Glen Martin Road, Mashdale, Dungog, Monkerai to Gloucester. Then Barrington Tops Forest Road, Pheasants Creek Road, Tomalla,  Pages Creek Road, Sergeants Gap, thru Crawney Station and Crawney Road to Nundle.

Forest Way, Topdale Road and Thunderbols Way to Nowendoc, then Nowendoc Road to Bundook and Belbora Creek Rd to The Buckett’s Way.

Krambach south through Bunyah and then Koolonock Road through Bulahdelah State Forest to Wootton Way.

Video
Number of Riders
2
incidents
none
Commentary

The 6kms of Pheasants Creek Road to Tomalla Road was quite special. The track was a really nice cobble stone like surface and very well maintained by NPs. The vegetation was varied and very attractive.

A fantastic alternative to Barry and Glenrock Station crossing between Nundle and Ellerston. The run through Crawney Station is a really nice track. Sergeants Gap is pretty steep and even though uphill seems easier in most cases than downhill, I’m not sure if I’d like to go south and uphill thru Sergeants Gap. But that’s just my first memory of it.

Nowendoc Road was also a highlight, I love those valleys where you see the track wind out in front over and through all the hills. An ever present river adds scenic charm and the road is well maintained –  a “commodore road”.

Koolonock Road thru Buladelah State Forest is a favourite of mine. It runs along a ridge so avoids the sort of damage brought by heavy rains. But this time it was obvious there had been very little traffic lately. As a result the leaf litter was heavy, making it difficult to read the track surface. As a result there were frequent shocks and the need for caution along most the track.

cautions

None

accommodation

Overnight accommodation at Peel Inn Hotel, Nundle. Good value at $45/n share twin incl hot breakfast.

OSM Map Corrections

None

Stats

Actual 695kms

Ambient Temp 21-37C
Max Engine Temp (at front rocker cover) 127C
Road Conditions no rain
all roads dry & dusty
some causeways
very little water
Costs Fuel: $40
O/N: $45 (incl breakfast)
Tyres: finished my motoz tractionator