Hooroo

As I sit here in the Blasta Brewing Company, slowly working my way through their food and beer menu, I contemplate the last eight weeks of travelling across this wild and beautiful place.

With the end insight, I must confessing to loving the journey. I have seen things, such as the technicolor reefs, that I have never seen before, and I may never again. The red outback sands with their soulful indigenous stories truly opened my mind and enriched my spirit. Above all though, life on the open road in a country rich with possibility changed my outlook on life.

I would urge everyone to travel as far and as widely as possible. Find out how other people live. Learn from them, wherever you go...

Fremantle

Fremantle's relaxed spirit is just what is needed for this weary traveller. I wander around the formerly grand Victorian and Edwardian buildings that line the streets of the city. Ducking into the Western Australian Museum to view the impressive Shipwreck Galleries, which are considered the finest display of maritime archaeology in the southern hemisphere.

After, I settle down for a long lunch and an opportunity to rest my legs whilst completing a beer tasting session at the Little Creatures Brewery.

Final stop of the day is a tour of the Fremantle Prison. With its 5m-high foreboding walls, the convict-era prison is a real eye-opening experience into the harsh conditions that greeted most new arrivals to Australia in the early days.

My day ended in my own prison cell, packing my bags for tomorrow's departure...

Meet the Quokkas

After the bounciest of boat rides to Rottnest Island, I spend the day cycling around the tiny island. En-route I see pods of seals sunbathing on the rocks, pods of dolphins playing the bay and pods of whales cruising by the island all from the comfort of my bicycle.

My favourite of all the wildlife on display are the quokkas. The cute little docile bundles of fur have a reputation of being the happiest animal on Earth and have little fear of humans. Which, given the behaviour of the majority of the tourists, is not a good thing!

Perth

I am travel weary, so I wander around the pristine parkland of Perth and then while away the rest of the day reading my book whilst sipping craft beers and filling my belly with some top-notch food.

Flying to Perth!

The long way round…

Distance: 9.3km

Kata Tjuta

A striking group of domed rocks huddled together, Kata Tjuta is 35km west of the Rock and home to the Valley of the Winds walk which winds through the spectacular Mars-like landscape surrounding Kata Tjuta. The views from this challenging walk are breathtaking and well worth the effort. 

Upon the completion of the loop, I follow the short walk into Walpa Gorge. It is like entering an ancient temple crafted by nature. Inside, the rocky track gently rises to a seasonal stream, passing rare plants and ending at a grove of spearwood.

With the sun descending in the winter sky, I drive to the Kata Tjuta sunset viewing area, the place to experience a stunning Kata Tjuta sunset. I follow the camel tracks into the shrubland for a bit of solitude and to contemplate the domes changing from pink to deep red as the sun goes down.

Distance: 114.5km

Uluru

An early morning wander around the shrubland surrounding Talinguru Nyakunytjaku, the main sunrise viewing area for Uluru, to find the perfect spot to capture the sunrise. At dawn, the first rays of sunlight appear over the sand dunes. The sun rises and the rock comes to life as light and shade dance across the ripples on its surface.

After a spot of breakfast at the Cultural Centre, I follow the Liru Walk to meet at the base of the climbing point for a ranger-guided walk to Kantju Gorge. This is where the Mala people camped when they arrived at Uluru in the beginning. There are examples of Anangu rock art along the way and the tour ends at the sheer vertical walls and profound peacefulness of Kantju Gorge.

I continue to explore the natural and cultural beauty of Uluru by escaping the crowds on the Base Walk which circumnavigates the rock. The walk takes a meandering journey through acacia woodlands and grassed claypans to get up close and personal with the rock and follow in the footsteps of the ancestral beings that shaped the landscape. For this is a sacred place, the homeland of the oldest, most continuous human presence on Earth.

After seeing so many selfish people wobble and crawl their way up Uluru, it was lovely to see, back at the Cultural Centre, that many more people signed the "I will not climb" book to respect the wishes of the traditional owners.

Distance: 85.5km

Drive to Yulara

A ribbon of tarmac takes me back to the Lasseter Highway, which in turn will take me to the red heart of Australia. Much of the way it is fairly standard central Australian scenery with red sand, scrub and spinifex to the horizon until I reach Mount Conner.

Mount Conner pokes 350m out of the desert and is easily mistaken for Uluru. I stop for a quick peek from the lookout and pay a quick visit to the salt pan across the road.

The highlight of the journey tho, is the first sighting of Uluru as I approach Yulara. Sometimes these world-famous sights end up being a let-down when you actually see them. Then there's Uluru: nothing can truly prepare you for the immensity, grandeur, changing colour of the "Rock". It really is a sight that will sear itself into your mind forever.

I spend a few hours at the Uluru car sunset viewing area waiting patiently to take the quintessential Uluru photo. As the sun sinks behind me, the rock transforms from pinkish hues to a fluorescent orange and deep shades of red. The sky also displays a varied palette of colours, with the rock surrounded by delicate baby blues and bright pinks.

I then head to Yulara, the service village for the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, which has turned one of the World's least hospitable regions into a comfortable place to stay for the night.

Distance: 330.7km

Kings Canyon Rim Walk

The ancient red canyon walls soar hundreds of metres above Kings Creek to a plateau of rocky domes. The Rim Walk begins with a strenuous, steep climb to the top of the Canyon, where I am treated to spectacular views from the Canyon Rim. About half way along, the route descends from the rim to the Garden of Eden, a lush pocket of ferns and prehistoric cycads around a tranquil pool. The track then climbs back to the rim to wind through a swarm of giant beehive domes: weathered sandstone outcrops, whilst skirting the canyon for a final time before descending to the carpark.

The Kings Canyon impresses with its scale and raw beauty. I am keen to experience a little more of the canyon from a different perspective , so I follow the Kings Creek Walk. This short stroll along the rocky creek bed to a raised platform (which was closed due to flood damage) with views of the towering canyon rim.

On the way back to Kings Creek Station, I drop in to the the Karrke Aboriginal Experience. Christine and Peter, who live in a small Aboriginal community called Wanmarra (population of 10), explain their ancient culture and connectedness to the land through their weapons, musical instruments, jewellery, bush tucker, medicines and the evolution and meaning of their language.

I finally return to the bush camping experience of Kings Creek Station. The cosy safari-style cabin, pitched among the desert oaks, is my home for the night. From the comfort of my cabin, I try a spot of night photography...

Distance: 83.5km

Driving to Kings Creek Station

Leaving the fenced off, CCTV covered communities of Alice Springs, I begin to clock up long desert kilometres along the Stuart Highway towards Australia’s most famous icon. About 140 km south of Alice, the Earnest Giles Road heads off to the west of the the sealed highway.

Eleven kilometres west of the Stuart Highway, a gravel track leads 5km off Ernest Giles Road to a cluster of twelve small craters, known as the Henbury Meteorite Craters. They were formed after a meteor fell to Earth 4700 years ago. The largest of the craters is 180m wide and 15m deep and is surrounded by some beautiful country.

I re-join the Earnest Giles Road to drive across an ancient landscape of spinifex and swirling skeins of red dust through the Aboriginal Australian-owned Angas Downs Indigenous Protected Area. The orange sand of the Earnest Giles Road changes to the tarmac of the Luritja Road as I enter the Watarrka National Park, home to the yawning chasm of Kings Canyon.

Whilst checking in to the Kings Creek Station, Janet asks about my journey and her face drops... "In that?!" as she points at Bernard. Janet then describes potholes the size of the Henbury Meteorite Craters. I describe the complete opposite of this; where I could power-slide through the smooth sandy corners. Janet then shrugs and concludes that the Earnest Giles Road must have been recently graded. Lucky break I guess ;-)

Distance: 302.9km

West MacDonnell Ranges

An early morning saunter across Alice Springs to collect my new rental car for the next part of my trip. Bernard and I become acquainted on the short drive out of Alice Springs to Simpsons Gap, located in the West MacDonnell National Park. Simpsons Gap is a stunning gorge carved out of the West MacDonnell Ranges by Roe Creek. 

Next stop along Namatjira Drive is Ellery Creek Big Hole, a large permanent picturesque waterhole. The Ochre Pits line a dry creek bed further west and were the source of pigment for Aboriginal people. The various coloured ochres - mainly yellow, white and red-brown - are weathered limestone, with iron-oxide creating the colours.

The majestic Ormiston Gorge is 25 km beyond the Ochre Pits. It is the most impressive chasm in the West MacDonnells. I spend time lazing by the waterhole, shaded with ghost gums, waiting to see the abundance of wildlife promised in the guidebooks. 

I guess the mid-afternoon sun was too much for the locals critters, so I abandon my stakeout and begin the 135 km return journey eastwards along the Namatjira Drive to Alice Springs.

Distance: 302.4km

Arriving in the Outback

An early morning call alerts me to the stop at Marla to watch the sun rise over the Outback. I clamber off the train and set foot on the rust coloured sand for the first time in temperatures somewhat cooler than I was expecting! We huddle together to witness an unforgettable Outback sunrise and munch on bacon and egg sliders. 

Back on the train, brunch is served on the train and soon we are crossing the state border and into the Northern Territory. North of Kulgera is the Iron Man sculpture to commemorate the millionth track sleeper and the workers who laid them and built the line during the 1970s. As the train rumbles over the Finke River bridge, it is roughly as close as the railway gets to Uluru. The train continues northwards across this barren landscape with the odd sign of life being a welcome distraction from the otherwise stoney desert.

The approach to Alice is unmistakable. Ahead lie the tall MacDonnell Ranges, and the train heads for a gap so narrow that there is room only for the railway, the Todd River and a two-lane road. From a distance it looks as though a giant angle-grinder has been taken to the mountains. 

Alice Springs serves as the gateway to Central Australia's most famous landscapes. For some of us, Alice is the end of the line. Others stop long enough for tours of the town, variously visiting the Flying Doctor Service Museum, Anzac Hill, the Women Pioneers’ hall of fame, a reptile centre and the Telegraph Station.

Me? I find my hostel, dump my luggage and wander around the town. Alice would not win a beauty contest, but it could possibly be the CCTV Capital of the World! On this first encounter, I am beginning to witness first hand the complexities of Aboriginal Australia and the present-day challenges. I also visit the stunning gallery of Papunya Tula Artists, which showcases magnificent artworks from the Western Desert communities.

The Ghan

The legendary Ghan, whose name supposedly honours the pioneering Afghan camel drivers who arrived in Australia in the late nineteenth century with animals imported from India, is one of the World’s greatest railway journeys. With thirty eight carriages and stretching a kilometre in length, this hotel on wheels runs through the heart of the country. The train is hauled by two locomotives and three power vans. The kilometre long train contains four kitchens, five restaurants and five bars. Australia’s Red Centre is one of the most charismatic wildernesses in the world, and The Ghan is unquestionably the most comfortable way to see it. 

My journey begins at Adelaide station, a few kilometres from the city centre, and the train is soon bowling across the farming country of the Adelaide Plains, passing the turbines of Snowtown Wind Farm along the Hummock and Barunga ranges. To the north the Flinders Ranges comes into view. By Crystal Brook, sheep have been added to wheat. Unlovely Port Pirie is the centre of South Australia’s heavy industry with colossal silver, lead and zinc smelters dominating the landscape. The estuary-like Spencer Gulf is within view for much of the way to Port Augusta, gateway to the outback and its vital supply centre. This was the southern terminus of the original narrow-gauge Ghan service to Alice Springs.

Darkness descends as the train winds through sand hills and scrub forest, so I retire to my cabin to be rocked to sleep by the locomotion of the train...

Adelaide

A tourist sight, or a shopping opportunity? Either way, the first stop of the day satisfies my culinary cravings at the myriad of stalls in the superb Adelaide Central Market. German sausage, English cheese, Greek yoghurt - you name it, it's here!

All that eating really works up a thirst, so I take a beer-tinged walk around the city to aid the digestive process.

Goodbye Harrison

The day starts early with a short detour to the crumbling Cape Dombey Obelisk. The iconic pyramid-like, red-white-striped lookout has been warning ships of Robe’s rocky reefs since 1855. The town’s 12-metre icon was originally white, but was painted in red bands after complaints it was too hard to see. The rocky limestone ledge it sits on has been dramatically eroded by wild seas and is expected to soon crumble into the ocean.

Tired and weary from too many days on the road, I have a hearty breakfast and then jump back on the Southern Ports Highway to weave through vineyards and forests.

The spectacular Coorong National Park, separated from the sea by chunky dunes, is a fertile lagoon landscape curving along the coast for 145km from Kingston SE to Lake Alexandrina. I leave the Princes Highway, where possible, to join the Old Coorong Road and explore the complex series of milky white lakes and salt pans. 

After a brief drive along the Southern Ocean Drive, I cut inland to explore the Barossa Valley. I am greeted by dark clouds and a short while later the heavens opened. I therefore continue to drive to Adelaide, where, tired and weary, I return Harrison to enable the start of the next leg of my journey...

Distance: 415.8km

Same, but different!

I leave Port Campbell on the Great Ocean Road to find that London Bridge has indeed fallen down. It was once a double-arched rock platform linked to the mainland, but in January 1990 the bridge collapsed leaving two terrified tourists stranded on the World's newest island. It remains a spectacular sight and has since been renamed as the London Arch.

Warrnambool marks the western end of the Great Ocean Road and the start of the Princes Highway, which is a more scenic and leisurely route than the main highways between these major cities. The highway follows the coastline for most of its length through logging and farming communities. En route I see lots of familiar names (Heywood, Dartmoor and Glencoe) and many unfamiliar sights.

Kingston is where I join the rural Southern Ports Highway to the cherubic little fishing port of Robe where I decide to park up for the night. Built in 1859, the Caledonian Inn is a clear winner. After checking in, I wander to the eastern outskirts of town to the Robe Town Brewery. The brewery uses old-fangled methods to produce a wide range of interesting beers. After sampling every beer on offer, I return to the historic inn for some classy pub grub and some much needed rest.

Distance: 390.4km

Twelve Apostles

Another morning begins with a trip to another lighthouse. The drive along a beautifully rugged and historically treacherous coastline takes me to Cape Otway Lighthouse, the oldest surviving lighthouse on mainland Australia.

Further along the Great Ocean Road is the picturesque Loch Ard Gorge, named after the clipper wrecked here in 1878. It is home to a smooth, pearlescent bay and an inlet of clear, blue water, which is flanked by two yellow-washed cliff faces topped with tufts of vibrant greenery.

With the masses swarming over the viewing platform for the most iconic sight and the endpoint of the Great Ocean Road, I decide to hunt for accommodation in Port Campbell first. The Port Campbell Hostel ticks everything on my wishlist. Clean rooms; check. Pizzas; check. It's own brewery; check.

Jutting out from the ocean in spectacular fashion, the Twelve Apostles (originally called the Sow and Piglets, which is the name of the aforementioned brewery) are the enduring image of Great Ocean Road. There are not twelve stacks and, as far as I can tell, there never have been. Honestly, I cannot tell how many there are, but that is not the reason that I am here. With the sun approaching the horizon, the tour buses have gone and the rich hues of red are blending with oranges, purples and crimsons to fill the sky. The brilliancy of the colours, fastens my gaze upon the west as the sun sinks beyond the Seven Apostles (OK I did count!).

Distance: 158.1km

Yaugher Trails

After peeling myself from my frozen bed, I grab a wholesome breakfast and a trail map from the Forrest General Store and then pop next door to get fitted for my mountain bike.

Just a few minutes north of Forrest, the Yaugher trail head is the starting point out for all the fine cross country trails. The Yaugher Super Loop is the longest trail in Forest and it provides access to the entire Yaugher trail network. It is a mixture of single track and fire trails with a full range of trail features. The start is fairly easy, but soon I learn first hand what is awesome about the Forrest MTB experience!

After a short breather, next up is the Grass Trees trail. Loaded with features the short trail includes log rides, rollovers, step ups, drop offs, big berms and jumps. 

Named after the man who started the Forrest MTB dream is Foxtail, Forrest’s quickest run. This trail takes me from the Yaugher trail head to Tabletop and rejoins the Yaugher Super Loop. Long fast straights and open corners provide a fun flowing ride with well-spaced technical features.

My legs are now feeling heavy, but I choose one final trail. J2 is another long flowing descent trail from the Yaugher trailhead. This trail has plenty of features along the way and once again rejoins the Yaugher Super Loop which returns me to the trail head.

I return to Forrest to clean my bike and myself, refuel with another tasty morsel from the Forrest General Store and head back out in search of some more adventure...

Located 7 km from Forrest is the scenic Lake Elizabeth, famous for its population of platypuses and surreal scenery of dead trees jutting from its glassy waters. I yomp around the circuit searching for the reclusive platypuses and avoiding the poisonous snakes.

Back at the carpark, Harrison and I head to Apollo Bay, where I find a bed for the night and spend an evening in the new tap house of the Great Ocean Road Brewhouse. A fitting reward for all my hard work ;-)

Distance: 53.8km

Up into the Hills

I enjoy breakfast whilst soaking up Aireys' seafaring atmosphere in the Willows Tea House, which is set up within a historic weatherboard cottage a few steps from Split Point Lighthouse. With my belly full and the sensational views etched forever on my mind, I jump in the car and rejoin the Great Ocean Road.

One of the Great Ocean Road's original resort towns, Lorne seems a tad overdeveloped, so I head straight out of town to see the lovely Erskine Falls.

Tucked away in the hinterland of the Otways, the former logging town of Forrest is now home to one of the best mountain biking trails in the state. I find a home for the night (a Union Jack covered caravan called Lizzie) and set off to explore the charms of this archetypal one horse town.

Distance: 79.9km

Great Ocean Road (Trip)

The day starts with a quick trip to see the neighbours in Pin Oak Court, Vermont South - just outside Melbourne. You might know this better as Ramsay Street, Erinsborough. Sadly there is no sign of Kylie, so I get back on the road...

On such a grey and rainy day, I decide to try to eat up some miles. That said, I cannot resist a pitstop in the undisputed capital of the Australian surf industry, Torquay. The perfect starting point seems to be the well-curated Australian National Surfing Museum. I then call in the Rip Curl Surf Factory Outlet to pick up a bargain or seven. I genuinely do not know how supermodels stay thin as trying on all these different outfits makes me very hungry, so I swing by the Blackman's Brewery for a huge pizza and a carry out or three.

On the way out of town, I join the Great Ocean Road and almost immediately take a slight detour to the famous Bells Beach. Part of international surfing folklore, I watch the powerful point break through the rain spattered windscreen of Harrison, before moving on...

Further along the Great Ocean Road is the roadside Great Ocean Road Chocolaterie and Ice Creamery. I purchase some local delicacies (bush-tucker flavoured chocolate) and slurp down a thick gooey hot chocolate.

The final stop of the day is Aireys Pub. With an on-site brewery to compliment its fantastic home-cooked meals, this seems a great place to stop for the night.

Distance: 201.3km