Around Australia: Day 39, Mallacoota to Queanbeyan

Summary: Day 39 of my trip Around Australia on my Burgman 650 Executive was full of detours; all relating to the storm front, which was at the time devastating the Victorian and New South Wales east coasts, flodding and washing away roads, felling trees...

Diary Entry for June 1, 2010

My initial, short entry in my "Around Australia" diary for the day read as follows:

Day 39: Mallacoota to Queanbeyan
This day started out nice; a nice fresh morning; 12 °C at the motel, and a cool 7 °C on the way to the Princess Highway. The sun was frantically trying to evaporate the fog; she eventually succeeded.
The roads showed lots of debris from the recent storms: leaves, trees, branches, mud, gravel, etc. Clean-up was underway at various places as I travelled along. The roads were mostly dry.
I followed the old Princess Highway — then Bear Route #136 from Moruya to Araluen — a stretch of road had actually fallen into the river = road closure.
3 creek crossings; the road to Captains Flat was washed away, another detour. Dropped the bike  Yes, I got a bit more kilometres, gravel roads and excitement than I bargained for today. Nevertheless, it was all fun — with some serious moments of contemplation.
Queanbeyan: Lucky me, I got a little apartment in a motel with garage for the bike, and with a spa in the living room. I had a ball. — What a day!

Photo of the Day

Old Princess Highway, New South Wales

Mallacoota to Queanbeyan

This day started out nice: up at 06:43, gone 07:10! A nice, fresh morning; 12 °C at the motel, and a cool 7 °C on the way back to Genoa, onto the Princess Highway (Bear Ride #164). But hey, not so fast: the oil level indicator came on, ouch  I should have checked the oil level before I left the motel… I carry 1 litre of engine oil, just for occasions like this; no problem; that pit stop lasted less than 20 minutes.

Make-shift Lake is Gone, near Genoa, Victoria, Australia

The sun was frantically trying to evaporate the fog; she eventually succeeded.

Foggy Princess Highway, Victoria, Australia

Hmm, I did not realise at the time that I was so close to the Victoria–New South Wales state border. 

State Border to New South Wales, Victoria, Australia

The Princess Highway brought me to Narrabarba, Boydtown and Twofold Bay, Pambula, Wolumla and Bega. The morning sun lit the landscape with a golden glow.
I was looking for the Big Cheese in Bega; there wasn't any. 

Farmland and Bournda National Park (background), near Wolumla, New South Wales, Australia

I refuelled the bike in Bega, fuel stop #55: $1.45 for one litre PULP. The Princess Highway in Bega was flooded by the severe weather during the previous night.

Flooded Princess Highway, Bega, New South Wales, Australia

The roads showed lots of debris from the recent storms: leaves, trees, branches, mud, gravel, etc. Clean-up was underway at various places as I travelled along. The roads were mostly dry, except where the sun had no chance to dry it yet.

Aftermath of a Storm, near Bega, New South Wales, Australia

I left the Princess Highway in pursuit of Bear Ride #137 along the Sapphire Coast line, part of the Tasman Sea.

Cuttagee Lake Bridge, New South Wales, Australia

Bermagui Harbour, Bermagui, New South Wales, Australia

I followed the old Princess Highway near Corunna. I didn't know it was all gravel; though in good condition. See also first image on this page.

Crossing the Tuross River Bridge, near Bodalla, New South Wales, Australia

National Park Adventures: Deua and Monga National Parks

The next thing on my list was Bear Route #136 from Moruya to Araluen. It had 50 km of gravel in it, and certainly looked reasonable on the map.

Moruya River and Mongamula Mountain, Moruya, New South Wales, Australia

I made my way through farmland for the first 16 km on tar; then forests: the Deua and Monga National Parks. The gravel road was alright. I stopped at a nice spot, quiet, and only birds were singing, perfect to enjoy some food: an apple and a bit of chocolate.  — I was enjoying the solitude … Little did I know what was to come.

Lunch Break in Deua National Park, New South Wales, Australia

I continued the forest track and made it on some short piece of tar. A couple of land surveyors were on the road. I passed them with a friendly wave. 300 m further, the road was closed. Oops, this means back up through the woods the whole 30 km I came so far?!
I turned around and asked the surveyors, who were just ready to drive off, whether they knew a way around the closed piece of road. And sure they did. "Go back all the way to the top of the mountain and follow J Ridge Road. It will get you to Araluen. It is some 5 km up the hill."

Hmm, I was thinking : there was only one turn-off which I had seen, which said "4WD and local traffic only". Off I went; up the 5 km. It took me 15 minutes at an average speed of 21 km/h, indicating it wasn't an easy track. And here it was: The "4WD only and local traffic only" sign. I was thinking: local traffic would be cars and probably bikes, hence, I can make it too.  I can always turn around. The road posed some challenges, but nothing my Burgman 650 and I could not handle.

Larrys Mountain Road (turn-off 4WD only), New South Wales, Australia

It was going to take a detour of 12.5 km to make up for a 3 km stretch of road, where some of it had actually fallen into the river due to the bad weather a day earlier, hence the road closure.

Back on Tar, New South Wales, Australia

Araluen Road, New South Wales, Australia

Deua River, New South Wales, Australia

Araluen Road along the Deua River Valley, near Bakers Flat Camping Ground, New South Wales, Australia

The first creek crossing was straight forward …

Araluen Road, Creek Crossing #1, New South Wales, Australia

Twenty minutes later, another creek crossing, here the Big Oaky Creek. It was some 30 metres wide. I parked the bike and walked a bit into the crossing. The water was 30 cm deep; I stopped short drowning the boots. I walked walk and thought about: "to cross or not to cross" for 6 minutes. 

Araluen Road, Big Oaky Creek Crossing #2, New South Wales, Australia

I made it quite safely to the other side  and arrived in Araluen at 15:45.

Where I Was Coming From, Monga National Park, New South Wales, Australia

I crossed three of these little bridges, at least one crossing Jembaicumbene Creek (see image below). I was going to see this creek once more, later, further west.

Jembaicumbene Creek Bridge, Araluen Road, New South Wales, Australia

I made my way through golden farmland; golden, because the setting sun did cast a golden shine over the paddocks… and arrived in Braidwood; also completing Bear Ride #136.

The Road to Captains Flat

Captains Flat, what a mysterious name?! Why would you use the word captain for an inland village? Anyway, I wanted to get there fast. Back on tar I was back to normal speeds, not the 5–50 km/h through the woods. It was nice, and exciting, but it takes so long for a relative small distance.

Into Braidwood, and out again the same, now heading west to Captains Flat… there was a detour sign, which I kindly disregarded. Enough detours for today. Again, golden farmland… then speed limits down to 40, and stop: road closed. Ouch. Captains Flat was 24 km on gravel as it was. What may come next?

Closed (washed away) Jembaicumbene Creek Bridge, Captains Flat Road, New South Wales, Australia

I turned around, and back-tracked some 9 km to the turn-off; then right to Jembaicumbene and then Majors Creek — all through the sticks. The gravel road was wet, which added spice to the riding into darkness. 

Sunset over Bendoura State Forest, New South Wales, Australia

At 16:57, after 26 km and another 32 minutes added to the riding day, I reached the end of the detour and was back on the Captains Flat Road; yeah, tar again. Great.

After 2 km, a turn-off… The joy of tar was short-lived; I forgot about the 24 km of gravel to Captains Flat. I rode into darkness, which is no problem, because I have good lights. The roos were visible from miles away! It took me 57 minutes to cover the 22 km of dirt road; and average of 22 km/h.

Droplet

The following little story will tell why I gave this the report the short name "Droplet". 

I was close to Captains Flat, when the tar snake returned. I was riding downhill when I saw a Captains Flat sign — yes, another IBEM location. I hit the brakes in an instant. I was in the middle of a bend, and steered the bike to the left, onto some loose gravel, to be off the road, and on a relatively level surface to put the bike on the centre stand. No problem! I got of the bike, and stand on the centrestand lever, balanced the bike and noticed, it was slightly leaning towards the road. That s OK. However, I could not get the bike completely onto the centrestand, because I was going against the slope. No problem!
All I have to do is let it down again. Easy. So I did. And here is where a video camera would have come in handy, say, for the funniest home video show.

The rear wheel got back on the ground; despite being put down gently, the weight of the bike shifted towards the road centre. I stuck my bum out to counter balance — and I was hanging in there, ass out like a rocket… well, you guessed it: the bike pulls me over — in slooow motion, tipping over, degree after degree, very slowly, gaining momentum, me holding on tight. Of course, there was no holding onto it forever; with 20 cm left before the handlebar hit the road surface, I let go of the bike to save myself from falling over.
The tipping bike, had accelerated me as well, and despite letting go, I landed on the road with my head (helmet on) onto the road first, and then somersaulted over the bike, and before I knew it, I laid flat on my back on the road… smack bank over the road's centre line.

Normal reaction would have me jump up like a roo, but it was dead quiet, no vehicle on the road, no vehicle approaching, and I lie there and am laughing my pants off, while reliving the scene in my head. Of course I got up quickly, because of all the laughing, I would not notice oncoming traffic.

The engine had automatically switched off — it has a tip sensor and shuts off the ignition and fuel pump; lights still on. Then the brain kicked in: get the bike off the road! It was pitch black, except for my lights still on. Slightly lifting the bike off the ground, turning the handlebar full to the right, bending the knees so that bum is almost on the ground, backing up against the saddle and lifting the bike. Sure, it worked like a charm, until I had it almost up. Because the road was on an angle, the bike&339;s top was lower then the tires. I reached my full height when stemming the bike off the ground, but it was not enough.

I had the bike 80% up, and starting puffing, while still holding at least half of the bikes weight. Alright, down we go, slowly… my bum going as low as possible, and 1–2–3 stem the bike again. Heavy bastard. 70%! And again, 60%. And I laid her down again. — Do I hear a car approaching? Yes, a ute came into sight. The left hand on the handlebar to keep her head up, the right hand waving down the driver.

The driver asked, whether he could help. Sure, I replied, I dropped the bike and can use a hand. He parked the ute, and 1–2–3 … the bike was up on its feet! How easy was that! A handshake combined with a "thank you" ended the ordeal of a sleeping bike.

With all the commotion, my body temperature had risen, I needed to move. I had put the bike on the sidestand, and the handbrake pulled — no intent to drop her again. I now wondered when my battery would go flat. I got onto the bike, and hit the starter; she cranked, nothing happened. I then remembered having read in the service manual that I need to turn the ignition key off and on again in order to be able to start the bike… this did work.

I rode 20 metres down the road and turned around, passed the town sign, turned around again — bike feels all right — this time, picking my parking spot more carefully… this time I got the bike on the centrestand and took the photo of the bike and the sign. Mission accomplished!

Captains Flat

I got my head light out of the trunk … I need to explain headlight: it is a tourch with straps that can be worn on the head — and inspected any damage. I was surprised to see hardly any damage at all — a bunch of 1 cm long scratches on the side of the bike. I was not hurt, the helmet was OK. I considered myself lucky.

Now what? Accommodation! I was pretty exhausted; what a day?! Gravel on end, lots of alertness required given the terrain and roads, trying to upright the bike, I felt buggered. I asked the GPS for accommodation: it did not have any, or none I fancied (can't remember), and decided to press on for Queanbeyan — some 44 km up north-west, a good half an hour away.

I settled for the next best thing I could get in Queanbeyan. Unfortunately, the next best thing was fully booked, so was the next, and third time luck: I got a little apartment in a motel with garage for the bike, and with spa in the living room.

, New South Wales, Australia

Yes, as it can be seen on the photo above, the living room had a spa in it! I am not kidding. This was the right thing for me after an adventurous day like this! I had a ball. — What a day!

Trip Data for the Day

500 km over the elapsed time of 12 hours.

Accommodation for the Night

My room at the Leagues Motel, Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia

I stayed at the  Leagues Motel in Queanbeyan for the night. Cost: 140 AUD.

My comment: Nice, clean, spacious… not that is is important for me, but the TV was huge! Not sure, wether the spa in the living area was such a great idea from a moisture perspective — the living room is not a wet room, moisture will condensate on walls not built for it, and eventually some building damage is the result. On closer inspection this type of damage was in its onset. Not my problem and not really visible, hence, it was not negatively influencing my experience. I loved the place! Would have liked to enjoy it more; considering the rather tiring day, a warm bath and a warm bed was all I needed to conclude the day.
Would stay there again; despite the relative high cost this place is still very good value for money.

Visitor's Comments

Sorry, there are currently no moderated / approved entries for this page.
Start the ball rolling by posting a comment on this article!