16 - 21 March

 Sunday 16 March

I had a leisurely start to the day beginning with breakfast in my room of strawberries, blueberries and yoghurt.  I was picked up at 1015 at Sails for the 35 minutes helicopter flight over Uluru (Ayers Rock) and Kata Tjuta (The Olgas).  The pilot was the young lady who had taken my booking the day before in the Tourist Information Centre.  There were five passengers in total and I was allocated the front seat beside the pilot.

When I had donned the headset she turned to me and said “I know you.“  I was somewhat taken aback and then she explained that her uncle was a member of Ulysses and that she often looked at their website where she had seen the photograph of me taken the day before.  (I discovered later that, as I understand it, one of the recipients of the photo in Wagga had forwarded it to Ulysses HQ who had promptly uploaded it to their website.). Unfortunately, I was unable to obtain further detail from her as an air traffic control broadcast interrupted our conversation which wasn’t resumed.

The flight, although only 35 minutes in duration, was wonderful.  Fortunately the sky was clear and as we approached and then flew over Uluru in the sunshine the view was amazing.  

We then flew the short distance to Kata Tjuta and again had a great aerial view of the outcrop. 

The pilot gave a running commentary throughout the flight, air traffic control broadcasts permitting, of both the rocks and landmarks in the surrounding area together with some local history,  For example, she explained that Lake Armadeus had an abundance of salt but that because of its remote location it was not commercially viable to harvest it.  On landing I was offered the opportunity to buy a copy of the photograph of me standing beside the aircraft taken before we took off. I don’t normally buy such things but on this occasion I weakened.

I returned to the hotel and then ventured to the Kulata Academy Café in the Town Square for lunch.  At Kulata, trainees of the National Indigenous Training Academy take the first step in their hospitality career. Trainees learn a range of skills in a supported environment to help prepare them for careers in the hospitality industry.

 

At 1500 I was picked up, again at Sails, by the coach for the Urulu sunset tour.  We first visited the Cultural Centre to learn about Aṉangu (the local indigenous people) Culture and the park’s natural environment through exhibits, displays and an Aboriginal art gallery.  Sadly it was disappointing.  Most of the exhibits and displays were inaccessible because of maintenance/refurbishment and the centre had a tired and unkempt atmosphere, in my experience not uncommon in such facilities.  We had been allocated 45 minutes for exploration but as there was little to see I went to the small café for a coffee which was served by a personable young Dutch girl.  On reboarding the coach we were driven slowly around the perimeter accompanied by very interesting simplified versions of Dreaming tales given by our two guides, Mitch (Australian) and Lincoln (American).  Aboriginal philosophy is known as the Dreaming and is based on the inter-relation of all people and all things.  Dreamtime or Dreaming for Australian Aboriginal people represents the time when the Ancestral Spirits progressed over the land and created life and important physical geographic formations and sites.  

The faint line on the right side of the slope is the path taken when people were permitted to climb the rock.  It is quite exposed and a number of people fell to their death from there.

We parked and embarked on a one and a half hours walk to a waterhole at the base of the rock, again accompanied by tales and Aboriginal explanations of certain geographical features of the rock.  Fortunately, it had clouded over as little and so we were spared the direct heat from the sun.  

Following the walk we again boarded the coach to be taken to the area where we were to view
Uluru as the sun went down.  By this time the sky was more or less clear of cloud and we were able to appreciate the effect of the setting sun on the rock the colour of which appeared to change as the sun went down.  We were supplied with canapés and sparkling wine which added to the occasion.  I attempted several times to take a selfie with the rock in the background but my arm and the camera were casting a shadow on my face and the sun was blinding.  I noticed a young woman who had been actively taking photographs during the tour using a complicated looking SLR camera.  I asked her to take a photo of me using my camera which she duly did.  I engaged her in conversation and I discovered that she was Italian and came from Lake Como.  I was surprised as her English was flawless, the result of a number of years living in England attending York University and then working in Plymouth University.  She was a professor of robotics and was teaching at Gothenburg University in Sweden.  She looked far too young to have achieved so much, an impression probably a reflection of my advancing years! 

There were a number of indigenous women selling paintings on what appeared to be canvas, several accompanied by young naked children.  It was quite late when the coach returned to the Ayers Rock Resort and so I bought a fried rice dish from a small Indonesian take-away.  Whilst waiting for it to be prepared I couldn’t help but notice a large number of very young indigenous children racing around the precinct and, in two instances a couple of them going into a restaurant and taking things from behind the maître d’s desk. I have noticed in other locations the same habit of young indigenous children playing outside late into the night.

 

Monday 17 March

 

I was up at 0600 and went down to the bike at Sails where I checked the tyre pressures, greased the chain, and rode the short distance to the Resort servo to refuel.  It was a little chilly and was spitting with rain.  I loaded the bike and set off at 0830 at 21C in light rain.  A couple of local people I had spoken to complaining that I wished it was dry told me that they were thrilled that it was cooler and that the rain was most welcome.  It became heavier after a short while and I stopped to don my waterproof jacket and gloves.  I soon discovered that the gloves were not waterproof.  I had bought them in 2020 in Wagga and had not worn them since.  For some unknown reason I thought they were waterproof although there is nothing on them to suggest that they are. 

I changed to my normal warm weather perforated leather gloves and they were fine.  It rained for another two hours with the temperature fluctuating between 21C and 22C.  I tried to refuel at Curtin Springs in the rain but I could find no one to serve me (the pumps are padlocked and are unlocked by an attendant to serve fuel).  I discovered later from the guys from Wagga that the staff were rushing around dealing with leaking roofs.  By 1100 the rain had stopped and the temperature had risen to 30C.  I refuelled and had a pie for brunch at Erldunda before heading south towards Port Augusta.  When I stopped at Erldunda I looked at my phone and noticed that there was a text message from the Wagga guys saying that one of them had left his cap at Curtin Springs and asking me to retrieve it on my way through.  Of course, although I had stopped I had not had the time or inclination to look at my phone.   The temperature now fluctuated between 27 and 30C and it remained dry.

I stopped for the night at the Marla roadhouse which, when heading north from Port Augusta, was advertised on hoardings from 500kms and every 100kms thereafter.  The same was true heading south from Erldunda.  I was a little disappointed with my room which was described as de luxe.  It was very ordinary and was equipped to sleep 4, a double and two single beds, so was quite spacious.  I had a chat with the Irish barmaid and ate bangers and mash for dinner.  There is rarely a mobile phone signal in the outback and some rest areas have radio telephones for use in an emergency.   Generally, there is a signal at roadhouses but there was none for my network, Optus, at Marla.  

 

495kms travelled.

 

Tuesday 18 March

 

Following an unintentional lie in I left Marla at 0925 at 24C.  The temperature remained between the mid and high 20s for most of the day peaking at 31C by day’s end.  I stopped at the Cadney Homestead Roadhouse to refuel, although only 85kms into the day, and I had a magnificent bacon roll and coffee.  People are always surprised when I ask for just bacon as the convention here is to have a bacon and egg roll.  I noticed a great deal more fresh roadkill today. I surmised that road trains probably don’t travel overnight on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays because of the weekend so on Mondays the previous week’s carnage has been cleared by the scavengers.

I saw an amazing number of wedge tailed black eagles feasting on these dead animals and although I tried filming them with the GoPro the results are unsurprisingly disappointing.

It’s interesting seeing their relationship with the carrion crows, the other great scavengers.  Sometimes they share and other occasions I have seen the crows standing off until the eagle has flown.  

I stopped at Coober Pedy to refuel and for coffee and I then rode through the town filming with the GoPro.  Opal mining is very interesting with both small and larger concerns being actively involved as evidenced by the visible mine workings.

Drive-through 'Bottlos' (off licences) are very common in Australia

Before reaching Coober Pedy I had decided to use my MP4 player to listen to some music on the go through my earphones so stopped at a rest area.  Access to the pannier to retrieve it involved loosening the securing straps holding my camping gear duffle.  As I was leaving the rest area I realised I had omitted to retighten the straps.  I stopped, lowered the side stand and promptly dropped the bike to the opposite side!!!!  Fortunately, with the straps already loosened I was able to remove the duffle easily and I managed to pick up the bike without having to remove any other luggage. 

I reached Glendambo having ridden 50kms with the fuel gauge showing reserve and empty.  I refuelled and the tank took 11.3 litres – the tank capacity is 15 +/- 0.5 litres and apparently the low fuel warning light comes on with 5.5 +/- 0.5 litres remaining.  On a long trip, riding conservatively, my fuel consumption is round about 25 kilometres to the litre.  I booked a room at the roadhouse motel and it was probably one of the most comfortable outback roadhouse rooms I have experienced and at a competitive $140 (£70) a night.  As I arrived I saw a chap exercising as couple of black Labrador dogs (one 10 years old, the other 2).  My last dog (lost him in 2018) was the same breed and I went over for a chat.  He is a nurse who had been working out of Alice Springs in the indigenous communities for 7 years.  He was towing a large trailer containing his house contents.  He had met his wife, a midwife, in Alice Springs, and they had married 4 years previously.  She is expecting their first child and wanted to move back to her home town of Melbourne.  She had flown down earlier.  He was due to start a new job the following week in Melbourne in a teaching role for nursing staff working in prisons.  Interestingly, he had stayed at Marla the night before but slept in a swag in the campground.  However, it rained very heavily and at midnight he sought shelter in a covered area, but not for long.  Some dingoes were prowling and his dogs wouldn’t stop barking so he packed up in the early hours and moved on, stopped and slept in his car.  (I include this detail to illustrate the breadth of conversations one can have when travelling.). There was another motorcyclist staying there overnight.  He was riding a Husqvarna 650 and was returning to his home in Darwin following a week’s tour of Tasmania.  We discussed the merits of riding in Tasmania given my experience of last year’s tour of the island.  I had an interesting conversation with Enzo, the young French waiter/barman, on the merits of naive youngsters travelling to Australia and finding a niche.  I had a couple of beers (must keep hydrated in this climate) and a linguine with mushrooms and bacon in a creamy garlic sauce together with a garden salad.

 

494kms travelled.                                                                       -

 

Wednesday 19 March

 

Following a good night’s sleep I left at 0840 at 24C.  It was a very pleasant start to the day, cool but sunny.  I stopped at Spud’s for breakfast – eggs benedict outback style, no smoked salmon but thick bacon with seemingly bought in sauce – very tasty nevertheless - and fuel.  One of the features of the outback is the wind.  Often in the morning there is very little wind but as the day progresses so it becomes stronger, and it always seems to be either a crosswind or against me, very rarely behind me.  I guess it is more obvious as the flat terrain contains nothing to obstruct or divert the wind.  My bike is not a fan of the wind.  With only 24HP it struggles against a headwind, particularly when loaded with all my gear, and fuel consumption rises appreciably. 

Not far before Port Augusta as I was rounding a long curve an emu suddenly appeared at the roadside.  They are renowned for behaving erratically and I was lucky that it didn’t decide to turn in front of me.

By 1100 the temperature had risen to 30C – the cool of the last two days was no longer.  I refuelled and had coffee in Port Augusta.  Just south of the town I turned east and again had fun riding the Horrocks Pass to Wilmington.  

Just outside of the town I saw a sign for Crocodile Gorge and decided to detour to take a look.  Not far along the approach road I came across a notice saying it was closed!  My next stop was at a small town called Orroroo where I photographed the giant gum tree – circumference 10.89 metres at 0.61 metres above the ground and said to be in excess of 500 years old. 

I stopped at the Farmers Daughters café where I enjoyed a fabulous mango lassi.  I was planning to stop for the night in Peterborough but it was still early when I reached there and decided to ride on, although I did refuel.  I reached a small settlement called Yunta by late afternoon after seeing a number of small herds of feral goats.  I refuelled and decided to stay at the Yunta Hotel.  It was pretty run down and was owned by a middle aged bloke and his mum.  He was ex-RAN, discovered as he relayed his life story later on.  He had no draught beer and only a small selection of canned/bottled beers but I enjoyed several of the local, to South Australia, Coopers Pale Ale.  I had pork chops, mashed potatoes and vegetables for dinner.  One positive side of this rather seedy establishment was that the total bill for 4 or 5 beers, dinner and the room, with shared bathroom and a broken door on the shower although I was the only guest, was the equivalent of £63.  

 

500kms travelled.

 

Thursday 20 March

 

I was up reasonably early.  I showered, dressed and went in for the simple self-service breakfast which was provided but when I went for cereal the milk carton was empty – not even enough for a cup of tea.  I wasn’t surprised – this was the worst accommodation I had experienced in all my travels around Australia.  I left at 0830 at 24C but it had risen quickly to 30C by 0900.  The road was flanked by a railway line and I rode alongside a freight train for a short distance.

I saw my first live kangaroo of the trip as it bounded across the road 20 metres in front of me.  There were many emus and feral goats along the roadside.  After Cockburn it was a relief to ride the bends in the Thackeringa Hills after 150kms of flat, featureless landscape which resembled British moorland in the main.  I stopped for breakfast in Broken Hill (eggs benedict with ham) and phoned to book a room in the same motel as the Monday before in Mildura.  As I travelled WNW towards Broken Hill again the wind was not in my favour but when I turned south towards Mildura it was at my back making for a more comfortable ride.  By then the temperature was in the mid-30s and while it was nice not to be battling the wind, I was deprived of its cooling effect.  I was reminded of the detrimental effect on fuel consumption caused by headwinds – I calculated that it increases by 10%+ and speed is reduced.  About 100kms south of Broken Hill there was a stretch of a couple of kilometres where I saw what must have been in excess of 100 feral goats in groups (herds) of various sizes.  Thereafter I saw numerous other small groups either grazing or lying in the shade of tree.  As I approached Wentworth where I had to refuel I noticed the sky ahead, and particularly towards the west, was very dark with clear evidence of rain showers.  

I decided to crack on, forgoing a stop for refreshments, in the hope of avoiding rain.  I saw lightning and a few kilometres from Mildura the wind picked up and dust was blown across the road in great clouds. 

I reached the motel as it began to spit with rain.  Within 10 minutes the heavens opened with torrential rain accompanied by thunder and lightning.  Phew!!  Fortunately I had asked for and had been given a ground floor room with a shelter over the parking space in front which protected the bike from the rain.  Later in the evening I returned to the same curry house and again enjoyed a delicious Indian curry.

 

492kms travelled.

 

Friday 21 March

 

I departed Mildura at 0815 at 21C.  There were some ominous looking dark clouds ahead and the weather forecast was for thundery showers so I stopped before leaving town to don my waterproof jacket.  The effect was beneficial in that it acted as a windproof layer for my mesh jacket.  I stopped at Balranald to refuel and for coffee just after 1000 by which time the temperature had risen to 24C so I stowed the jacket as, although cloudy, rain appeared unlikely.  As I parked the bike a mine worker approached and said that people were looking for me.  It appeared that a small group of motorcyclists had just left and on the way they had lost a chum who had been riding a Royal Enfield.  As I left Balranald a large grey kangaroo bounded across the road in front of me – very unusual for one to be so active at that time of day.  The only other wildlife spotted that day, apart from birds overhead, were several emus.  I stopped at Hay for lunch and shared a table with Lilli and Olivia, two young ladies returning home to Adelaide from a period working in Byron Bay, Lilli to set up her own playgroup/childcare business and Olivia to continue working for the disabled.  After departing Hay I refuelled at Darlington Point and continued on the Sturt Highway.  This is a busy by Australian standards arterial road with a high number of road trains and consequently the road surface is quite poor requiring concentration to avoid areas where the tarmac is deformed.  The temperature remained in the high 20s with a cloudy sky but no rain, and certainly not the thunderstorms forecast.  One very noticeable thing since leaving Mildura was the colour of the vegetation – very green compared to the parched browns of the past few days. 

I arrived back in Wagga at 1715 to an empty house.  My daughter and her family were away in Sydney for the weekend allowing me to stow my gear and catch up with my laundry etc.

 

557kms travelled.

 

Total distance travelled:  5,092kms.

Footnote:

During my travels in Australia I have been fortunate to sample many different beers, I have always been confused by the different names and sizes of glasses state by state.  I came across this very handy illustration which has helped (a little).