AUSTRALIA 2015
Motorcycle: Triumph Tiger Explorer
Where: Bunbury WA to Herberton QLD via Outback Way and return via Savannah Way
When, how long and how far: April 2015, approx. two weeks, then return Sept 2015 approx two weeks, total 11,000km
Comments: : Having been around Australia on the bitumen, decided to do it (as much as possible) on unsealed roads. Brought a new Triumph with shaft drive and cruise control for the purpose. It was ok except that it didn’t like sand / bull dust, and I dropped it eight times in total, and it was too heavy to pick up on my own. Carried a PLB for emergency and had to use it once. Carried a new motorcycle swag, fuel bladder and jack on the bike. The temperature on the outward trip was perfect during the day and cold at night, until the QLD coast. On the return trip it was really hot. Left the bike with a friend in Herberton for four months, and flew to Perth and back in between.
Route map: Bunbury / Hyden /Coolgardie / Laverton / Warburton / Docker River / Uluru / Kings Canyon / Alice Springs / Boulia / Winton / Charters Towers / Townsville / Magnetic Island / Port Douglas / Daintree / Cooktown / Cairns / Herberton. Return: Herberton / Croydon / Karumba / Burketown / Lawn Hill / Hells Gate / Borroloola / Katherine / Kununurra / Gibb River / Derby / Broome / Marble Bar / New Norcia / Bunbury NB: Google maps does not recognize the road between Docker River and Peterman as existing hence the gap |
First stop: Collie for coffee |
Goldfields water pipeline |
Kookynie: One horse and pub town |
Start of Great Central Road, near Laverton |
Beware loose gravel, dust & corrugations |
Bush swag on the outback way |
Outback way, WA, early morning |
Elderly cyclist on Outback Way |
Northern Territory border |
First bike drop near Docker River, NT |
Uluru from campsite |
Esky bag after dingo took it at Kings Canyon |
Macdonald ranges scenery |
Roadside anthill, NT |
Cattle on the Plenty highway, NT |
Swag bush camp near NT / QLD border |
Welcome to Queensland |
Selfie at crossing at Georgina river |
Telstra remote phone box, Middleton |
Sign opposite Middleton hotel |
Townsville from Maggie island ferry |
Daintree river ferry crossing |
Creek crossing in the Daintree |
Royal hotel, Herberton |
Mt Garnet coffee stop on return trip |
Self righting bike drop, near Croydon |
Field full of wallabies at Karumba |
Lawn Hill gorge national park |
Burke & Wills memorial |
Willy willy of dust in far west QLD |
Cattle in drought stricken far west QLD |
Selfie on hot station road far west QLD |
Dropped bike that caused Rescue Me use |
Pannier that fell off far west QLD |
Morning Glory cloud Gulf country, QLD |
Victoria River NT |
El Questro creek overnight swag camp |
Gibb river road Kimberley scenery |
Difficult sandy stretch of Gibb river road |
Baobab tree at campsite Gibb river road |
Bells gorge, Gibb river road |
Gibb river road scenery |
Four dog road train passing fast & close |
Worlds oldest Open air cinema Broome |
Marble Bar roadhouse waiting to open |
Marble Bar to Newman road scenery |
Petrol stop at Paynes Find |
Stop at Cue on Great Northern highway |