From the Port of Melbourne to the Port of Fairy

We’re off again, this time circumnavigating Victoria before catching the ferry to Devonport and cruising down the east coast of Tasmania. A six-week ride boasting elite athletes including Maria Lacey (Maryborough), Mick Jovic (Essendon), Margit Gundert (Northcote), Des Boucher (Maryborough), Paul Davison (Wolfeville Nova Scotia), Karen White Smith (Halifax, Nova Scotia), Michael Netzsch (Mannheim, Germany), Brenda Worden and Sally Holden (Vancouver, Canada), Dale Hobsbawn (Altona Meadows), Al Young (Idaho, US), Pauline Moody (Invermay), Maureen Welch (Moonee Ponds) and my good self. Werner also came along to drive until Port Fairy.

A lovely dinner at the Melbourne Docklands Marina catered for by Maureen and Sally set the scene for a relaxing ride round the Capital City Trail before catching a train to Ballarat. From there we rode north to Invermay and camped in Chris and Pauline’s garden. 

Chris, Mick and Werner with Des cooking at Invermay.

Another beautiful dinner then we woke to misty morning and the reality of our first “real” day’s ride: into Ballarat, the Skipton railtrail then onto Lake Tooliorook. The rail trail is well-maintained and a scenic ride through farmland and scrub, but who would have thought that Skipton was on a hill! From where we camped on the Lake we could see Mt Elephant across the waters, but again, when we woke, it was shrouded in mist. Perfect riding conditions, not too hot, cloud cover. Well, perfect that is except for the gravel roads we took. Bums were shaken, bones were rattled but on we rode to Mortlake through the wealthy western district grazing country, dotted with former volcanic hills.

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From where we camped on the Lake we could see Mt Elephant across the waters, but again, when we woke, it was shrouded in mist. Perfect riding conditions, not too hot, cloud cover. Well, perfect that is except for the gravel roads we took. Bums were shaken, bones were rattled but on we rode to Mortlake through the wealthy western district grazing country, dotted with former volcanic hills.

Our camp at Lake Tooliorook.

Mt Elephant across the water.

 Dale, Mick and Michael relaxing after 100kms.

 Des, at a crossroads, again!

Brenda, Maria, Karen and Dale ponder the kms ahead.

 Yes, Australia does have flies!

 Coming down the gravel.

Mortlake is home to 74% of Victoria’s corella population. They talked all day and then all night. Just as I was falling asleep, silence reigned, then one squawked and they were all off again. At times it was deafening.

Karen and Michael fixing a flat at Mortlake under Al's supervision.

 More gravel...

Morning coffee in Port Fairy with Garis, Michael, Dale, Werner, Margit, Al and Maria.

 Koroit has everything!

Our ride into Port Fairy was fab – a tail wind, open country and even a kangaroo spotting. 

Those who rode to Tower Hill saw a red-bellied black snake, emus and koalas.

The eastern beach beckoned in the sunshine and dip I did into that might ocean to be buffeted by waves and feel the soothing salt water on all the body bits that needed soothing. Having two whole rest days was great after four days of riding.

Margit, Werner, Maria and Mick left us in Port Fairy leaving eleven to ride the hills towards Halls Gap and further into the wheatlands and up to the Murray.

Thus far we have had excellent company, excellent camping and excellent food. What more could a group of bike riders need?

Statistics

Monday 10 February: 39 kms with a few sprinkles of rain. Slow riding round the city and up those pesky gravelly hills to Invermay.

Tuesday 11 February: Invermay to Lake Tooliorook . Slightly more than 100 kms along gravel with slow long climbs on the rail trail followed by 35kms of STRONG headwinds. Great café in Skipton!

Wednesday 12 February: Lake Tooliorook to Mortlake. 66kms along gravel and paved roads, past a salt lake, through sheep and cattle to the corell-filled campground.

Thursday 13 February: Mortlake to Port Fairy. 75km with a tail wind on quiet paved roads. Great lunch at the micro-brewery in Koroit.