Australian Alps tour Melbourne to Canberra

[ipeat]

Hi guys,

I'm currently planning a two week or so tour from Melbourne to Canberra, the tour would be in April time around the easter break. I want to do the Alps passes. I ideally want to be road touring however would happily do gravel etc. I'm just posting to see if anyone has any route pointers or help? Should I cycle it from Canberra to Melbourne ? Are there good places to go for a detour ? Weather conditions I need to be aware of etc? I ride a Vivente Deccan touring bike.
https://www.instagram.com/ibikeadventures/
Thank you all in advance.
Isaac

[Tim]

Melb-Canberra is a well-worn touring route.
Probably one of the best in this country.
Start with this link;
http://www.bicycles.net.au/forums/viewt ... r#p1389258
It's getting cold by April so warm and waterproof gear needed, however Autumn is the best time of the year for stable weather (calm winds) down here.
Search the forum and other sites.
There's heaps of info.
Good luck. Do it. You won't regret it. Spectacular country.

[nezumi]

You could start with the Hunt 1000 route in reverse?
http://www.bikepacking.com/routes/hunt-1000/

[mbev51]

Hi, my wife and I, both 66 from the UK, recently did a route melbourne to canberra. From memory we stayed near melbourne airport then cycled so far down the mooney ponds trail. Jumped on a train to the centre then took a train out to Lilydale. We then cycled on a trail to yarra junction. Next day we were on hilly backroads through Noojee to stay on a bush site near a waterfall. We were again on hilly backroads to Moe. Then tarmac until were able to pickup a railtrail at Glengary through to Hayfield. Short day to Stratford on rail trail. Next day took a scenic longer tarmac route, almost traffic free to Bainsdale. Then another railtrail to Nowa Nowa. We had been travelling eastwards up till now, we now turned north on tarmac, a pleasant road upto Buchan. Don't stay at the campsite, it's a rip off, instead go to the backpackers across the river. The next three days are committing so make sure weather is good, we waited two days on the weather there. From Buchan we cycled on quiet tarmac roads to a camping spot at Wulgulmerang. Next day cycled onto dirt and through the most beautiful countryside with scenery to die for. Went through Suggan Buggan then on to camping at a bush site at Pinch river. I awoke early to see brombies around the tent. Would have been better to have kept going on to Jacobs river bush site. Third day was through to Jinderbyne, had a good pull up Jacobs ladder, was a long 9 hr day, a great achievement for us. From there we cycled on tarmac towards Adminaby. We decided to take two days over it and took a 6km detour about half way to an over night camp on lake Eucumbene. Next day we hit the main road to Adminaby and bombed it there. Next day we took the Boboyan rd heading towards Canberra. Had a great days ride up and down on dirt to a bush site after 66km. Next day went through Tharwa onto tarmac again and onwards to Canberra.

It was a fantastic ride, loads of wildlife, got bombed a number of times, saw a black and a few brown snakes, mostly run over, no issues. You need to be able to carry food for 3 days plus and a good quantity of water. We had our bottles and a 10l bladder. I recommend the route to all, we did it on mountain bikes.

Michael

[robbo mcs]

Next day we took the Boboyan rd heading towards Canberra. Had a great days ride up and down on dirt to a bush site after 66km. Next day went through Tharwa onto tarmac again and onwards to Canberra

Michael

How is boboyan road / shannons flat road between cooma and canberra. Looks like a much better option than the main highway on paper. I'm aware it is dirt, but what is the condition of the road? Thinking of doing this on 32 marathon plus on a lightly loaded tourer, which sounds similar to OP.

[mbev51]

Hi, as said in previous post, we did the Boboyan rd from Adminaby through Shannon's flats to Tharwa and on to Canberra. I've driven the cooma to Canberra road and talked to other cyclists about it. I would not advise riding it for safety sake. Without knowing I would say the road from Cooma to Shannon's flat will be much like what we happily cycled down. For me it doesn't get any better than such roads, just take plenty of water. There's a camping site after Shannon's flat on the right somewhere, you need to check the water situation there.

[donnaeastman]

Wow! That's a nice idea. Hope you will have a good time.