This is the summary of my last escapade with Cath, my best riding buddy from Brisbane. We met in Monto and rode together to Tasmania and back, covering an average of 800 km/day. We usually travel without a schedule, enjoying the thrill of cornering and stopping in random places.
We rode all the windy roads we found in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria on our way to Tasmania, where we spent five days, and then went back trying different twisty ways, completing a total of 10,200 km in two weeks.
Cath rides a 2014 BMW R1200 RS, and my bike is a 2024 Suzuki GSX-S1000 GT Panorama which I purchased last minute for this trip. My 2008 Triumph Sprint ST 1050 needed major repairs and I couldn’t get the parts on time before our holiday, so I bought a belated birthday present for myself.
Riding harmony
Our riding harmony is a blend of sport-touring (more “sport” than “touring”) and endurance riding combining windy and country roads, staying away from motorways and never-ending straight lines. We are obsessed with corners, and normally add a couple of cultural stops to explore the history of the places we pass by.
We are two weirdos with different personalities, needs, and social attributes, but we’re great friends so we discuss everything and talk to each other with honesty. Travelling with someone else is always a challenge, so the goal is to be comfortable and enjoy the trip!
The trip
Please have a look to my Relive map collection to see all the places we passed by and the awesomazing roads we rode.
Day 1. From Mackay to Brisbane
We covered 1,160 km on 02/11/2024 riding from Mackay to Brisbane via the inland way. There’s no windy alternative from Mackay to Rockhampton, so the fun part started in Monto.
Road highlights
- Mount Morgan and its great tarmac.
- The fast sweepers from Monto to Gayndah.
- Mount Binga and Lake Perseverance through Crows Nest.
โน๏ธ Click here to explore the map and interactive route.
Day 2. From Brisbane to Bendemeer
We covered 603 km on 03/11/2024 riding from Brisbane to Bendemeer through Rathdowney, Kyogle and Armidale.
Road highlights
- Lions Road and its sharp corners.
- The battery of twisties from Grafton to Armidale.
โน๏ธ Click here to explore the map and interactive route.
Day 3. Oxley Highway and Thunderbolts Way
We covered 561.9 km on 04/11/2024 riding from Bendemeer to Gloucester through Tamworth and Walcha, riding the Oxley up and down and then the Thunderbolts.
Road highlights
- The Oxley Highway and its excellent tarmac in all the corners.
- The cambered sweepers in the Thunderbolts Way.
โน๏ธ Click here to explore the map and interactive route.
Day 4. From Gloucester to Crookwell
We covered 679.7 km on 05/11/2024 riding from Gloucester to Crookwell through Dungog, Singleton, Kurrajong, Lithgow, Oberon and Taralga.
Road highlights
- The warm-up lap to Barrington Tops before breakfast.
- Bingleburra Road before riding “The Putty”.
- The Putty Road cornering symposium.
โน๏ธ Click here to explore the map and interactive route.
Day 5. From Crookwell to Geelong
We covered 839.7 km on 06/11/2024 riding from Crookwell to Geelong through Tumut, Tumbarumba, Tallangatta, Beechworth, Seymour, Lancefield and Bacchus Marsh.
Road highlights
- Wondalga Road across Green Hills State Forest.
- Walwa Shelly Road between Walwa and Beechworth.
โน๏ธ Click here to explore the map and interactive route.
Day 6. Crossing the Tasman Sea
We boarded the Spirit of Tasmania early in the morning on 07/11/2024, and docked in Devonport nine hours later. In the meantime, we:
- Saw Inside Out 2 in the cinema.
- Ate a mountain of yummilicious food at the buffet restaurant.
- Played frontgammon. Our game, our rules ๐.
- Took a power nap in the cabin.
We spent the night at our friends’ Prue and Michael place in Notley Hill, where we had a great stay and a complete list of points of interest to visit during the next five days.
โน๏ธ Click here to explore the map and interactive route.
Day 7. From Devonport to Orford
We covered 565.9 km on 08/11/2024 riding from Notley Hills to Orford, visiting Beaconsfield first and then riding through Lilydale, Scottsdale, Saint Helens, Saint Marys, Bicheno, Swansea and Triabunna.
Road highlights
- The narrow and twisty Golconda Road.
- The scenic Tasman Highway and all its corners.
- Doing a couple of laps to Lake Leake Road.
โน๏ธ Click here to explore the map and interactive route.
Day 8. Port Arthur and Hobart
We covered 416.4 km on 09/11/2024 riding from Orford to Hobart, dedicating the whole morning to explore the historic site of Port Arthur.
Road highlights
- The fast sweepers from Buckland to Port Arthur.
- The whole Woodsdale Road until reaching Oatlands.
- Once in Hobart, the climb to Mount Wellington through Pillinger Drive.
โน๏ธ Click here to explore the map and interactive route.
Day 9. From Hobart to Strahan
We covered 512.6 km on 10/11/2024 riding from Hobart to Strahan, including the famous Gordon River Road to Strathgordon.
Road highlights
- The windy and scenic Gordon River Road to Lake Gordon.
- Lyell Highway all the way from Ouse to Strahan.
- Famous Queenstown’s 99 Bends.
โน๏ธ Click here to explore the map and interactive route.
Day 10. From Strahan to Smithton
We covered 539 km on 11/11/2024 riding from Hobart to Strahan, adding some interesting loops across the northwestern side of the island.
Road highlights
- Skirting the lakes through Heemskirk and Pieman roads.
- The Zeehan Highway and Anthony Road loop.
- The windy stretch of the Murchison Highway through Hellyer Gorge State Reserve.
- The Sumac Road loop through three regional reserves.
โน๏ธ Click here to explore the map and interactive route.
Day 11. Last ride in Tasmania
We covered 334.8 km on 12/11/2024 riding from Devonport to Launceston and back, bordering the Great Lake with our friends Prue and Michael.
Road highlights
- The beautiful corners along Highland Lakes Road.
- Poatina Road and its tight corners.
โน๏ธ Click here to explore the map and interactive route.
Day 12. From Geelong to Omeo
We covered 574.4 km on 13/11/2024 riding from Geelong to Omeo across the Alpine National Park.
Road highlights
- Whittlesea Yea Road bordering Kinglake National Park.
- Mansfield Whitfield Road from Mansfield to Wangaratta.
- The cornering festival in the Great Alpine Road from Harrietville to Omeo via Mount Hotham.
โน๏ธ Click here to explore the map and interactive route.
Day 13. From Omeo to Crookwell
We covered 819.6 km on 14/11/2024 riding from Omeo to Crookwell after completing the whole Great Alpine Road early in the morning, riding all the way down to Bruthen.
Road highlights
- Great Alpine Road from Omeo to Bruthen.
- The twisties at Omeo Highway.
- The technical Bogong High Plains Road across Mount Beauty.
- Walwa Shelly Road beside Burrowa Pine Mountain National Park.
- Rugby Road from Boorowa to Crookwell.
โน๏ธ Click here to explore the map and interactive route.
Day 14. From Crookwell to Stanthorpe
We covered 1,054.2 km on 15/11/2024 riding from Crookwell to Stanthorpe passing by Oberon, Lithgow, Kandos, Muswellbrook, Tamworth, Uralla, Inverell, Ashford and Tenterfield.
Road highlights
- Abercrombie Road from Taralga to Oberon.
- The corners near the border in Bylong Valley Way.
- Bruxner Way from Ashford to Tenterfield.
โน๏ธ Click here to explore the map and interactive route.
Day 15. Riding back to Mackay
I covered 1,267.4 km on 16/11/2024 from Stanthorpe to Mackay via inland through some of my favourite windy roads.
Road highlights
- Crows Nest, Lake Perseverance and Mount Binga.
- The fast sweepers from Nanango to Monto.
- All the twisties in Mount Morgan.
โน๏ธ Click here to explore the map and interactive route.
