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Australian birds and their reactions to our presence have provided some of the most memorable moments of the trip. They are both curious and wary. I would swear they have a sense of humour.
Eagles often seem to be sizing us up. I have no doubt if I was knocked from my bike and began to bleed, they would happily eat me. We see them without fail near sugar cane fields and were lucky enough to spot an eagle's nest in Northern New South Wales. As their shadows fall across the road ahead, I've often looked up and met their appraising eyes.
Sea eagle having a feed of fish, Venus Bay
Stalking an Albatross (or large seagull?) for pictures in Elliston
Emus are fast. It doesn't matter how hard you pump those pedals, they'll still be faster. This is a problem on roads when the emu gets stuck between you and the fenceline. They feel they can't escape so will continue to weave left and right ahead of you erratically.
Family of emus flee evil cycle tourer, Coffin Bay
Jeez these Swiss Army Knives are good for sharpening beaks... Rosella, Vic
We've had lots of gumnuts dropped on our heads by cockatoos. The black cockatoos are quite shy but the white cockies are happy to come begging for handouts.
I feel like I'm being watched... Cockies in NSW
You'll always see eagles, hawks and harriers near sugar cane, NSW
Blue faced honey eater considers becoming a cycle tourer, near Mackay, Qld
We are yet to meet the cassowary. We are a bit scared to meet them actually. The warning signs show them to be as large as a car and causing the car heaps of damage too...
This was a short day to break up the long ride from Elliston to Coffin Bay. It is only 41kms to Sheringa Roadhouse but if you do the additional side trip to Sheringa Beach it adds another 15-16kms.
To be honest neither my partner nor I remember anything much about this day apart from the return trip to Sheringa Beach. This was on a nice rolling dirt road which started rough but improved. Part of the way there is a lagoon (Lake Round) with stunning sand dunes. There are some great campsites right by the water here.
Guido cycling to Lake Round, Sheringa Beach
Further along, the surf beach is long, almost deserted and would be irresistable in warmer weather. There is a popular campsite right by the beach with a pit toilet. You can get your permit to camp from the Sheringa Roadhouse where you can also get supplies and/or a takeaway.
We probably should have camped by the beach but opted instead for more "lavish" accommodation at the Sheringa Roadhouse. Our $15AUS/2pax/night campervan was in a pretty poor state. Borer holes and ground plywood plus copious spider webs, long dead mossies and a fridge which, though it didn't work and wasn't turned on, still managed to freeze our milk solid. (Spooky)
$15AUS for the luxury of freezing your tits off
We were utterly freezing and very thankful for our sleeping bags which we spread out over the camper's couches rather than brave the stains on the double bed. The campervan was one of many tumble down vans, old school buses, horse floats and car wrecks that littered the backyard.
Eclectic junkyard look of Sheringa Roadhouse
There were also half dismantled Quad bikes, which you could hire, presumably at your own risk. We had obviously caught him mid-repair if the live electrical wires and funny smell was anything to go by.
It is 62kms from Venus Bay to Elliston but we added an 18km detour to Talia Caves. Situated about 40kms north of Elliston, this is a pleasant but not essential side trip. The dirt road to the caves is corrugated and potholed. In fact, it was one of the worst dirt roads we encountered on the trip so it was very slow going. At the end is a sea cave, a large sink hole and a surf beach.
Coastline off Talia, South Australia
Thanks to another headwind, Elliston felt like a long way. Another rolling day, there were quite a number of hills closer to Elliston. The landscape was increasingly exposed as the road got closer to the coastline.
In Elliston we stayed a couple of days at the friendly caravan park in the town centre (there's also one on the way into town by the jetty) for $17AUS/2pax/night. It was the caravan park situated closest to the town's fantastic bakery. Try their apple scrolls! There is also a pub and a cafe across the road from the information centre (which doubles as the internet cafe).
Elliston Beach, South Australia
One of the cheapest ways to get a hot meal in Australia is on the barbie (BBQ). They're usually free at caravan parks and widely available for a small fee at public parks and some rest areas.
A banger (sausage) in bread can be a beautiful thing - quick and delicious with extra vitamins and minerals from the charcoal and tomato sauce. But that's not all a BBQ is good for. Buy yourself some spray on cooking oil and try one of these suggestions (for meat eaters
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The wind flogged us again on this ride. We were grateful when the open paddocks and sparse vegetation became bushland and the rolling hills evened out slightly. The road seemed a little smoother too.
Murphy's Haystacks are two kilometres off the Flinders Highway around 40kms South East of Streaky Bay. It's a steep climb but worth the effort to see these wave-like bulbous granite boulders which were once mistaken for haystacks (hence the name). I reckon the person who mistook them must have needed coke-bottle thick glasses but see what you think. There are toilets and shady tables for a picnic
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Scared that a kangaroo will box you off your bike? Worried the infamous drop bear will surprise you from above? Just how do Aussie animals react to cycle tourers? Here's what we've experienced...
Kangaroos are totally unfazed by cars and can often be seen lazing nonchalantly by the side of the road (especially in Western Australia). Bicycles are another matter. Your silent approach will more than likely take them by surprise. If you're lucky they will be up in a flash to bound noisily away. If you are unlucky they'll bound along beside you veering towards you and away, towards you and away. Tense up for evasive action and your bike starts to wobble dangerously. It's much safer to stop and wait for them to hop off into the sunset. NOTE: no amount of tutting or blowing into eucalypt leaves will entice a "Skippy" to come to your rescue if you cycle off a cliff.
Itchy Joey and Mumma Kangaroo in South Australia
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Scared that a kangaroo will box you off your bike? Worried the infamous drop bear will surprise you from above? Just how do Aussie animals react to cycle tourers? Here's what we've experienced...
Kangaroos are totally unfazed by cars and can often be seen lazing nonchalantly by the side of the road (especially in Western Australia). Bicycles are another matter. Your silent approach will more than likely take them by surprise. If you're lucky they will be up in a flash to bound noisily away. If you are unlucky they'll bound along beside you veering towards you and away, towards you and away. Tense up for evasive action and your bike starts to wobble dangerously. It's much safer to stop and wait for them to hop off into the sunset. NOTE: no amount of tutting or blowing into eucalypt leaves will entice a "Skippy" to come to your rescue if you cycle off a cliff.
Itchy Joey and Mumma Kangaroo in South Australia
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When leaving the Smoky Bay Caravan Park, we heard about a couple of English girls who had intended to cycle round the Eyre Peninsula then to Sydney in a week. They'd tallied up the distance on the map using the finger method (as opposed to the looking at the key) and come up with a distance that, to them, looked around a few hundred kilometres.
The proprietor had had to break it to them that the distance was a lot further than it looked and that, unless they were nicknamed Lance, they'd need to catch a bus or miss their flight home. Beware the finger method
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Wow! For the first time since leaving Albany in WA we had a choice of roads. We just couldn't resist the luxury of leaving the John Eyre Highway behind so, despite the extra distance, we headed down the Flinders Highway in a giant loop round the Eyre Peninsula.
Great decision. We heard from other cyclists that the more direct route on John Eyre Highway was a tad boring and scarily busy. Mind you, the Flinders Highway was, at first, not a lot different to the last section of the Nullarbor ride. Rolling roads with sparse vegetation and dry, dusty paddocks. The road itself was extremely rough and we cursed the camper in Ceduna who had told us we'd have a very smooth run
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I've just finished reading this book which I had been perusing on and off for a couple of weeks. I hated the way it started so much that I was close to taking it right back down to the book exchange. I persisted, however, and found it an ok read.
The introduction, which I found tedious, is written in the 3rd person as if the author is writing a novel about someone else. Christopher also ends the book in the same verb tense. It describes his typical day twice, once at the beginning and once at the end. Sorry Chris, I just didn't care
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Comment by Claire
on Cycle touring with Australian Birdlife
Slow Cycle Tour
http://clairebear1972.blogspot.com/2006/06/birds-of-eyre.html