A rocky dirt trail from the top of the Flinders Ranges to Adelaide.


Friday afternoon. Took the bike directly from the office to Adelaide bus terminal, a trip to Port Augusta full of interesting characters. Camped at the caravan park near the fork of Darwin and Perth roads.

Day 1 – Port Augusta – Blinman – Wilpena Pound (68)

I had camped adjacent to two other cycle tourists. From New Zealand, they began assembling their bikes to ride from Port Augusta to Darwin up the Stuart Highway. One had previously cycled the Nullabor. On the straight and narrow it would seem.

Picked up by Dave from Angorichina tourist village at 9am. Options for getting to the start of the trail had been lean and I paid him to drive down and pick me up. A nice bloke, he had apparently come to the Flinders Ranges 31 years ago for 2 months work and never left. Many opinions on Lycra clad performance cyclist and the humble cycle tourist. I was happy to fall in the latter category. He told me it was customary to start the trail with a beer at the Blinman hotel, and having just gone 12pm, I obliged him.

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“Real People Only No Yuppies”

The first 20km of the trail is sealed road and I whizzed along while grasshoppers used me as a dartboard. Whack. Whack. Whack. I turned onto a fire trail and the surface immediately deteriorated. Rocks, holes, steep ascents and descents onto sandy creek beds. The bike slipped quite regularly but the addition of the front panniers had dramatically increased stability and it felt as though I was steering a tank.

 Lunch at Brachina Gorge

Lunch at Brachina Gorge

From Brachina Gorge, I had a spell on single track (actually the Heysen trail, which zig zags along much of the Mawson Trail). Another dirt road and found myself looking down on the spectacular Bunyeroo Valley was laid out before me (with a sprinkling of wild goats).

Bunyeroo Gorge

Bunyeroo Canyon

Very rough trail in the afternoon and crossed a thousand dry creek beds. A rapid descent, churning wheels in sand and dismount to walk up the other side. Again the trail turned into a bushwalking track and I was forced to carry my bike up some sections amongst closely set trees.

Arriving at Wilpena Pound in the evening, I found myself in good spirits after a hearty meal. My spirits were only somewhat dampened when I threw up half an hour later.

Day 2 – Wilpena Pound – Mayo Gorge (91)

Took the Telegraph Track from Wilpena Pound and stopped at Rawnsley Park to add 10L water to the bicycle. Some time spent on sealed road before a turn onto Moralana Scenic Drive, another dirt road with loose rock and many creek beds.

View from Moralana Scenic Drive

View from Moralana Scenic Drive

Kangaroos and emus scattered away in the distance. Many thumbs up and nods of approval from the 4wd crowd. One fella stopped his vehicle, rolled down the window and simply said “I’m impressed” before driving on. The sun finally broke through the clouds and lit up the range behind me.

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The sun peeks out

The trail follows The Outback Highway for a spell and I was once again able to make good time. I departed the road and headed for Chigwidden Dam, my intended camping spot. The appearance of the sun and the music in my headphones inspired me to push on. I rode on through the barren pastures, dodging cows and kangaroos with a spectacular range on my left.

Stopping for a drink

Stopping for a drink

Came upon a campsite at Mayo gorge and pitched the tent. Noticed that one of my rear panniers had popped a bolt from the mounting. Fashioned a dubious replacement from a ball point pen and zip tie. It miraculously lasted the rest of the trip.

Later, I tried some star photography with limited success.DSC_0087_01

Day 3 – Mayo Gorge – Buckaringa North (106)

Feeling great when I woke, I set out with great enthusiasm and rolled straight past my turnoff. My error was witnessed by a local farmer as I trundled back. “Miss the turn off mate? Right at the windmill, can’t miss it”.

Unbelievable uphill section with large rocks and no hope of cycling. Pushed the bicycle up onto an elevated plateau with a soft sand track. I bogged often and this trail would be very difficult in the wet.

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The drop from the plateau

Dropped down from the plateau near Wonoka station and pelted along smooth dirt road towards Hawker. Loaded up on sugar and fielded questions from grey nomads before a barren 25km push to Craddock.

Was disappointed to find the only pub in Craddock closed. Needed water for the stretch ahead and resorted to some very salty bore water which left white crystals on my water bladder.

Craddock Rd

Craddock Rd

At the 80km for the day, an emu burst out from the side of the road and barely missed collecting me. Passed Simmonston “the town that never was” and pushed a bit further to Buckaringa North camp site.

The campsite turned out to be part of the Heysen trail and not on the road itself. I lifted my fully loaded bike up over a barbed fence without sustaining a hernia and pushed it up the track to a simple campsite. A rainwater tank ensured that I no longer had to rely on the bore water.

Utterly beat, I passed out in my tent before I could even roll out the sleeping bag.

The sun fell before I could make camp

The sun fell before I could make camp

Day 4 – Buckaringa North – Wilmington (90)

Either inadequate food, the salty bore water, the long ride or some combination of the three left me feeling quite weak when I woke. Great effort to move about until I had eaten some food.

Cycled past Proby’s Grave – Hugh Proby, dead at 24 in 1852 when he was swept from his horse by a swollen creek and drowned. Took a short detour into Warren Gorge before another ascent and swift downhill on Yarrah Gorge Rd.

Warren Gorge

Warren Gorge

The heat was strong at Quorn and after lunch, I doused my hat and shirt with water to cool down. Pushed the bike up through Richman’s Gap and cruised downhill listening to ‘Like a Rolling Stone’.

Travelling through farm roads, I noticed a dark shape in the corner of my eye and tapped the brakes on instinct. A large roo hopped the fence and bounded in front of my bike with less than a metre to spare.

Set camp and had a feed at the Wilmington hotel. A fox terrier befriended me while my chips remained uneaten.

Chatted with Bruce and Margo back at camp. Cycling around Australia and hiking up the largest peak in each state and territory. (http://crazyguyonabike.com/doc/15119).

Day 5 – Wilmington – Melrose – Laura (91)

Trail out of Wilmington is a criss-cross of farm roads and not much to see until the approach to Melrose, where huge gums push out of a wide creek bed. Melrose is a neat town and the centre of mountain biking for South Australia. I stopped at the bike shop/cafe for coffee and filled up with more bore water.

Pushed up Lellos Hill on the way out, then rolled up and down farm roads. I had passed the Goyder line (that delineates the arid lands and land fit for agriculture) and the change in scenery was distinct.

At Wirrabara Forest, I found the the roads closed due to the fires that swept through earlier in the year. I elected to cycle partially through the closed section and then to Wirrabara town. It was eerily empty and there was evidence of the fires all around.

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Fire damage

In the middle of the forest I heard a hissing sound an found that my rear tyre had punctured at the valve. Unloaded the bike and changed the tube, somewhat anxious about the prospect of having an unrideable bike in a forest I was not supposed to be in. The tube held, and I was on my way.

Flew down sealed road to Laura and set up camp in the caravan park next to an English cyclist heading north on the trail who must have been in his late sixties.

Dinner at the North Laura Hotel, but had to leave when the adjacent table started talking about how many hair dryers they could plug into the solar panels on their caravan.

Day 6 – Laura – Spalding (70 + 10 walk)

Enormous headwind made the going slow. When I encountered a sandy, uphill stretch I found myself walking the bike for extended sections. Decided to switch over to sealed road and headed to Jamestown, the birth place of R M Williams.

Took the sealed road again heading south past Bundaleer Forest and made a turn to take a scenic route around Bundaleer reservoir and the Bundaleer channels.

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On a downhill approach to an old aqueduct, a hissing sound let me know that I had another flat. No spares remaining, I attempted to patch my two holed tubes.

Impromptu workshop

Impromptu workshop

Whether it was poor patches or I was a bit sun affected, I could not get the patches to hold air. I had success briefly before another puncture and the realisation the the sidewall of the tyre had holed.

Not wanting to waste more time, I started the 12km walk with bicycle to Spalding. While pushing a bike is not a great way to spend 2 hours, it did allow me to capture a nice photo.

Wind and Moon

Wind and Moon

Two kilometres from Spalding, a car pulled over and offered me a lift. “Jas” was on his way back up to Leigh Creek, and I was thankful for the ride.

Chatted with the American bartender there who had been travelling for the last 8 years. Also with the locals. Shearer who gets $2.80 a sheep and can do 100-110 a day. Farmer who loathed South Australia (despite being from and residing there). The lot of them drove home drunk.

Had another go at repairing the tube before bed after a few beers.

Day 7 – Spalding – Blenheim Festival (40 + lift)

The tube held air and I fitted it back to the bike along with a spare folding tyre I had. I headed out towards Clare, wishing with every pedal that the tyre would hold. 1km, 2km, 5km, 10km, 20km, 40km. It held all the way.

I visited the local bike hire shop who handed over some spare patches to me (http://www.clarevalleycyclehire.com.au/). Then Sam and Simon arrived in the support vehicle and gave me a lift down the road to Blenheim Music and Camping Festival.

I setup bike and camp amognst an abundance of three corner jacks. Thankfully they pricked only me and not the tyres. Spent the rest of the day and evening enjoying the music.

Shaolin Afronauts

Shaolin Afronauts

Day 8 – Blenheim Festival – Tanunda (95)

Carried the bike out of the paddock and down to the road in fear of the thorns. Quickly came to the Riesling trail; flat, downhill track for cyclists and pedestrians only – it is the ideal place to ride after a music festival.

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Sheep and vines

The easy riding continued on the Rattler trail to Riverton. From Riverton, I followed the trail along farm roads until the slow pace led me to jump back onto the sealed roads. I freed two sheep who had gotten their heads stuck in a fence while searching for something to eat.

Took farm roads from Kapunda towards Nurioopta, cycling passed a rifle range which was thankfully not in session. I booked into the Barossa Backpackers, having previously stayed there on other cycling trips. The hostel is situated on the grounds of Chateau Tanunda and filled with international backpackers doing farm work. As there is no work on Sunday, Saturday tends to be a big evening. Dress ups, goon pong and much wine.

Unexpected tent visitors

Unexpected tent visitors

Day 9 – Tanunda – Adelaide (77)

After two nights on the turps, cycling was a challenge. Rolled out of Tanunda and stuck to bike paths for most of the day. A strong headwind on the Stuart O’Grady track made for slow going.

The Northern suburbs of Adelaide are full of abandoned houses and rubbish filled industrial estates. It was a fitting back drop for my condition. Cycled down main north road amongst heavy traffic and no bike lane, was grateful to reach more central suburbs, bike lanes and home.


A challenging cycle on what is really a mountain bike trail. Busted tubes, a split tyre, damaged pannier, snapped camera mount, out-of-true wheels and a very battered Tom. Phenomenal ride.


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