[MountainLagoon]

Hello,

My xmas/new year ride will be from Sydney-Hay-Adelaide-Great Ocean Road- Melbourne-Deniliquin-Goulburn-Sydney to visit my extended family. We have been on most of the northern runs but we have not ridden the coast run from Adelaide to Melbourne.
We are going to Melbourne via Coorong, Mount Gambier, Robe and the Great Ocean Road.

Are there any good rest stops or bike friendly cafe's along the coast anyone would recommend ??

 

[Donunder]

The Caledonian Inn on the beach at Robe is a great place to stop for lunch. At $195 a night it was too expensive for me to stay there on the way home from Coffin Bay but it is a lovely old pub with a nice restful feel about it. If I were going that way again I'd put a bit aside into the budget so I could stay there.

Scroll down to page 9 of this thread: My Coffin Bay road trip May 2009.

And if you're at all interested in the great outdoors take your time going down through the Coorong. It's sensational.

Wish I were coming with you...

 

[ockerstrom]

Been there, done that.

http://www.stromtrooper.com/australia-new-zealand/46194-we-off-morning.html

Can't find the ride report I did on the trip now though.

Tried all the search options here and on google. :headbang::headbang::headbang:

 

[windinhair]

ML,I also did the trip you are planning on my return from the Coffin Bay gathering,as it happened the ferry was running across the bay from Cowel [lucky Bay] to Wallaroo at the time which saved the loop around Pt Augusta,check if that is back in service,from there to Adelaide is a short run but had a O/N there for reasons,Millicent next night with lunch at Kingston SE bakery,next stop Port Campbell caravan park cabin very nice and then we headed for home via Gelong Ballarat,it is all about time off and your riding style,when loaded up on a trip like that I like to take a lot of breaks and 500/600k days max.

 

[graham downunder]

Remember book early like July August as it gets very busy between Christmas / New Year.

 

[MountainLagoon]

Thanks for the tips

We will definately check out the pub and use the ferry if running, our longest days are either side of Hay NSW in the summer heat, about 650km between final stops (Syd-Hay-Hahndorf), We carry 4 ltrs of fuel and 4 ltrs of water in rotopax containers so we can "just have a look down this road"

 

[Donunder]

If you're coming down the eastern side of the Gulf you won't need the ferry but if you decide to do a short trip out to Wallaroo from Renmark just for the heck of it, the Weeroona Pub is a good place to stay.

And if you have a day to spare I'm sure Cool Dollar and some of the other good guys in the Adelaide Strom group could be coerced into showing you around the Adelaide hills. :yesnod: It's nice to tap into some local knowledge and spend a day just pootling around the local area and playing tourist before resuming your journey.

You may not pass that way again for some time so make the most of it!

 

[MountainLagoon]

Cheers, but this run is a xmas family visit, about 20 years ago I gew up near the Adelaide Hills (raised on farmers union iced coffee) but now live in the Sydney hills due to work. In the 80's I was able to get my SA licence at 16yo and have a full bike licence by 18yo and learn to ride in places like Gorge road, Chain of Ponds, Montaque rd, Mount Barker etc.
We will enter Adelaide from Handorf via the Mount Lofty scenic route(Montaque rd)
After xmas off to Victor Harbour then Goolwa and up through the rolling hills of Strathalbyn around the lake to Meningie and then stay on the coast to Melbourne.
I never got around to visiting the coorong when I lived in SA (left in my early 20's) so this will be a new trip for me, your current local knowledge (good pubs) is appreciated.

 

[windinhair]

The ride through the Coorong should be pleasant now ML as the lakes have had a good fresh water fill,on my ride in 09 during the drought one didn't mention that one was from the upper Murray--"where is our water you PR-CK's,NSW arseholes,the publican at Policemans Point was entertaining civil war,ah SA,you have to love the place :mrgreen: