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B E S T A D V I C E - B E S T T O U R S - B E S T B I K E SB E S T A D V I C E - B E S T T O U R S - B E S T B I K E S
M E L B O U R N E T O D A R W I N : A S E L F G U I D E D M O T O R C Y C L E T O U R
MelbourneCapital city of Victoria and the second most populace city in Australia, Melbourne has a brilliant mix of vibrant
energy, cosmopolitan charm and friendly, relaxed locals.
Cultural hub of Australia, Melbourne can be credited as the birthplace of Australian film, is a major centre for Australian music and was even ranked as the world’s most liveable city in 2011. In short, why haven’t you visited already? Take time out off the bike to wander the fascinating streets, browse through the eclectic mix of small boutiques and larger stores, jump on one of the famous trams and see the sights, or simply kick back and relax in one of the many parks or with a coffee on the banks of the Yarra River.
Contemporary, vibrant, and in places, as relaxing as you want.
Self Guided Tour MELBOURNE TO DARWIN
The Great Ocean RoadThe Great Ocean Road is rightly classified as one of the most scenic coastal drives in the world, words simply
can’t describe the amazing scenery, or the experience you’ll have on this 280km coast road. It’s sheer, unadulterated motorcycling bliss.
Stunning ocean views to the south, the Otway Ranges to the north with their temperate rainforest, abundant eucalypts and resident koala populations and an eclectic mix of coastal towns along the way. A superb biking road, twisting and turning as it traces the outline of the Victoria coast, and one that every motorcyclist should ride at least once in their life!
The ‘12 Apostles’, ‘Loch Ard Gorge’ and ‘London Bridge’ are just a few of the natural marvels to be encountered along the way. It may only be 280km of asphalt, but it’ll be an experience to last a lifetime.
= Great Ocean Road
Self Guided Tour MELBOURNE TO DARWIN
The GrampiansIt’s time to breath deeply and savour mother nature at her very best. Discover grand mountain ranges, delicate
wildflowers, a wealth of Aboriginal rock art sites and some great biking routes.
This area of granite highlands is jam packed with wildlife, waterfalls and superb lookouts. If you get high enough on a really clear day, you can even see the Great Ocean Road 170km away towards the coast.
A day spent in the Grampians is a day well spent. Wander the trails, experience the serenity or take your bike to some of the further flung corners of the area. Whatever you end up doing, you’ll be experiencing one of the finest national parks in Australia.
Self Guided Tour MELBOURNE TO DARWIN
AdelaidePerched on the Fleurieu Peninsula, capital of Southern Australia, ‘City of
Churches’ and the perfect blend of urban cool and natural splendour. Adelaide has one of the most impressive botanical gardens in the world, loads of relaxed open spaces and a vibrant atmosphere that makes it a pleasure to wander the streets.
A small town feel with lovely colonial architecture and all the conveniences of a modern city. It’ll be the biggest settlement that you’ll encounter from here until you reach Perth in Western Australia, so it’s the perfect spot to sample that most iconic of Aussie meals, the meat pie floater! That’s a meat pie floating in pea soup for those that haven’t had the pleasure as yet.
Self Guided Tour MELBOURNE TO DARWIN
Clare ValleyThe Clare Valley is one of Australia’s premier grape growing regions and the wine making tradition runs deep in
the area. The carefully tended gardens, regimented columns of vines, pristine conservation parks and plethora of open cellar doors makes this area an absolute delight to ride through. Try one of the famous Clare Valley Rieslings with a meal prepared at one of the many local restaurants or wineries.
Of course it isn’t just the pedigree wines that draw people to this area from far and wide, the stunning scenery, friendly locals and great biking roads all play their part in making this a wonderful region of Australia to explore by motorcycle.
Self Guided Tour MELBOURNE TO DARWIN
Flinder’s RangesThis is the start of what many would consider to be the ‘real outback’ and is the place you’ll really begin to get
a feel for the otherworldly landscapes Australia has tucked away. Cavernous red gorges and magnificent mountains seemingly aglow in the sunset, contrast with the starkly beautiful white gum trees standing proud in the thin desert soil. Huge wedge tailed eagles soar in the blue skies above and the peace and solitude make you feel as if you’re a two-wheeled pioneer on the surface of another planet.
Epic scenery crisscrossed with tracks and minor roads, mean the Flinder’s Ranges are a truly awe-inspiring place to be on a motorcycle.
Self Guided Tour MELBOURNE TO DARWIN
Coober PedyCoober Pedy is the quintessential frontier Outback settlement. An incredibly interesting place, positioned slap
bang in the middle of middle of the scorching desert. The temperatures can be extremely high here and close to 50 degrees centigrade is not uncommon in the summer. This is the self proclaimed ‘Opal Capital of the World’ owing in no small measure, to the huge quantity of precious gems that are mined in the surrounding area.
Because of the harsh desert conditions and soaring midday temperatures, most of the town is underground and many interesting places can only be seen via a guided tour. This quirky adaptation to the environment is one of the main reason to tour around the town. Houses, churches, shops even hospitals, they’re all in crudely hewn ‘dugouts’ in the desert.
Self Guided Tour MELBOURNE TO DARWIN
Uluru / Ayers RockOne of the most recognisable landmarks on the planet and one of the largest sandstone monoliths in the
world, Uluru certainly doesn’t disappoint in the scale department. A sacred site for the local Anangu people, the traditional ‘owners’ of the rock, Uluru is a World Heritage listed site for obvious reasons. The sight of the scarlet monolith looming up from the otherwise featureless desert floor as you ride towards it, is a sight truly to behold and an Australian ‘must see’.
Best times to view the ‘rock’ are normally at sunrise and sunset, with the sunset viewing being most popular as this is when Uluru appears to glow red in the failing desert illumination.
Self Guided Tour MELBOURNE TO DARWIN
Kata Tjuta / The OlgasOnly thirty kilometres away from the more obvious attraction of Uluru, Kata Tjuta [pronounced Kata Joota]
are possibly even more impressive, but for different reasons. There are thirty six ‘domes’ of rock that make up Kata Tjuta covering about 21 square kilometres of desert, meaning there is plenty to explore! Another sacred site for the local Aboriginal peoples, many ceremonies are still performed in the area and the rocks hold special significance.
It’s a brilliant spot to explore and stretch your legs off the bike, so we’d recommend taking every opportunity to roam far and wide whilst you’re here!
Self Guided Tour MELBOURNE TO DARWIN
King’s CanyonPart of the Watarrka National Park, Kings Canyon is a truly spectacular
gorge cut out of the desert and a definite ‘must see’ for the tour. It’s pretty close, by Australian standards at least, to Uluru and Kata Tjuta.
There is a nearby resort which has a nice campsite, shop, café and other attractions such as helicopter rides over the canyon itself, so is a great place to base yourself whilst exploring the surrounding area.
Self Guided Tour MELBOURNE TO DARWIN
Alice SpringsHard to imagine that Alice Springs is the third largest town in the Northern Territory when you arrive, but ‘the
Alice’ is a modern and welcoming oasis in an otherwise inhospitable desert. The town is ideally situated close to some of Australia’s great wonders, making it an ideal base from where you can explore the surrounds at your leisure. It’s got everything you could need to re-stock before continuing north along the highway.
Self Guided Tour MELBOURNE TO DARWIN
The Devil’s MarblesDoes the devil play marbles? Perhaps, perhaps not. But if he does, these would certainly be a worthy set!
A relatively small but spectacular national park situated just north of Alice Springs, the immense granite boulders, balancing stones and scattered spheres of rock are an unusual spectacle in the otherwise relatively featureless desert. The length of time it must have taken for the wind, rain and sand storms to craft the rocks into these amazing shapes just boggles the mind.
Either that of course, or the devil got distracted mid game of marbles...
Self Guided Tour MELBOURNE TO DARWIN
Tennant Creek and Daly WatersTennant Creek is a hot, dusty town basically in the middle of nowhere, but it’s the ideal spot to take a break.
Shops, cafes and restaurants provide for all your wants and needs, with a few parks providing a change to work out the kinks as you take a breather from the saddle of your bike. It’s got outback character by the shovel full, as has the iconic Daly Waters; a national treasure, albeit a slightly quirky one!
Daly Waters likes to think of itself as a small town, but to be honest it’s less a town and more a pub with a few permanent residents. The Daly Waters Hotel is widely regarded as one of the oldest buildings in the Northern Territory and has been in existence from at least 1893. It’s drawn visitors from every corner of the globe, now being famous as it’s decorated with banknotes and other memorabilia left there by the multitude of visitors from various nationalities.
Self Guided Tour MELBOURNE TO DARWIN
Mataranka Hot SpringsJust what the saddle sore motorcycle rider ordered, an
amazing oasis in the middle of the desert. Fantastically clear water flowing at a pretty consistent 32 degrees centigrade, is the ideal remedy for any aches and pains you might have and is an incredible way to relax a while off the bike. A boardwalk takes you down to the pools of warm water where you can ease yourself in and indulge. If you’ve got a mask and snorkel to hand, an unusual thing to take into the desert, but still, you can observe the fish and even turtles in the incredibly clear waters.
There’s a handy bar at the nearby station, which means there’s everything you could want close by. Who would have thought such a place would exist in the middle of the desert?
Self Guided Tour MELBOURNE TO DARWIN
KatherineThe third largest town in the Northern Territory, Katherine is most
famous for Katherine Gorge one of the most spectacular of local attractions. Located in the Nitmiluk National Park just north east of the town, Katherine Gorge is just one, although arguably the most impressive, of a series of 13 sandstone gorges hewn from the land over billions of years by the Katherine River.
There’s a strong Aboriginal link to the area, with many rock art sites dotted about the park. It’s the ideal area to take a break from riding the bike and explore in greater depth. There are plenty of options available for the inquisitive rider, but the gorges themselves are best investigated by canoe or a flat bottomed boat.
Self Guided Tour MELBOURNE TO DARWIN
Litchfield National ParkPetite twin sister to the nearby Kakadu National Park, Litchfield certainly doesn’t disappoint! There are some
fantastic waterfalls, plunge pools and swimming holes to cool off in, plus a wonderfully secluded atmosphere about the place. Buley Rock hole, Wangi Falls, Surprise Creek and the secluded Tjaynera Falls are just a few of the places you might find yourself lingering too long.
The park is a short ride from Darwin, so you can easily return if you want to spend more time exploring what’s on offer.
Self Guided Tour MELBOURNE TO DARWIN
KakaduIncredible wildlife with big saltwater crocodiles, stunning bird life, water buffalo, an amazing variety of plants and
trees, vibrant Aboriginal culture, history and natural heritage can all be found in this UNESCO World Heritage listed, wetland paradise. Watching the sunset over the wetlands at Ubirr is a magical experience and exploring the caves and Aboriginal artwork at Nourlangie, some of which dates from 60,000 years ago, provides an amazing insight into the early history of the country.
Covering nearly 20,000 square kilometres, every centimetre of Kakadu is absolutely jam-packed with life at every time of year. It’s undeniably the major natural attraction in the ‘top end’ and since you’ve ridden all the way here, it’s worth spending a little to explore the park properly.
Self Guided Tour MELBOURNE TO DARWIN
DarwinCapital city of the Northern Territory and tropical paradise on the shores of the Timor Sea. A population of
about 130,000 makes it easily the most populated city in the Northern Territory, but the least populated of all Australia’s capital cities. This, combined with the delightful tropical climate has led to the creation of a distinctly laid back, multicultural and very mellow sort of place.
Plenty of markets, festivals, restaurants, pubs and an abundance of incredibly welcoming locals makes this one of the finest tropical cities on the planet.
Self Guided Tour MELBOURNE TO DARWIN
Self-guided tours are designed to make it as easy as possible for you to arrange your motorbike tour in Australia.
We take away all the trouble and time needed to research and plan the tour, so you can be confident that you’ll make the most of your time, see the best the route has to offer and have somewhere great to stay each night. It makes for stress free days on the bike and leaves you to simply enjoy the freedom of riding, marvel at the scenery and soak up the atmosphere.
Self-guided tour costs generally include the bike, accommodation in good quality 3.5 to 4 star bed & breakfast/motels/resorts and a very detailed itinerary with maps that will tell you the best biking route and things to see on the way.
We know what works on these trips and the pace has been designed for people that like to make good use of the bike, but also enjoy stopping to admire the spectacular scenery, take short walks to things of interest and enjoy local hospitality with a great coffee or lunch at cafés and restaurants on the way.
A typical day is around 350 km but on some days it might be less and others a little more depending on what there is to see. You won’t ride the direct routes between cities and towns as they are fast, straight and have little of interest on the way. They are quick and functional but no fun on a bike! The route we’ll take you on has fantastic scenery and you’ll twist and wind your way along lesser known back roads through each region along the way.
Prior to the tour you’ll be sent a detailed itinerary and briefing pack telling you all about the history of each area and things you’ll likely see during the trip. This will mean you can read all about the tour and do any additional research you might like to do before arriving in Australia.
We love Australia and want to show you the best of it. We are confident you’ll leave with the same passion for the country as we have.
Thanks for your interest in these tours and we hope to share Australia with you sometime soon!
For more information on this, or any of our other tours please visit: www.bikeroundoz.com or contact us directly at: [email protected]
HOW THINGS WORK - Self-guided tours
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