Manly > Manly Run 2014

Mt.Lofty Scenic Drive / Greenhill Road between Hanhndorf and Adelaide, winding through the Adelaide Hills....






























































Oil / fluids and tire pressure check in the late afternoon to get ready for the morning departure towards Mt.Gambier and further down the Princess Highway....





 
Old Tailem Town is located on the South Eastern Freeway 5km north of Tailem Bend and approximately 90kms from Adelaide.
First established in 1982, Old Tailem Town is now Australia's largest pioneer village, visited by tourists all over the world!
Welcome to Old Tailem Town = Old Tailem Town - Australia's Largest Pioneer Village


Unfortunatley ~ the town was closed at 6:30hrs. in the morning, would have been a nice stop for a coffee and full brekkie....











Along the Princess Highway general direction Mt.Gambier...
















 
Stretching more than 130 kilometres, Coorong National Park protects a string of saltwater lagoons which are protected from the Southern Ocean by the sweeping sand dunes of the Younghusband Peninsula.
Had to check this one out as I live in China but too hot to engage in the whole trail walk about in full biking gear...
A step back in time, this area has a unique place in the local history of the gold rush days and the establishment of the stock, mail and communications routes.
It is believed that the Chinamans Well was built in about 1856. The curved limestone blocks and the sandstone cap on the top of the well were obtained from nearby quarries.





























 
South Australia has great stretches of beaches, good for some exploring and beach cruising on the hard packed sand.

The Granites Beach is the site of the only rocks on the entire beach, a few 2 m high rounded granite knobs that lie in the intertidal swash zone (The Coorong / South Australia).
Australia’s longest beach, which grades from no waves to one of the world’s highest energy beaches. It is a spectacular beach backed by extensive dunes north of The Granites, very accessible by 4WD, and with many kilometres of beach camping.
However outside of Kings Camp and Kingston SE there are no facilities, apart from the camp sites and lucky me had assistance from a camper nearby with his SUV pulling me off the beach out of the soft sand.
Mate good day to you and a big thanks!





















Took the gravel road to the Granites Beach and they put signs on top near the parking lot for reasons....



Short stop for a quick snack (bacon cheese roll and iced coffee) and tank fill up at the Red Big Lobster (Kingston Shell Servo Station).
The Big Lobster is a tourist attraction located in the town of Kingston SE, South Australia.
Known locally as "Larry the Lobster," the sculpture of a spiny lobster stands 17 metres tall, and is regarded as one of the most impressive of Australia's Big Things....





Hi Ho, Hi Ho off to the beach we go and need assistance again after a run on the beach for approx. 10k's to get back on the real road....
Mate good day to you and a big thanks!











Learned the lesson and rest of my time in SA only looking at the great beaches ~ no more cruising in the sand with a heavy bike and street tyres...













 
Arrived at Mt.Gambier / South Australia and a visit to the Blue Lake is a must while in the area.





The Blue Lake in Mount Gambier, South Australia is a large monomictic lake located in an extinct volcanic maar associated with the Mount Gambier maar complex.
It is one of four crater lakes on Mount Gambier. Of the four lakes, only two remain, as the other two (Leg of Mutton and Brown) have dried up over the past 30 to 40 years as the water table has dropped.
Situated in one of three extinct volcanic craters, the Blue Lake exposes the crystal clear water that has filtered underground through the limestone, passing slowly beneath the city.
Each year in November the lake starts its colour change from winter steel blue to brilliant turquoise blue and then in March changes back to steel blue.
The Blue Lake and the Crater Lakes area is a significant site within the Kanawinka Geopark and is a State Heritage Area.























Heading down further the Princess Highway leaving South Australia and entering the state of Victoria....








 
One of the most rugged and wild sections of Victoria's coastline can be viewed at The Crags, just 12 kilometres west of Port Fairy.
For some a perfect ending to a tour of the coastal sights of the Great Ocean Road, well as I was going from Adelaide (SA) to Melbourne (VIC) ~ its the start of the GOR....





















































 
Very nice TB.
Those early Chinese gold seekers sure were tough and were all over Oz including remote WA.
Ah, that Great Ocean Road sure is a nice ride.
 
Starting to roll down the Great Ocean Road towards Melbourne...







Warrnambool, watching the sunset at Logans Beach Whale Viewing Platforms just to the east of Warrnambool, overlooking the whales favourite playground ~ unfortunately no whales in sight....





 
Early morning start to another awesome Great Ocean Road destination.
Bay of Islands Coastal Park is a 32 kilometre long coastal reserve located on the Great Ocean Road between Peterborough and Warrnambool in Australia.
























































 
Bay of Martyrs beside the Great Ocean Road is an open, 2.5 km long, south-west facing bay containing numerous reefs and sea stacks.
The shoreline is composed predominantly of 10 m high, red limestone bluffs. Within the bay are several smaller bays and beaches, two of which are named Massacre Bay and Crofts Bay.
Bay of Martyrs Beach lies at the eastern end of the bay. It is 500 m long, faces south-west and is backed by a mixture of irregular bluffs and dunes, with the Great Ocean Road just behind.















 
The Grotto is a sinkhole geological formation and tourist attraction, found on the Great Ocean Road outside Port Campbell in Victoria, Australia.














 
London Arch is a natural arch in the Port Campbell National Park, Australia. The arch is one of the tourist attractions along the Great Ocean Road near Port Campbell in Victoria.
This stack was formed by a gradual process of erosion, and until 1990 formed a complete double-span natural bridge.
The arch closer to the shoreline collapsed unexpectedly on 15 January 1990, Prior to the collapse, the arch was known as London Bridge because of its similarity to its namesake.














 
Great Ocean Road location named on the spot that day "THE GREAT CLIFF BENCH" as not listed anywhere to my knowledge and stumbled across the great location by accident... absolute brilliant viewing spot...








The Great Cliff Bench location = 38°37'52.4"S 143°01'42.8"E on the tip of the right side rock formation going into the sea.
































My trusty Dainese boots finished a great job over the years and time to retire via sea burial, final farewell Ginger Beer and over the cliff into the sea they went....
Bought a pair of black Alpinestars S-MX 2 Boots at Peter Stevens Motorcycles and Accessories in Adelaide as replacements.





 
Loch Ard Gorge is part of Port Campbell National Park, Victoria, Australia.
The Loch Ard was a sailing vessel which was wrecked at Mutton bird Island just off the Shipwreck Coast of Victoria, Australia in 1878.
The name was drawn from Loch Ard, a lake which lies to the west of the village of Aberfoyle, and to the east of Loch Lomond. It means "high lake" in Scottish Gaelic.
The Loch Ard belonged to the Loch Line, a major shipping line operating between Great Britain and Australia. It was a three-masted ship, of 263' in length, with a tonnage of 1693 tonnes, and was constructed by Barclay, Curdle & Co. of Glasgow.

















 
The Twelve Apostles Motel just 3km straight up from the Twelve Apostles as my home base, great location for a few days exploring during the week as not many tourists around...
Twelve Apostles Motel = Home




















Regular tyre and fluid check up.....


 
Heading out in the early morning for a bit of a cruise down the Great Ocean Road general direction Apollo Bay....
First stopover at Melba Gully State Park, A true Otway gem, famous for its massive 350 year old Otway messmate and enchanting glow worms, Melba Gully is the most westerly rainforest in southern Australia.



























































 
Castle Cove and the road to the Otway Lighthouse going from the Great Ocean Road to the coast line...












































Cape Otway Lighthouse is a lighthouse on Cape Otway in southern Victoria, Australia.The government reserved the tip of the cape as the site for a lighthouse.
Access to the site was difficult; it was eventually reached overland and construction of the Cape Otway Lightstation began in 1846 from stone quarried at the Parker River.
The light was first lit in 1848 using a first order Fresnel lens; it was the second lighthouse completed on mainland Australia and it remains the oldest surviving lighthouse in mainland Australia.
It was decommissioned in January 1994 after being the longest continuous operating light on the Australian mainland.
At the keeper's cottages of Apollo Bay, accommodation is available in two double studios or in the head keeper's cottage that will sleep groups ranging from two to sixteen people.
A telegraph station was added to the site when Tasmania was connected to the mainland by a submarine telegraph line from Cape Otway to Launceston in 1859.




















More Otway Park info = http://parkweb.vic.gov.au/explore/parks/great-otway-national-park
 
Another day and bike ride at the Great Ocean Road = Great Ocean Road and Region, Victoria, Australia starting from the Twelve Apostles Motel.
The Shipwreck Coast of Victoria, Australia stretches from to Cape Otway to Port Fairy, a distance of approximately 130km and is easily accessible via the Great Ocean Road.























Golf courses always make great simple trail riding sections for a bit of drifting and sliding....







 
As I really love cheese, another afternoon tasting stop for more cheese in the grassy hills and mountains.
Just a short drive from the Twelve Apostles and Great Ocean Road, Apostle Whey Cheese is a great spot to sample an unforgettable wedge of country life = http://www.apostlewheycheese.com.au











 
The grand food finale for the full on "hardcore endurance ride - gourmet trail experience"... coffee and yummy chocolate at Gorge Chocolates Factory = http://www.gorgechocolates.com.au
"Gorge Chocolates create delectable treats using Belgian chocolate, with over 40 different products we have something for everyone"



















 
"Gorge" Chocolates; that's clever.
Glad you found one of our Drop Bears in the National Park.
Yep, sure is a nice part of the world down there.
 
The Gibson Steps are an area of cliffs on the south coast of Australia.
The cliffs are a great stop off in Port Campbell National Park for travellers along the Great Ocean Road, located nearby the Twelve Apostles.









































 
The Twelve Apostles http://visit12apostles.com.au is a collection of limestone stacks off the shore of the Port Campbell National Park, by the Great Ocean Road in Victoria, Australia.
Some pics of the famous Twelve Apostles during different times of the three days spent in the area.





















































 
Simply beautiful and a big thanks for posting them. Never been to Australia but it has jumped quite a few place on my long list of places I want to visit.
 
Well ~ time came around to have my last hearty Great Ocean Road brekkie and depart from the Twelve Apostels / Shipwreck Coast area for the ride to Melbourne.


Mounting the GoPro on the helmet "teletubbie style" as usual for continuous photo shooting (30 or 60sec. interval).
I am just too lazy to edit movies and POV camera movies can be quite boring in my personal opinion.....















































More GREAT OCEAN ROAD info = http://www.visitgreatoceanroad.org.au
 
The actual "official tourist" stretch of the Great Ocean Road finished but the great coast line and beaches continued all the way to Melbourne.
Some shots taken on the way to the city of Melbourne / Victoria.







Famous for surfing in Oz = Bells Beach Recreation Reserve.

Soak up surf culture, sunshine and holiday fun on the surf beaches around Torquay.
You can have all kinds of seaside sun in Torquay, but this picturesque holiday town is most famous for the surf beaches that surround it.
Sitting south-west of Melbourne at the gateway to the Great Ocean Road, Torquay is fringed by some fantastic breaks with fairytale names.

You’re more likely to hear waves and loudspeakers than bells on Bells Beach, which is a Torquay’s southern outskirts.
This is where the world's top surfers converge to tackle waves of up to five meters in the Rip Curl Easter Pro, the world’s longest running surf contest.
The two day festival – which also showcases some of Australia’s hottest musical talent – draws crowds of thousands to the cliff grandstands.
If you can't make it for Easter, surfing carnivals are held throughout the summer, as well as the Australian Strongman Triathlon in February and the High Tide Festival in December.
If you’re itching to take on the swell yourself, Bells Beach has two right-hand breaks for intermediate to advanced surfers.
The waves are almost guaranteed to be good, particularly from March to October.









 
Heading to Torquay from Bells Beach area.
Dose up on surf culture at Torquay, the home of Bells Beach and birthplace of iconic brands Rip Curl and Quicksilver.
The official start point of the Great Ocean Road, Torquay is Victoria's surfing and beach worship capital.













Ocean Grove is a seaside town in Victoria, Australia, located on the Bellarine Peninsula.







 
Queenscliffe coffee & cake pit stop....
The Borough of Queenscliffe is a local government area in Victoria, Australia, located in the western part of the state.
It is the smallest local government area in Victoria, covering an area of 36 square kilometres and, at the 2011 Census, had a population of 3000.
It includes only two settlements, which are Queenscliff and Point Lonsdale.
Queenscliffe is situated on the south coast, south-east of Geelong on the Bellarine Peninsula south of Swan Bay and next to the Port Phillip Heads, the entrance to Port Phillip Bay from Bass Strait.











 
Point Lonsdale Lighthouse, also known as the Point Lonsdale Signal Station, is close to the township of Point Lonsdale in the Borough of Queenscliffe, Victoria, Australia.
It stands at the eastern end of the Bellarine Peninsula, on the western side of the entrance to Port Phillip from Bass Strait, on a headland overlooking the "Rip".
The "Rip" a stretch of water considered one of the ten most treacherous navigable passages in the world, and the only seaborne approach to Melbourne.
It is operated by the Victorian Channels Authority, part of the Port of Melbourne Corporation.

















 
Lakes Entrance, which lies almost at sea level, can be reached from Melbourne via Bairnsdale and the town of Kalimna to the north-west by a stretch of the Princes Highway, which snakes down and around a point protruding into the Gippsland Lakes known as "Jemmy's Point".
Spectacular views of The Entrance and of the Lakes can be seen from various look-outs on Jemmy's Point. The Princes Highway leaves the north-east side of the town through hilly countryside towards Nowa Nowa and Orbost.
Lakes Entrance is predominantly a fishing and tourism-driven town; the main beach front is a safe harbour for many major commercial fishing and recreational waterspout operations.
The surf beach is patrolled by the Lakes Entrance Surf Life Saving Club between November and March every summer, with lifeguard patrols from late December to late January.
The waterfront is populated by restaurants, shops, caravan parks, a Safeway, a Target Country store that opened in 2007, a McDonalds restaurant that opened in September 1997, and a KFC.


























 
Riding through Snowy River Country direction Wollongong and Sydney in NSW.

















The Kiama Blowhole is a blowhole in the town of Kiama, New South Wales, Australia.











The Sea Cliff Bridge is a balanced cantilever bridge located in the northern Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia.
The bridge links the coastal villages of Coalcliff and Clifton.
Featuring two lanes of traffic, a cycleway and a walkway, the Sea Cliff Bridge boasts spectacular views and is a feature of the scenic Lawrence Hargrave Drive.














 
Via the lookout at Stanwell Tops and park cruising through the Royal National Park back to Sydney.







Wish we had this type of catering vans.....







Sydney’s heritage-listed Royal National Park is affectionately known to locals as the ‘Nasho’ or just ‘the Royal’.
Established in 1879, it’s the world's second-oldest national park. It features unique heritage attractions, along with fascinating plants, birds and animals.
Perfect for bushwalking, cycling, surfing, picnicking or whale watching, this diverse park offers everything from beaches to rainforest.















Yummy... back to the start of the ride at Manly Beach Ben & Jerry's.
The stick-on GoPro mounts on the top of the helmet might work as ice cream transport device....

 
Deus Ex Machina Sydney for lunch with mates, always a great spot to meet up and look around.....

Deus Cafe • 98-104 Parramatta Rd. Camperdown NSW 2050 • Australia
http://www.deuscafe.com.au and http://deuscustoms.com











































 
Crossing the world famous bridge for the last time during the trip with a motorbike.
The Sydney Harbour Bridge is a steel through arch bridge across Sydney Harbour that carries rail, vehicular, bicycle and pedestrian traffic between the Sydney central business district (CBD) and the North Shore.
The dramatic view of the bridge, the harbour, and the nearby Sydney Opera House is an iconic image of Sydney, and Australia. The bridge is nicknamed "The Coathanger" because of its arch-based design.













Bike returned to rental company, taking the ferry to Manly Beach from Circular Quay again, awesome view...









Tried hard to get my hands on two particular rental bikes to give them a test ride: KTM ADV 1190R or Yamaha Super Tenere 1200, both were not conveniently available and had to settle for a new BMW 1200GS-LC (2014) out of Sydney.
10000+ k's from and back to Ben & Jerry's Manly Beach round trip with some extensive side tracking through the Aussie states of NSW, QLD, SA, VIC.
Not bad a ride must admit, simple route as per map below....



Down Under riding will be continue with future trips in the planning stages.... ride and rock on!
 
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