Northern NSW - October 2020

 

Saturday 24th October.

 

Oyster Bay - Katoomba - Lithgow - Rylstone - Mudgee - Coolah

 

420 Kms

 

whole Trip

Day 1

Relive Day 1

Strange times in the era of Covid-19. I had booked this week off some time ago and it has crept up on me. As usual, enormous amounts of rain are predicted and I waited to the morning of my departure to make a decision. Saturday morning was overcast but not yet raining. what the hell. Let’s go.

 

Katoomba

Up over the mountains through Katoomba and Lithgow and on towards Rylstone, possibly for some yum cha, but I know it is unlikely. During the pandemic the Victorian and Queensland borders are closed and so Sydneysiders are discovering the wonders of rural New South Wales. As expected, Rylstone was choc a bloc. Forget Yum cha. Filled up with fuel and headed for Mudgee. I was getting some rain by this stage, but nothing too nasty.

Capertee

Rylstone

My original plan was to got to Bylong and then through Wollar and on to Ulan and Coolah, my stop for the night. But with all the rain I didn’t fancy hitting any unsealed roads so I took the Safeway and went through Mudgee. I knew it would be busy in Mudgee but I was still surprised by the amount of people in town. I just went around the block and there were people streaming everywhere and all the motels had No Vacancy signs. It was Saturday.

 

Mudgee

I headed out Ulan Road for Coolah. Still a bit of rain around. I had a motel room booked in Coolah, a much smaller town, but wasn’t sure what to expect. It turned out to be a classic 1950s motel with not too much modification, but it did the job. when I got into my room there was a huge thunderstorm with some heavy rain.

 

By the time I ventured out to dinner it was still raining but had settled down considerably. The Coolah Valley Hotel was the closest and was also a relic from the 50s with a bunch hootin’ and a hollerin’ young locals having a wild old Saturday night. I managed to get through my steak and chips and headed back to the motel for an early night.

 

Sunday 25t October

 

Coolah - Binnaway - Condobolin - Narrabri - Moree - Warialda - Inverell - Glen Innes.

 

615km

 

Day 2

Relive Day 2

Got away from Coolah by 8am thinking I would get some breakfast on the way. Overcast, some light drizzle, but pretty good all in all. First town was Binnaway. No sign of breakfast here. On to Coonabarabran. Plenty of signs of breakfast but it looked like it was about to pour so I decided to keep going on to Narrabri. This takes you through the Pilliga forest which is always interesting.

 

A foggy start in Coolah

Stopped for fuel in Narrabri, and local pulled up on a bike behind me. We had a chat and he asked me where I was going and which route. I told him Glen Innes via Bingara. He mentioned the “floodways” and suggested exercising caution. I was very blasé and definitely should have sought more information. I didn’t. So I headed out of town and turned off on to Killarney Gap Road.

 

All Good so far

It wasn’t long until I came to the first floodway. No problem. A trickle of water over the concrete base. Zoom. The second floodway slowed me up. Heavier flow of water. Large chunk of the concrete base washed away and mud everywhere. Had to snake through on an angle, but I mad it ok. Floodway 3 and 4 were both deeper and flowing swiftly, but only a couple of meters across and I got though no worries. Then up over the mountain road and down the other side thinking I had left the floodways behind. Wrong. The next one was deeper and faster than all previous. I venture through slowly. Then I came to the big one. About 10 meters across and the water was moving very quickly. I couldn’t tell how deep it was so I got off the bike to have a closer look. The sign said check the indicator for depth. What indicator. It was long gone.

 

While I was standing there looking at it, a Toyota Landcruiser came from the other side. He stopped and looked and then came through slowly. The water seemed to be up to his axle. I was just starting to think I could do it when the Landcruiser pulled up beside me and the driver said “the next ones worse” and his wife leaned over said “and flowing much faster”. I said thank you and resigned myself to turning back. I retraced my steps back through the floodways I had already mastered, very glad to see the last of them. I had to go almost back to Narrabri before turning and north and heading for Moree. That added 100 kms to an already long day.

 

The one that stopped me.

Finally got to Moree and by now really had to eat something. Saw a sign saying Bacon and Egg roll and coffee $8 but kept going to fill with fuel then came back to the sign. I didn’t realise till I walked in the door that it was a Chinese restaurant. I ordered the roll and Coffee from George, The owner, before realising I should have asked for  a few dim sims and spring rolls instead. I enjoyed them and George joined me for a chat and tried to tempt me to stay in Moree for the night. As I looked around I realised it was more than a restaurant. There was also accommodation and hot springs on the premises. I was in the Dragon Phoenix Resort, Artesian Spa Centre and Licensed Restaurant. What more could you want? Accommodation, a Chinese Restaurant and hot springs all in one package. I thanked George for his hospitality and said I may return in the future.

 

On the way to Moree

On the road to Warialda, through Inverell and finally to Glen Innes. A long but eventful day and I was glad to have a little lie down before dinner.

 

Glen Innes dinner

Glen Innes refreshments

Glen Innes breakfast venue

Monday 26th October

 

Glen Innes - Tenterfield - Tabulam - Casino - Lismore

 

250 KM

 

Day 3

Relive Day 3

Dinner last night and Breakfast this morning was at the grand Central Hotel, next door to the Central Motel where I was staying. Very convenient. This was short day so I took my time packing up and got on the road after 9am. Lovely blue sky this morning and I had a nice run through to Tenterfield. Then it was the Bruxner highway across to Casino. A nice road through some beautiful country over the great dividing range.

 

Entering Lismore

Bruxner Highway

Tenterfield

Before Tenterfield

Roadworks Before Tenterfield

Weather's good.

By the time I got to Casino it was very overcast again and I thought I would try to get to Lismore before it started to rain. Got to Lismore with no rain. I am in a Motel in the centre of town and look forward to exploring. I haven’t been here before. I am here for 2 nights and will see how the weather is tomorrow before deciding If I will get the bike out from its cosy undercover parking spot.

 

Tuesday 27th October

 

Lismore

 

Despite plans to ride over to Mullumbimby and Brunswick Heads, in the end I didn’t leave Lismore. The weather looked ominous all day and finally in the afternoon there was another huge thunderstorm. Glad I wasn’t in it.

 

Prior to that I had a good walk around town and thoroughly enjoyed it. It is a very pleasant town. I caught up with some of the history. Originally it was surrounded by sub-tropical rain forest. Then the native red cedar was discovered. The only access was by river and the timber cutters kept coming until they had taken every cedar tree. Then they started on other rainforest timber until they found themselves surrounded by open plains. Bring on the dairy cows. This eventually led to a co-op of dairy farmers which ultimately became Norco.

 

I read about many catastrophic floods in the town before discovering that the town was originally settled in a swamp. I’m sure someone else has put these facts together before me.

 

A nice restful day, ready for the next leg. And lots more rain to come.

 

Cosy park - Lismore Motel

Historic building - Lismore

Around Lismore

Around Lismore

BBQ Smokehouse - Lismore

Street sculpture - Lismore

Interesting shop - Lismore

Lismore breakfast

Lismore cafe

Lismore rainbow

Lismore pie cart

Wednesday 28th October

 

Lismore - Casino - Grafton - Nymboida - Ebor - Armidale - Uralla

 

354 Km

 

Day 5

Relive Day 5

It was quite sunny when I went to breakfast, but I knew it wasn’t going to last. I left Lismore at 8am and headed to Casino. Not far. Then the run down Summerland way to Grafton. Very overcast by now but no rain. This area had been devastated by bushfire a year ago, and despite still having blackened trunks, the trees were mostly covered in green foliage. Along with the lush green undergrowth and pools of water from recent rains, you would be hard to pushed to know there had been a fire.

 

I didn’t stop in Grafton but headed down Armidale road to Nymboida. Another community that had a horrendous time in last years fires, also looking much improved. Although I didn’t see the building that had been destroyed. They have since been cleaned up.

 

Grafton Jacarandas

I had a good run through the twisty mountain section, through Tyringham and into Ebor where I refuelled. I had planned for some refreshments at Fusspots tea house at Ebor, but unfortunately they were closed. Coved-19 probably.

 

Ebor

Nymboida

I pushed on to Armidale as the sky grew darker. By the time I got to the outskirts the rain had begun and there was a lot of lightning, though not close to me. I had booked a room in Uralla which is another 20 kms on from Armidale. I fancied something smaller and quieter.

 

It was a close thing to get into the Motel at Uralla as the storm then became nasty. I really recommend the Bushranger Motel in the middle of Uralla. The owner was very friendly and helpful and said I should put the bike under the veranda in front of my room, which was very handy. While I was checking in he said “have a look at this” and opened a door directly from the reception office into a long timber floored room. “Tis is my bike” he said indicating the Fat Bob Harley Davidson in the middle of the room, “and that’s my wife’s bike” he said pointing to a Harley Sportster at the far end of the room. Very convenient parking.

 

I had a very nice meal at one of the 2 pubs very close to the Motel, and the following morning had a great breakfast at a cafe across the road. Uralla is a very complete yet compact overnight stay.

 

Ready for the storm

In the pub 

The top pub

Great motel

Uralla Dinner

Thursday 29th October

 

Uralla – Tamworth – Gunnedah  - Mullaley – Coolah – Mudgee

 

400 km

 

Day 6

Relive Day 6

Beautiful blues skies and sunshine this morning. Haven’t seen much of that on this trip. Left town about 9 and headed for Tamworth straight down the New England Highway. At Tamworth i turned right and went to Gunnedah  where I stopped for fuel. Clouds were building up by now and there was a huge black column just north of Gunnedah that looked like an active storm.

 

On to Mullaley and then south down Black Stump Way to Coolah where I had stayed on my first night. Thought about stopping for refreshments but the clouds were still gathering so I kept going to Mudgee. Back in my usual motel for the last night on the road, but I think it will be a quiet night in.

Road works

Finished up at the Woolpack Hotel for Steamed Barramundi with ginger and shallots.

 

Mudgee Dinner

Friday 30th October

 

Mudgee – Lithgow – Katoomba – Penrith – Oyster Bay

 

286 Km

 

Day 7

Relive Day 7

Breakfast in the Motel room today so I could get a good early start on the road. Weather looked OK to start with but soon became overcast.

 

Despite the scenery being lovely going through the Blue Mountains, the traffic is not.

 

Got to Oyster Bay about 1pm, before the rain started.