Difference between revisions of "Motorcycling"
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=== Myrtleford loop === | === Myrtleford loop === | ||
| − | to | + | There are a few ways to ride a nice loop to the Ovens Valley and back.My favourite is to take the road the road over Bright Gap that leaves the Kiewa Valley Highway on the outskirts of Tawonga South. This is a really good curvey climb up to a couple of lookouts. Then the curves continue down the other side, before straightening out a bit as you get closer towards the valley floor. Turn right onto the Great Alpine Rd and ride about 5km into Bright, and another 6-ish to Porepunkah. There's a giant roundabout as you get to Porepunkah, with roads to Mt Buffalo and the Buckland Valey. Turn right to stay with the Great Alpine Road for ~22km till you get to Ovens, aka Happy Valley. There's a great little pub here. It's usually closed on Mondays, but otherwise you can a decent lunch and a local (Beechworth) brew. |
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| + | At Ovens, turn right following signs to Mt Beauty. You could stay on this road, and it's a fine motorbike road. But I like this variation. | ||
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| + | After about 5km, take the left turn into Carols Lane, which will take you to Mudgegonga in ~10km. Right again and keep a look out for Tunnel Gap Rd in another ~3km. This is a narrow but pleasant little road. Be on the lookout for farm trucks on the blind corners at the top of the gap. In ~8km it will spit you out onto the Dederang-Yackandandah Rd. Turn right and ride down to Dederang, joining the Kiewa Valley Highway just before Dederang. The "Ranga" pub is a bit of an icon. There's not a lot else in Dederang. From here it's about 35km down the highway to Mt Beauty, or take the turn off to Keegan's Bridge and take the scenic way back on the river road. | ||
=== Beechworth loop === | === Beechworth loop === | ||
Revision as of 23:39, 3 April 2007
Contents
Motorcycling From Mt Beauty
Mount Beauty is a great base for motorcycling. These rides can just as easily be done from Bright which is about 35km away.
Many of these roads involve lovely, curving mountain roads. Just remember that around any blind corner you may find: logging trucks, buses, 4WDs, fallen trees, deer or other wild life. If it has been cold, there may be black ice on the higher roads. The camber of some corners can be interesting, and many curves have a double apex. Motorcyclists die on these roads every year. Have fun, but leave a good margin for error.
Road
Falls Creek Road
Great ride on approx 32 kilometres of almost non-stop curves. Have look at Clover Arboretum on the way up. And drop down into Bogong Village beside beautiful Lake Guy for a quenching ale or warming cuppa.
River Road
Redbank Road leaves the Kiewa Valley Highway about 10 km on the Albury side of Mt Beauty. This is a narrow minor rural road, but it is a charming ride beside the Kiewa River and over undulating country. Sealing of the road was completed in 2005. There are a number of roads that go off to the left to cross the river and join the Kiewa Valley Highway. This means you can easily use a section of this road as part of a longer ride to Myrtleford, Beechworth etc. The road ends at the Murray Valley Highway near Tangambalanga. Lake Hume stretches in front of you. You could turn right to Mitta Mitta, or left to Albury, or return via the Kiewa Valley Highway.
Bright Gap = Tawonga Gap
- Called Bright Gap in Mt Beauty and Tawonga Gap in Bright, this is the road that links Mt Beauty in the Kiewa Valley with Bright in the Ovens Valley.
- Constant mountain curves on the Mt Beauty side; a mix of flat and mountain curves on the Bright side.
- Regarded by many as the equal or better of The Great Ocean Road.
Hotham, Dinner Plain and the Blue Duck
to be provided soon
Mt Buffalo
to be provided soon
Myrtleford loop
There are a few ways to ride a nice loop to the Ovens Valley and back.My favourite is to take the road the road over Bright Gap that leaves the Kiewa Valley Highway on the outskirts of Tawonga South. This is a really good curvey climb up to a couple of lookouts. Then the curves continue down the other side, before straightening out a bit as you get closer towards the valley floor. Turn right onto the Great Alpine Rd and ride about 5km into Bright, and another 6-ish to Porepunkah. There's a giant roundabout as you get to Porepunkah, with roads to Mt Buffalo and the Buckland Valey. Turn right to stay with the Great Alpine Road for ~22km till you get to Ovens, aka Happy Valley. There's a great little pub here. It's usually closed on Mondays, but otherwise you can a decent lunch and a local (Beechworth) brew.
At Ovens, turn right following signs to Mt Beauty. You could stay on this road, and it's a fine motorbike road. But I like this variation.
After about 5km, take the left turn into Carols Lane, which will take you to Mudgegonga in ~10km. Right again and keep a look out for Tunnel Gap Rd in another ~3km. This is a narrow but pleasant little road. Be on the lookout for farm trucks on the blind corners at the top of the gap. In ~8km it will spit you out onto the Dederang-Yackandandah Rd. Turn right and ride down to Dederang, joining the Kiewa Valley Highway just before Dederang. The "Ranga" pub is a bit of an icon. There's not a lot else in Dederang. From here it's about 35km down the highway to Mt Beauty, or take the turn off to Keegan's Bridge and take the scenic way back on the river road.
Beechworth loop
to be provided soon
Milawa
to be provided soon
Road/Trail
One of the joys of motorcycling around Mt Beauty combining great sealed roads with some off-the-beaten track. If you ride a road/trail, these rides are made for you.
The Blue Duck via the Bogong High Plains
Up the bitumen to Falls Creek, then over the dam wall and 40km of good dirt across the Bogong High Plains. A short but steep final descent to the Omeo Highway and a winding ride above the Mitta Mitta river to the Blue Duck. The Omeo Highway section is sealed, but some corners are deceptively tight. The Bogong High Plains road is closed in winter until the snow melts.
You can return the same way, or continue south on bitumen to Omeo, Dinner Plain, Mt Hotham and back across Bright Gap to Mt Beauty. Or north on dirt to Mitta Mitta and then across Trappers Gap to Tawonga and Mt Beauty. If I was doing a round trip, I’d probably reverse the order to leave the shorter Bogong High Plains leg for the afternoon.
Beechworth via Stanley
to be provided soon
Mitta Mitta
to be provided soon
Mt Emu
to be provided soon
Dargo
A great overnight trip for the warm months. The Dargo road is closed in winter until the snow melts. Over Bright Gap, up to Hotham, turning right to Dargo just after the resort entry (only active in winter). Good dirt road across the Dargo High Plains, turning to bitumen before the steep descent to Dargo and its river. An interesting return trip is take the Birregun Road to Omeo, then up the Omeo Highway past the Blue Duck and left over the Bogong High Plains to Falls Creek and Mt Beauty. Stay at the Dargo pub, or camp upstream on the river.
Trail
PLEASE EDIT
Iconic Pubs in the High Country
Motorcycles and country pubs seem top go well together. Obviuosly there is a pub or two in every town, but some pubs are special. Here are some of the most popular.
Blue Duck, Anglers Rest
You can reach this remote pub on bitumen from Omeo. But about 20 km north you have a choice of dirt to Falls Creek or dirt to Mitta Mitta. The pub has a beautiful setting on the Mitta Mitta River. You can take your own meat to cook on their barbecues. But the pub tucker is so good there isn’t much point. Huge, tender steaks are the speciality, but it’s all good.
Bogong Hotel, Tawonga
Art deco style pub with a outside tables giving a good view of the Kiewa valley and Mount Bogong.
Dargo Pub
If you want to go to Dargo from Bright or Mt Beauty, you better like dirt and it better not be winter. There is bitumen from Bairnsdale to Dargo, but dirt roads linking it to Omeo or Mt Hotham. Accommodation available but you better book on weekends.
Dederang Pub
Known to the locals as The Ranga. Utes are the dominant vehicle, but 2 wheels are also welcome. Dederang is roughly half way between Albury and Mt Beauty.
Everton Pub
On the Great Alpine Road between Wangaratta and Myrtleford.
Koetong Pub
On the Murray Valley Highway between Tallangatta and Corryong
Mitta Mitta Pub
On the Mitta Mitta River in down town Mitta Mitta. Mitta can be reached on bitumen from the Murray Valley Highway, or on dirt from Omeo or Mt Beauty.
Ovens Pub aka Happy Valley Hotel
Charming little pub at the junction where the road to Mt Beauty joins the Great Alpine Road just out of Myrtleford. Some interesting local beers are available, and the tucker is pretty good too.
Stanley Pub
Stanley is a small settlement and orchard area uphill from Beechworth on the bitumen. But it can also be approached on a dirt road. From Myrtleford, take the turn off to Yackandandah. Some kilometres out of town, a dirt road to Stanley goes off to the left.
Tanswells Hotel, Beechworth
National Trust property in the main street, with beautifully restored bar. Very big, very touristy, very popular, but worth a visit.
