Around Australia

Overview

  • 2000-2001
  • 23,000 km (inc 8000km of dirt)
  • 18 months

Intro

Follow the blow by blow account of Ed and Gaye as they travel around Australia by bicycle.
From cruising the open highway to battering bike and body along remote and rugged 4wd tracks. The journey covers 23,000km (8000km on dirt) exploring remote and beautiful areas of Australia such as the Gulf country and the Kimberley.
Two years in the making, this enthralling story will have your legs twitching and raring to go.

  • the concept – ride around Australia
  • the plan – go anticlockwise and get back in about 2 years
  • the extras – hiking, canoeing, freeloading on friends
  • the means – mountain bikes, BOB trailers and tent.
  • the legs – a bit soft at first but should soon toughen up
  • the reason – err…..well it beats working.
 
A refreshing stop on the Gibb River Road, Kimberley. WA.
A refreshing stop on the Gibb River Road, Kimberley. WA.
Nearing Karajini NP Western Australia
Nearing Karajini NP Western Australia
 

In Brief

Day1. Crunch Time...ready to leave
Day1. Crunch Time…ready to leave

2000 – Melbourne to Darwin via Sydney, Brisbane, Cairns and across the Gulf through Burketown and Lawn Hill National Park. Arrive in Darwin and work there for the wet season (October 2000 – April 2001)
2001 – Darwin to Melbourne via the Kimberley, Broome, Karratha, Karijini, Carnarvon, Perth, Esperance, the Nullabor and Adelaide.

Message from Home March 2000

The idea to ride around Australia didn’t really come like a flash of blinding light. I think a lot of cyclists dream about it… “wouldn’t it be great if……”.
We ran bike tours all over Australia and had always planned to do it someday. When we shut down Bourke and Wheels Cycling Expeditions, we knew our time had come!
At times it seemed like we’d need a major miracle to ever escape but now we were riding out of our driveway and into the wild blue yonder.

Ed Bourke & Gaye Couchman