Through the bushes and woods of South Australia

On the 1.August the time had come, at last I could leave Perth. My patience had been tried heavily as the repair of my bicycle had taken longer than expected. But thanks to Aldo and Sats who had taken my bicycle apart so thoroughly. I believe also I belong to the few who have seen a “Rohloff” speedhub from the inside.

Apart from that I’d actually got another GPS from Garmin Australia for free, a new Iso-Matte from Cascade Design (Therm-a-Rest), the new Brooks saddle that I had sent from England myself, and in the meantime Hilleberg had let me have a new inner tent. The money was enough for new shoe-laces instead of new shoes. The long stay in Perth was worth it. I hope that the equipment, above all the bicycle, would last until I came home again.

The time in Perth even had some special highlights thanks to the chamber music group of Rose’s that took me to their hearts. I profited further from these acquaintances since they had also taken care of addresses further in the South for me.

The next stage on from Perth was to be the Munda Bidda trail (http://www.mundabiddi.org.au/). Everyone warned me about this part. It could hardly be ridden, you had to carry your bicycle, etc., and also barely possible with luggage. I sent Graeme, who started with a friend two days before me, in advance effectively as a guinea-pig. On the second day he called me and thought that I should come to Jarrahdale, the start of the second stage, and go on further with him as it would be better to do it as a pair. His friend had had to go back to Perth. I was glad that he took the decision for me and we’d meet further to the south. Despite that I had the pleasure to go 426km through thick bush.

However the first 20km was on tarmac due to a diversion caused by tree-felling. But then at last I really started the trek.

If I hadn’t heard so much about this stretch already i would have been totally shocked: narrow tracks, rough sand,

stones, branches, deep ruts,

which would have been a pleasure to whizz through there on a mountain bike. With all the luggage it was quite another challenge once again. The reward came always at the end of the day, simple huts, totally isolated in the middle of the forest.

This construction, built by prison labour, was simply great. Just as much as you need: a roof over your head, wooden boards on which you can sleep, benches and tables, two water tanks with rain water, bicycle stands and, somewhat apart, a small outside toilet.

However, the next two days would be really comfortable once more. Graeme’s wheel rim was broken. He had had to stop every 2km and adjust his spokes again as far as Dwillingup, a nice small village, the next station. Somewhere along the line we decided to go on by road. At lunchtime we were already at the camping site in the middle of the forest. As naturally there was no bicycle shop there, Graeme stopped in the next bigger town the next day to buy a new rear wheel. That gave me the chance to ride without luggage the stage that we were spared yesterday. That was a whole new pleasure.

We were actually really lucky with the weather, it was mainly dry during the day. Once it had rained hard almost the whole night, so that the trail was full of deep muddy patches. I actually fell over in one, how embarrassing.

The bike and I took a bath together. I looked about the same as the panniers, coverd in mud. Luckily the sun was shining. Thanks to the branches and twigs loaded with water on the narrow paths,

In the evening there was one of these wonderful places again with the fantastic huts. With everything laid out to dry I put on warm, half-dry clothes for the hut.

The nearer I got to the end, the easier the way became. The whole stretch is divided into „Easy“, „Middle“ and „Challenging“. In fact the end was all called „Easy“, although I didn’t quite understand it as it wasn’t always like this

line, that was used to carry huge tree trunks out of the forest. Since there are no giant trees any more and so no logging, they had not only ripped out the tracks but also the majority of the houses that aren’t lived in any more have fallen to the ground. On this old railway line where the planks still lie left and right to the track and nails still lie in the way, is at the moment the last part of the Munda Biddi Trail ending in Nannup.

In a few years it will be built on further, 1000km to Albany. Altogether we were 9 days on the trail together, and only once met another group – young people on a course. We were at a camping site three times with the benefit of a washing machine and above all a tumble dryer. After Nannup Graeme and I went our separate ways for the first time. He had little time as he had to be in Melbourne at the beginning of October. I wanted to see more of the South-West.

In a few years it will be built on further, 1000km to Albany. Altogether we were 9 days on the trail together, and only once met another group – young people on a course. We were at a camping site three times with the benefit of a washing machine and above all a tumble dryer. After Nannup Graeme and I went our separate ways for the first time. He had little time as he had to be in Melbourne at the beginning of October. I wanted to see more of the South-West.

Thanks Graeme for everything, especially for your patience. Perhaps one day (or two :-) ) we will see each other again – have a safe trip

Prevelly was the next station for me, west of the Margaret River, where the sister of a musician in Perth lived. The forest track that linked the two places (about 70km of it) was rated as impassable by the Tourist Information. As I wasn’t enthusiastic about going around via the main road, and thought it couldn’t be as bad as the Munda Biddi, I just did it. It was fantastic.

Soon I caught sight of the Margaret River wine town. You could see that with some money here you could soon make more. In the nice small coastal town of Prevelly I was kindly welcomed by Jannet and her husband Barry. What a luxury after days in the bush to have a bed and proper food again. As it was stormy and rainy the next day I just stayed another night. Jannet showed me the coast with the Margaret River delta

that looked really spectacular with this fire.

In a vineyard in the area was a small old aeroplane that the owners had used to fly from England to Perth, The route was painted on the plane. It was much quicker than me, needing only 2 months, for me 1.5 years (if you have to know, the 1.5 year date was on the 17. August), but despite this Jannet asked who was the crazier.

I wasn’t one for wine-tasting but she thought as we were there... so we tried two white wines and talked about the plane etc. and Jannet talked about me. The lady behind the bar was really excited and right away gave me a bottle of red wine. It was very nice of her, so the visit was worthwhile. I left it by my nice guests though as I didn’t need something like that on my bicycle.

A friend was invited to dinner at home that evening. I didn’t want to use such opportunities to talk about my trip but instead to find as much as possible about the next stretches. For example, I didn’t hear only about the wonderful forest tracks but also about a great overnight stop, a forest camp.

My legs were itching to get going again, no matter what the weather looked like. To begin with it was really good, really well rested and off again with a full thirst for action. The Karri Forest began south of Margaret River, a forest with the tallest tree of Australia. Not only was the height unique but also the colour. It looked to be constantly peeling and so had a really light, grey-brown tree-trunk.

But watch out for a storm as then the bits of bark are blown around your ears.

I couldn’t avoid a trip to Augusta and the light-house on Cape Leeuwin. Firstly due to the bakery with its tasty delights, and also as Cape Leeuwin is where the South Ocean and the Indian Ocean meet as it is the south-western tip of Australia.

Off the coast from Cape is one of the most dangerous places to sail. Even when you experience a storm on the land you notice that nobody in the world would want to be in the water. Even standing on the ground is hard. Later I asked myself how I ever got out with my bicycle.

Here I met young Aisian tourists again that really wanted to be photographed with me. I got chewing gum for that, which really wasn’t bad.

Then nothing for it but back and eastwards, I wanted to get to the Forest Rescue Camp and actually didn’t know exactly how far it was. As soon as I got on the highway I met a young German woman tourist who was hitch-hiking her way to the camp. I couldn’t take her with me.

There was then a nice bit more, I heard thunder twice, and it was beginning to get dark as I reached the camp.

Except for two activists, everyone had gone, and of course Tina was there. In the community tent there was a fire with food on it already and the kitchen was full of food donated by sympathising supporting organisations. I couldn’t find much about the actions in the forest but despite that the evening was really entertaining.

The next day was full of rain, rain and hail. First I had to go to Pemberton, a small place in the mountains that used to also live from logging, but nowadays lives more from tourism. I was soaked through and frozen. As a place in the camp site cost the same as a bed in the youth hostel I thought I could take a look at the hostel. Probably it is an advantage if you are a bit older and are not stuck in a dormitory with young Asian women. I got a little villa with a fully equipped kitche, bathroom and WC for me alone as the hostel is divided into several little houses. What luxury, above all with the stove that I used heavily. After a long hot shower I could feel my feet again.

The next day it was stormy and rainy again, this time I put my rain gear on that I probably hadn’t worn since Russia. I was fine with anything except to be as cold and wet as the day before. The 10 hail storms couldn’t touch me. In the evening, at Walpole.

with the nice bay and beaches that I didn’t look at further, I came to another youth hostel on the way to the camp site. I stayed as this was so similar to one the night before. I was the only woman and so had the whole area for me, this time I had to share the kitchen which was also really enjoyable.

The highpoint in the Karri Tree Forest (literally) is in the “Valley of Giants”. There still stand especially big and high examples of the Karri trees, that can get to be 75m high and the Red Tinckle, that can also grow very high. A fire a few years ago burnt off the tops, the tallest trees are now only 60m high. On a Tree Top walk you can almost walk through the treetops,

and see it all from above

The rain and storm did it down a bit but I could take a couple of photos even without a waterproof camera. The tree-trunks too were of gigantic dimensions,

(here you see me in my bright rainproof gear). Even my fully-loaded bicycle looked puny next to it.

Then nothing else for it but to go on as I wanted to get to Albany. Only a short stop in Denmark, an artist and hippy colony. With the nice beaches, it would be a worth a long stay here in summer. For me it was just a short pit-stop in the bakery. After Denmark the rain had actually stopped and it was warm straight away, I could take care of all my plastic and arrived dry in Albany.

As after two nights in a bed I didn’t want to go on spoiling myself, I went to a camping site. It hadn’t rained any more but it was still really swampy. But anyway there was already another tent there.

I wanted to do a bit of sight-seeing before I left the town the next day. It was really worth it as along the coast was wonderful cycle track with a view of the peninsula.

Everyone seemed to be happy, undoubtedly because of the weather that was sunny again at last.

The city centre is composed of lots of old houses, everything looked very trendy and expensive.

So, time to go. From here it was a bit North in the headwind. The first time since Kalbarri. I couldn’t complain after all the days of tailwind.

My host Beatrice, a former musician from Perth, had invited me to Mt Barker. She came straight from Albany as well. Luckily she had to go to Mt Barker as well so I had discovered my first pretzl shop since Ulan Bator.



A Swabian couple from Biberach had wandered into Australia to benefit it with this delicatessen. I ate two straight away, with butter naturally. Who knows when I would make such a find again.

Beatrice didn’t live far from her family, in the country at a beautiful place, nice view, with many woods and meadows around and about it. In the evening we discussed my further tour and checked the weather forecast. I was like a cat on hot bricks again, I just wanted to be going again as fast as possible, to benefit from the West wind, ultimately there was 2000km Nullarber the stretch to Port Augusta in front of me.

Before then there was the Sterling mountain range that practically lay outside Beatrice’s door.

In the morning it rained again and mountains were covered in cloud. I couldn’t do anything about that, I had to take the weather as it comes. I went on good forest and field tracks with little traffic and slowly the weather cleared. Soon I had perfect cycling weather and a wonderful view.



The Sterling Range road goes through the mountain peaks for over 40km .

This area is known for orchids and wild flowers. I was 2 weeks too early for both. But there were already 2 types of orchid that were in bloom, but really small ones. The wild flowers were just starting, you saw a lot of yellow, white and pink in the bushes. In two weeks there would certainly be a real blaze of colours but I was driven on.

Luckily this place was another good place for unofficial camping. I could ride until it was dark and then look for a spot. The day before Esperance I set a new record, 181km! It rained again and was cold. I was drawn away from the road to a private house, for this I had to stop this stretch. Kyrie, the daughter of Beatrice was waiting for me in Esperance with her family.

After the record of the day before I arrived very early the next morning. So I can publish this Blog before I am incommunicado for the next weeks.

Tomorrow, on 22. August it’s about 240km on dirt road to take me to the Eyrie Highway (hopefully), the around 2000km long road through the Nullarbor to Port Augusta. I’ll report again from there.

From Carnarvon to Perth

After resting and eating well again I headed further South. The weather didn’t look very promising, with only dark clouds in the sky, but I was still itching to go. The heavy downpour of the past few days was still visible on both sides of the street.


Not very inviting for a camp in the bush. The further South I went, the more often I came across official camping sites, e.g. at roadhouses.

The next day all records were broken with three roadhouses in one day! Though I only got drinking water at the last one. Very annoying, luckily I hadn’t packed my water bag away and had enough water anyway.

That didn’t stop me from making the best distance record ever, at 170km thanks to a supporting tailwind. Actually I wanted to make a quick visit to Shark Bay, as it is such a world heritage area and should have been really beautiful, but the unsettled weather and the dark clouds to the West prevented me. Instead I preferred to enjoy the tailwind for a little while longer.

At this time of year and above all with the weather the area is not gloriously colourful. Painted thoroughly in bright colours though was an old refrigerator decaying at the entrance of a station.



I couldn’t determine if it had a special function. It would have been nice if it had stored cool drinks for cyclists, but unfortunately that wasn’t the case.

The rest area that I had my eye on was 10km further than I thought. But it didn’t matter to me that day despite the frequent hills and the drizzle that kept coming back. Shortly before dark I arrived at a really big rest area with campers settled already who had made a communal fire. That was good for me, as it was quite cold in the evening and I spent a nice evening at the fire enjoying the very pleasant company.

What was most changeable in this area was the wind. Yesterday nicely in the back, today really strongly from one side. What the hell, you have to deal with it. For the first few kilometres everything was as before, until all at once it got greener and cultivated areas began. It was really strange suddenly to see grain farming again. This meant that fences began to appear left and right of the street making it not so easy to pitch a tent behind a bush.
After the left turn West to Kalbarri the fun really started with hills and the strongest headwind that I’d had since I’d been in Australia.



Unfortunately I couldn’t enjoy Kalbarri fully as the weather ruled it out. After the Kalbarri National Park began the fences stopped, thank goodness. In return there were plants.


and animals that I had never seen before


(This animal was just on a sign.)
There were more and more signs with camera that showed lay-bys for photographers. But I couldn’t see what you would want to photograph as everything was just green-blue bush. Then it came to me that it was a wild flower area which would look completely different in a couple of weeks. Once again something that I wasn’t going to see.What I would have found most interesting in the national park were the gorges. But the way there was blocked due to the heavy rain and it didn’t look like the roads would be passable in the next few days.

In the town I met Graeme again, he was with Ashley and Tracy, two cyclists from Cycling Western Australia. Due to the glorious weather forecast, we’d decided to go on the next day. Actually I’d planned to spend a few days here, it is really a pretty area, but with this weather you can’t really do anything. Sitting around for half a day is enough for me. A really spectacular day awaited us. Again there was a strong wind that came from different directions, the landscape was fantastic.



The mix of sunshine and storms with showers of rain lead to a wonderful display of Nature. The light over the hills was quite exceptional.


In fact the rain showers were more storm than rain, you got wet quickly but were blown dry again right away. Except just before Northampton where it was really heavy, driving horizontal, whipping rain into my ears until my skin was dripping wet, and no chance to be dry any more.
Northampton is a small, historic, Catholic place, with a camping site no less, but so cold and wet had I become that I really didn’t want to stay in a tent. In a supermarket I asked after other budget possibilities to spend the night and happened to meet a woman who ran the “Old Convent”, a big brick building right next to the church, where you could stay cheaply. That was a gift from God. We were the only guests as the woman lived elsewhere so we had the whole house for us alone with a fully equipped kitchen for a bargain price and sat in the warm and dry.
The next day it was clear to me that I wanted to go only as far as Geraldton. At last another big town again where I could take care of a few things, in addition I was still chilly and felt a cold coming on. Graeme had decided to ride on, it was only lunchtime too. After a parting meal sheltered from the wind we went our different ways again.
As all the camp sites were located outside the town, I decided to go first to a book-shop where I could get on the Internet for free. It was nice and warm and dry there and I stayed much longer than I thought again.
As I came out, stood next to my bicycle another one, with same brand of frame, gears, brakes as mine, all German makes that you really don’t see around here. I was astonished and had to find out who owned this bike, so I went back in the book-shop and thought it was surely the woman who also was sitting at a PC. But I was followed by another woman who was the owner of the other bicycle. She’d been waiting outside for me, as she also wanted to know who the owner of my bicycle was. She, Ulla, immediately invited me into a neighbouring café.
We found out quickly that we had other things in common as well as our bicycles. She also grew up in the South of Germany, but is now an Australian citizen. Actually although she is usually travelling with her bicycle and lives in a tent, at that time she was doing house-sitting and could invite me back to her place.
In contrast to me she is an excellent cook and we spent a wonderful evening with wonderful food and wonderful wine.

Really I would have liked to have stayed longer but I didn’t want to cause any trouble for her, as it wasn’t her house, she was just looking after it. So the next day I moved on again, but not in a hurry. It was only 1st July, and I wanted to be in Perth on the 20th, but I needed a week at the most to be there.

On this part of the route I had a headwind that surprised me a lot, as the wind here is predominantly from the South wind and even brings trees down.

So I went leisurely on, allowed myself to be invited for coffee and cakes by an old-aged couple in a caravan and decided already after 75 km to pitch my tent.
In the evening I rang Ulla to thank her and mentioned in passing that I would have liked to have stayed longer whereupon she immediately resolved that I should come back. I let myself be persuaded, and the next day packed my things and rode with a tailwind back, so much so that I was in Geraldton by lunch-time again.
We spent a wonderful 2½ days together and once again I let myself be spoiled by the excellent food. On Saturday, Chris and Dee came over from Carnavon and we did a wonderful, if short, cycling tour by the sea, and afterwards Ulla made a tasty dinner once again for the four of us.
I was certain however that on Sunday I’d be moving on, actually back again. A big part of the route lay on Highway 1, which normally had many Roadtrains. I hoped that on Sunday there would be fewer of them, which turned out to be true.
The weather was excellent the whole time I was in Geraldton, which also was the case on Sunday, and even with a North wind. Thanks to this wind and thanks to Ulla’s very good and healthy diet I could ride a very long stretch back. My thoughts lay quite elsewhere, and because of this it was nothing to me to ride the route to Port Denison for the third time. Today I went straight on though, until Leeman, I was pedalling like mad and felt full of energy once again, it was just good fun.
It was the end of the nice weather the next day as it rained almost continuously. In return I had again the “backblast” that blew me directly to Cervantes. It was very handy to be there before mid-day already, so I could pitch a tent quickly in a break from the rain and carry on to the Pinnacles, one of the most popular areas on the West coast. I had also seen nice photographs of it and because of this wanted to go there without fail. The advantage of the bad weather was that not too many people came - only two bus-loads of Japanese and Chinese. The limestone boulders in the yellow sand are spectacular.

In Cervantes the coast road stops and you have to go back to Highway 1, for 50 km and over at least as many hills but with a wonderful light cast over the landscape.



There was absolutely no traffic so I could let my thoughts wander and make plans, and my legs took care of the bicycling by themselves
The last night before reaching the big city of Perth I could once again camp unofficially in a national park, and enjoy the peace and the fresh air, watch the Kangaroos in the dusk and eavesdrop on the birds, all very idyllic.
It’s really quite odd after being a long time away from civilisation to then come back and see all the people going to work in their cars past countless shopping centres where they spend the money they have earned on things that they don’t actually need.
Towards Perth, in Perth and around Perth there are wonderful cycling paths laid out but they have to be shared with pedestrians. It seems these were designed by motorists and not by cyclists. As a cyclist you often have to stop and every other road user has priority. What really shocked me was that many motorists didn’t tolerate cyclists on the streets. You were honked at and had your way cut up. Despite this I did finally make it into the city centre.
The most important thing I had to take care of in Perth was to have my bicycle repaired. So I went straight away to see Aldo and Sats in the Quantum Bicycle Shop. It is “the” bicycle repair shop in Perth, probably everyone who cycles round the world comes here. Apparently I am the third woman to do it among the countless men. Thanks to the e-mail from Chris, they were both expecting me already and dedicated the whole afternoon for me. Everything was thoroughly checked and a list was made of what needed to be repaired and replaced.As some things needed to be ordered, I could take my bicycle away for the time being.
For the first 3 nights I could stay near to the centre. But the weather was so bad that on the first day I wasn’t in the inner city at all.Here in Western Australia you have free Wi-Fi in McDonalds and you can go on the Internet with your laptop for nothing, it is very practical and you don’t have to eat or drink anything. I spent most of my time there.
After 1 year and 5 months it seemed that everything I owned was broken. As I can’t buy everything new again nor want to, I mainly get in touch with the manufacturers, also with Garmin again, this time Garmin Australia, who at last made it clear they were ready to check my device.

I could my Therm-a-rest too and it would also be replaced. But not my tent and my cooker. The people from Brooks Saddle had not got in touch. Perhaps I would find another sponsor.
It is winter here which is shown chiefly by rain, it is cold only after the sun went down. On one hand I wanted to go on as soon as possible, on the other it would be better to wait until the weather improved.
To calm myself down I go running almost every morning, and have seldom felt so fit. Apart from that I wasn’t bored as I had to plan the next stage. From Perth in the southerly direction there is a cycle path, through forest mainly, 500km long, the Munda Biddi Trek. Fortunately the weather was a bit better and I could get some information about it in the town.
Here I was surrounded by skyscrapers for the first time since I don’t when.

There were a few old houses too and naturally more culture than up until then in Australia, I grant you.
On Sunday the 12th July I could move into suburb of Perth to Heathridge, not far from the most beautiful beach in the area, not that it meant much to me. Ron, the owner and friend of a friend is on a tour for 5 weeks and I can care for his house. Actually no bad thing but first you have to get used to being alone in a house. When you are travelling you meet people time and again, but not always in this situation. Not that I would always sit at home, quite the contrary. To keep moving I made a plan for a daily routine that actually I never kept as something always came up. But a run to the beach in the morning felt really good. Only when there was a strong wind or heavy shower of rain did I prefer to let that slide too.
What‘s good here is that there is no Internet i.e. I must go out every time I want to get my e-mails. The next McDonalds is 4km away, really I should run there but I take my bicycle.
As I once again got lost in my thoughts, there stood an ancient car in front of the door with the inscription “Spark your dream” and Argentina. Naturally that interested me and so I spoke to the young woman who was walking to the car. That’s how I met Herman und Candelaria Zapp complete with children and their Graham car (www.sparkyourdream.net). Even though the conversation was very short it pleased me to meet kindred spirits once more.
Next to McDonalds is a huge shopping centre, called “Shopping city“ where you can get really lost. The supermarkets, Coles, Woolworths and IGA that in the North west are hundreds of kilometers apart are all here under one roof, not more than 100m from the next.
Meanwhile I have got used to house sitting, can really enjoy it, do and live as I like, and have a shower, kitchen, and the best washing machine I’ve seen since Germany. With that even my clothes were clean again.
My bicycle was cleaned again as well thanks to Aldo and Satsthat who cleaned and repaired its innards completely and fixed it completely that it runs like silk again, I can hardly wait until I can go on again at last. There are only a couple of parts missing that I should get during the week. Next week-end I want to meet a couple of cyclists but then the beginning of next week it should be time. Up until then the weather should be better. Up until then I an enjoying a solid roof over my head