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Australian
Bicycle Camping Fact Sheets
By
Grace Newhaven ( 2000 / Aug)
PO
Box 3331 RUNDLE MALL SA 5000
eMail
:
Purpose
This fact sheet is intended as an
introductory guide to cycle camping in the Central West region of NSW. General
tourist and promotional information is readily available from mainstream
sources elsewhere. This fact sheet does not duplicate that information, and
assumes the reader has, or will have, access to those sources.
Resources
There is no bicycle-specific map of
the Central West.
NRMA's regional map # 5, "Central West,
New England & North West" (aprox 1 : 500 000 ), includes the Blue
Mountains and routes to/from
Wind direction maps are available
at http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/wind/wrselect.shtml
The Australian Bicentennial
National Trail provides an interesting route through this area http://home.vicnet.net.au/~bnt/
Australian Cyclist Magazine featured a useful article on a
winter tour of the region. (1994/ June, p 42)
Freewheeling Magazine published several articles on
bicycle touring the region. (
The Cobb & Co
Heritage Trail (
Bicycle NSW is the established bicycle advocacy group
for NSW. There does not appear to be any independent touring information at its
site. http://www.ozemail.com.au/~bikensw/
The Roads & Traffic
Authority of NSW [Department of Transport] has some token information
about bikes, but nothing about long distance bike travel. http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/
History :
Aborigines inhabited the region for
millennia before European settlement. In the colonial period, pressure for
agricultural land beyond the flood prone the Hawkesbury Valley prompted the
crossing of the Blue Mountains in 1813 and further exploration of the Central
West. The construction of the Mt Victoria pass in 1832 opened the area for
increased settlement. The wilderness of the region was useful to escaped
convicts and bushrangers, including Ben Hall. The discovery of gold in 1851 led
to a rush of prosperity, and established
Environment
A generally flat plain with some
gentle undulations and a few short, steep hills. There are a number of
semi-permanent rivers, watering mixed sheep & cattle country with tracts of
pleasant native forest. The seasons are distinct, with a cold highland winter,
especially around
January is the warmest month
(average temperature C) and July the coldest (C). For weather see : http://www.oztravel.com.au/travel_mall/destinations/Central_West_NSW1.html
Apart from January & February , rain is evenly spread, with about 7 to ten
rain days per month.
Getting there
by bike
The Central west can be approached
from the south, from the Hunter Valley or from Sydney via the Blue Mountains. Fact sheets for some
these routes have been produced in the same series as this one.
by bus
Greyhound & McCafferties intercity buses serve
the main highway towns. Both have " flat fee" charges for bikes that
effectively discriminate against short journeys with a bike. Note however that
significant discounts exist for tickets booked in advance. The train (below)
may be much cheaper and more frequent, at least to/from
by rail
The
Roads
There is an extensive network of
well maintained sealed roads, sometimes narrow (one lane).Car traffic on the
minor roads is generally very light and considerate, but through roads between
major towns will be busier, especially with trucks, and much less pleasant for
cyclists. Some newer sections of through roads have useful sealed shoulders.
There are also some rough, sandy but manageable tracks providing useful &
picturesque alternatives to sealed roads.
Particularly attractive roads,
passing through native forests, are those between Eugowra and Molong, and the
unsealed minor road from
In all cases, it is worthwhile to
wear brightly coloured clothing to enable motorists and truck drivers to see
you as early as possible - in particular, avoid dark helmets.
Water
Tap water in the region is safe to
drink, but varies in taste from one town to the next, and may be unpalatable in
some places. In some areas, the local people may prefer rain water for drinking
(though some locals seem not to care - one suspects they may not drink as much
as a cyclist ). In general , it is a good idea to try to obtain rainwater
wherever it is available, ie wherever tanks are evident on public
buildings or private houses. Most farmers are happy to provide drinking water.
Bottled water is readily available
in large supermarkets. Ground water will not be safe anywhere.
Food
Most small settlements still have
general stores with a limited stock of non-perishables (see below). However,
some of these small shops are clearly struggling in the face of depopulation.
Most small towns have pubs, serving hot meals, essentially meat based at around
A$6.00. Major centres have well stocked supermarkets with competitive prices
and long trading hours (useful to the tired cyclist arriving late ).
Supermarkets often have liquor stores attached. Beer drinkers should try "Toohey's
Old" a traditional dark beer, and Resches "Real". Wholefood
stores are useful if you can find them, as the cyclist can buy smaller
quantities of basic foods ( eg honey, milk powder, dried fruits etc ) than are
available in supermarkets. For more bicycle camping food ideas, see " Bicycle Kitchen".
Camping
There are plenty of opportunities
for free camping on quiet side roads and unsealed stock routes leading away
from the sealed roads. Around most of the small towns, it would be possible to
stock up on water and food, then proceed to an overnight "free" camp
site nearby if desired. In most places, there will be enough wood for a small
fire, where you can prepare "damper". Use wood
sparingly and observe all fire precautions and bans.
Alternatively, caravan parks
provide tent sites, and hot showers, from about $5.00/person. Most camp site
managers seemed bike friendly, offering some discount on car-based tariffs.
Caravan sites were between one and four star, for generally the same price.
Indoor accomodation is available at pubs, generally of a vary basic standard,
and often smelling unpleasantly of cigarette smoke. Pubs in small towns may
also be prepared to accept campers on their lawns, though the noise factor may
be inconvenient.
Services
|
Ardlethan |
pubs, fast foods, grocery, grim
camping area. |
|
|
pub, friendly grocery, public
shower block, thrift shop |
|
Barmedman |
pubs, tiny grocery, water tanks |
|
Bokum |
Pub, telephone, free campsite
with toilets in park. |
|
water tank, friendly general
store with liquor, free camp site at tennis court. |
|
|
Cudal |
general stores, wash clothes at
park. www cafe $2.00/ hr |
|
Euchareena |
nil, apart from phone box. Beware
of this if you're planning to buy food here! |
|
friendly supermarket, with www cafe
$2.00/ hr. Ask for tank water opposite. |
|
|
Goologong |
general store, picnic shelter,
pub |
|
Grenfell |
large centre, www at library,
expensive camping ($12.00/ single) |
|
large centre, good camp site
$5.00, museum ( with British WW2 folding bike). |
|
|
medium town, water at Catholic
church's tank. Kids on bikes! |
|
|
Mumbil |
small general store, friendly
proprietor |
|
Quandialla |
pub, small grocery/fast
food store, picnic park, toilets |
|
Stuart Town |
small general store |
|
large centre, www at library. Bi
LO supermarket with long hours. Van park $10.00 ( with thorns in the grass,
according to the owner.) |
|
|
Wollar |
Tank water in the park. Small
general store. |
Note that the Australian Government
is lately providing subsidised Internet services at a variety of sites in rural
This
fact sheet was produced by grassroots cyclists. No responsibility can be
accepted for errors or omissions.
It
is intended for free or low cost distribution on paper or on the www, and you
are free to copy it on that basis. Suggestions for improvement are most
welcome!
Other
Bicycle Camping Fact Sheets in this series include
Central
Australia | SA Kangaroo Island | SA Flinders Ranges | North Queensland
| WA Kimberley | Stuart Highway |
NSW Central West | NSW Sydney to Canberra |
2000
/ Sep 7