Round Australia on the working holiday visa, by bike, now!
 

I flew into Melbourne a couple of weeks ago, and have bought myself an XR600 which hopefully will be on the road this coming week. Planning to head around Oz over the course of a year, stopping off to work a bit and seeing the cities as well, whilst doing a bit of classic rough camping (or was that tramping?) and seeing some of the outback and bush.

Wondering if anyone else is doing something similar? I saw on the Aus/NZ regional forum there's a few people doing the same in NZ soon. I've also spoke to a guy via the advrider forum who is doing the same in Oz, and he reckons he knows of another guy as well, so may end up catching up with them at some point. Always good to meetup with like minded folk where paths and plans coincide, do a spot of riding, and drink a beer or two.

If you make it to South Australia feel free to contact us if you need anything or a place to stay. We owe much to others how have helped us on our recent trip around North America. Have a great time while you are here, it is a fantastic place to live.

I'm doing the same thing. My boyfriend is Australian and so I requested one year in this region to do some traveling. Quit my job and am on the working holiday visa as well. I bought a KL250 a couple of months ago, and have been doing some trips since! Just returned from a 4,000km stint around Victoria. Loved Melbourne! Make sure to stop at the Cape Otway national park on the Great Ocean road. There's camping, and if you follow the track towards the beach, you'll see zillions of koalas.

Heading to Tasmania in Nov/Dec with my partner, and will then take more trips. Possibly over to Perth or up to Cairns. Not sure yet.

Will hopefully be going to this in Feb:

Australian Festival 14-16 Feb 2014 : The Adventure Travel Film Festival

Hey all,

I will be landing in Sydney Nov 25th, just finishing 16 months in Latin America. Anyone nearby around then? And Jeffery G I will for sure be passing that way at sometime. Would love to meet up and here about your North America as it is my backyard.

Ryan
Roaming & Riding - Life Unexpected

A lap of oz.
 

Hi, I rode right round Australia in 2012 from Perth WA to Perth, :scooter: the best part of OZ is Queensland the coast from Brisbane up to Cooktown ya gotta see. If you get your hands on a camping/caravan book called camp7 it's about $70 new but you might find an old copy for $20 like I did it will show you all the free and national park campsites and what is on them. Pretty handy.
One campsite you gotta go to is Rainbow beach south of Hervey Bay as it is just awesome, I was stood on the beach having my morning coffee watching dolphins swim by.
If you get to Airlie Beach go to the Seabreeze campsite above the marina, it's a damn good site within walking distance to the town, also book yourself on the Solway Lass for three days and nights around the Whitsunday Islands, worth every penny. (Say hello to Loz from me). :thumbup1:
The Athertone Tablelands are not to be missed, theres a free campsite in the centre of Ravenshoe with showers for a small donation.
Further up is the Lions Den near Port Douglas and if you lucky you will see a Castlewary or two roaming about.
In the Northern Territory at Pine Creek look for the Lazy Lizard campsite, that place gets my seal of approval.:thumbup1:
In WA at Exmouth look for the Potshot hotel and book yourself in to the Ningaloo Blue dive aboard the Venture IV and swim with the whale sharks, you will have to be there May, June or July, that's when they swim south. (Say hello to "V" from me) :thumbup1:
They is a website for people travellers looking for work but I don't know what it is, sorry.
Ride safe and look out for them furry critters bouncing out in front of you. beer

Great info Gixer......just gets me more excited to get there!

Hey Ryan, Hit me up when you get to South Australia I should be able to offer some accommodation and travel advise for the area. I am going to be in Sydney on the 25th as well picking up my Tenere which is returning from overseas. I will be in the area for the day before heading back to Adelaide in the morning. Hope o catch up in the future.
Jeffrey G

I am doing the same thing right now
I started in Perth a month ago and I am in Esperance a the moment.

I will definitely go to the Adventure Travel Film Festival.


http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...-hell-am-72861

Just checked out the link for the festival. Did not know this existed! Looks awesome....Definitely going to attend. I land Nov 25th in Sydney

Roaming & Riding - Life Unexpected

There are three of us too, riding postie bikes the whole way round - Belle, Nadsicles and Limaone Currently in Tassie, and heading roughly west after Christmas. Not going very fast though as we're on 110cc's and we keep finding things to see, and meeting people. Terrible.

OZ ring road experience
 

Howdy folks..... I'd like to talk to people that have made the ring road tour of OZ. Especially about the best time of year to do it. Seems like when it's warm and dry in Darwin, it's cold and wet in Adelaide. I'm planning on taking 3 months to do it 'cause that's all the time a tourist visa allows. So....I'm thinking Apr. May, June or Sept. Oct. Nov. but would like to hear from people that have done the tour and their reccomendations to et the best weather.

cheers

Belle, what on earth are you doing down in Tas in late November?? It's probably warmer and dryer back home right now, you must be crazy! I catch the ferry down there on Saturday night...

I've not got a set plan and I haven't booked a return ferry in case I stumble across a job whilst I'm down there. It's not a big island, I'm sure out paths will meet at some point for a spot of either riding or drinking. Where are you now, and where are you heading?

Looks like we are all pretty scattered bunch! I am on the ten660 in north nsw, near mt warning. Will head to so qld Sunday and see brisie early in week, roam around there for a bit then head back either west to uluru if I find partners, or south the inland route - the coast is just too busy for me.

I find roads in nsw are some of the best I have ever ridden. I use the motorcycle road atlas and it has great road advice, along with locals. I stick to 'b' road or less unless forced, maybe an 'a' road. Motorways suck.

Open for a meet on routes and share advice. Or maybe even virtual? Got Skype?

Alain

0457 076 147


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

2010KLR

Sept Oct Nov would be better than April May June - more daylight hours.

More chance of rain in Nov/April compared to the other two.

For temperature you want to be south in Nov, and north in June.

----------------
Central OZ and Northern OZ will be flamin hot this time of year (Dec).

Warin............thanks for the note. Your comment on more daylight for Apr. May June was a good idea. However, I can't be south in Nov. and north in June so I have to try and balance it out. I don't have a problem riding in heat but I hate riding in cold.
les

Ha Ha Nath. Yes it is a bit chilly but it fitted in with where we need were going to be at certain times. We're in Smithton right now, leaving in the morning to head south to Hobart via Strahan. We don't really have a plan as such, but the general consensus is that we will go clockwise round the place, heading back to the mainland in mid December.

What are you rough plans? Would be good to meet up for a few sherbets if poss.

Well looking at the weather forecast I want to stay away from the East coast in the coming week, so I'll either be exploring the West or the centre. I've got a 4wd guide to Tas, so I plan to try and ride some nice out of the way dirt roads. It's quite likely I'll be down in Hobart around the same time as you, so I'll keep an eye on that.

I need to replace a bearing in my rear suspension linkage at some point, so if you come across anyone with a half decent workshop/garage who seems keen to help passing foreign motorcyclists, then be sure to point me in their direction.

Queensland
 

If you need somewhere to stay for a bit, and you are in southern inland Queensland, contact me. I am out Texas way.

Made it down to Zeehan on the west coast of Tassie, went off to ride the track and beach to Pieman's heads, camped the night. Rode back in the morning and stopped again at Zeehan for lunch. Came out from the café and when I kickstarted the bike the camchain slipped 7 teethe! :(

My feelings were a mixture of 'Bollocks, why does crap like this always happen to me??!!' and 'Thank feck this didn't happen whilst I was still up by the Pieman river!!'.


Hopefully my exhaust valves aren't bent, and I'll make it to Hobart in another week or so.

Hello Nath
 

So that's what you're up to Nath!!
Sorry to hear about the teeth on the camchain - not even too sure where that bit is.
Keep us all posted on how it's going and give Belle, Nads and Gordon a big hug from me.
you'll never believe it but I'm currently riding a DR350 as well- my first time ever riding a small bike (I'm in muddy Madagascar with it).
Anyway, take care, hope you get your mechanical woes sorted and enjoy the rest of your trip.:D

Tide safe, mate

did exactly the same
 

started reading your post, noticed that its exactly what i did a few years ago.
i was on working holiday to oz, started sydney
bought a xr600
got a little job for a while.
what i'd say is look up the 'old bull trail riders'
i think they're based around Sydney area, well, Greg is
they were good blokes, got me along on a junk yard rally and helped me out when my wheel fell apart (surprisingly not on the rally)
look them up.
also. if you need some spares for your bike (a '91 i think) mine, with a seized engine can be found (maybe) on the road up to alice springs. its got good tires on it!

Hi Tiff! :mchappy:

Yep, finally back having some fun on bikes, and about time too. Last few years contained far too much boring stuff like working in London and failed marrages etc :funmeterno:


I saw the start of your ride report on Madagascar a month or two back, was certainly not expecting to see you riding a DR350! Well I suppose you had to upgrade from your old beemer at some point! :rofl: They're a great bike and much lighter and more off-road-focused than most people think, but watch out for oil leaks from the cylinder-head, cus that's what happens to them all eventually. Where's your next adventure once you're back on Thelma?

Stuck a new camchain in my XR and all good, and like in all good stories it worked out for the best as the mechanic who helped me took me out dune riding a few days later. No sign of the postie bike girls here in Hobart, I reckon I've missed them. So it turns out a postie bike is a faster way to travel than an XR600!


Rymm

That's quite a coincidence, I wouldn't have thought there'd be many people choosing the XR6 as a general travel bike. I might give you a shout when (if!??) I get up Alice way and try and find your dead bike. I'll try looking up that club when I make it up to NSW as well.

Cheers, nathan.

Nath, i guess we talked on adv rider before... sorry i havent been on there for a while.
Im in Tasmania myself and met Belle and the other two a couple days ago and have been riding with them today.
I will be in Tassie for a while. Will be working for a bit, so if you want, we can meet up for a ride!
Should be fun!
Did you get your bike fixed?

Cheers, Hannes

Ahhh so that was you I bumped into in Zeehan. Hope you got the bike back in shape.

Hi Scootergal,

Yep pommy pushing an overloaded xr600 a couple of kms down the road :( Sorry I wasn't a bit more talkative, but aside from the dire weather the bike breaking down left me a bit spun out. Hope you're enjoying Tasmania as much as I am!

The bike is fine now (for the moment, fingers crossed).

I'm in Hobart and am going to have a look at doing a bit of farm work nearby.


Hannes:
I've sent you a PM!