East Coast Australia, Brisbane to Sydney?

[hamish]

Hello,

I'm really wanting any information about cycling from Brisbane to Adelaide (or Sydney.) My plan is to start on about the 20th January 2004, finishing about 2 months later. I'm actually flying into Cairns on the 16th and am thinking of getting a bus, train or plane down to Brisbane, any advice on that one?

My plan at the moment is to stay in cheap hostels along the way. Is this possible? and what kind of prices should I expect? I'm in 2 minds whether camping would'nt be a better option for me. But if i'm going to do this on my own i think that the hostels would be better and a lot easier at the end of a long days cycle.

Can anyone reccomend a good map of the east coast, hopefully with hostels marked on it?

What is the best way to tour along the east coast? Up to now I've been finding places to stay when i get to a town. But thats because my maps have been pretty vague, the worst being a Junior Atlas (the local kids geography book edition) to navigate north vietnam!

If you can think of any tips or things that would or could help me i'd really appreciate it.

I've been on the road since last June, and have overlanded it from bonny wee scotland! with a friend who cannot continue on, and am now in Thailand. So I'm also looking for someone or a group of people also wanting to do the same kind of route. Not sure how this message forum works, but please email me at [email protected] if your interested!

Thanks for reading!

hamish!

 

[Poiter]

Originally posted by hamish
Hello,

I'm really wanting any information about cycling from Brisbane to Adelaide (or Sydney.)
hamish!

Hamish
Have a look at Simon's Diary from last year and work backwards.
Peter
Canberra Oz

 

[Poiter]

Originally posted by Poiter
Hamish
Have a look at Simon's Diary from last year and work backwards.
Peter
Canberra Oz

Whoops - here's the link

http://cheshire.iinet.net.au/simon/bike.html

 

[peta]

Hi Hamish

I've just picked up a copy of Lonley Planet's 'Cycling Australia' (ISBN 1 - 86450 - 166 - 9). It covers the coastal route from the Gold Coast (near Brisbane) to Sydney, then on to Tathra, Jindabyne, Foster and into Melbourne. It seems an excellent guide for the journey as it breaks down the tour into daily stages. Maps, cue sheets and elevation graphs are provided for each stage. The maps indicate the location of camping, hostels hotels, supermarkets, hospitals, lookouts, points of interest, walking tracks, hill climbs, side tours and even bike shops! It might be a good idea to obtain detailed maps of the towns/cities you intend to explore as these are not included in the book. However, further information points (along with things to do, places to stay and places to eat) are suggested for the start/finish points of the daily stages.

An alternative to the coastal route is an inland route. I assume it would be much less touristy (and perhaps it would even be flatter as you go west of the great dividing range)? Personally, I prefer to cycle open country roads. Definately check out all the options.

All the best with your trip!

Peta