Courtesy of Perth Chapter Western Australia

This will be a rally like no other, come on over, WA is waiting for you.

CROSSING THE NULLARBOR January 2011

Listed by Lonely Planet: Best in Travel 2010 as

Jewel of one of the 'Top 10 Regions' in

the world, the Margaret River

region is unlike any other.

Come on OverYou’re half way there just thinking about it.SO YOU WANT TO RIDE WEST FOR 2011 NATIONALFor those who have never done this trip before it is one of the best rides you’ll ever do and will be one of the greatest achievements you will ever do on your bike. If you are a bit concerned about the daunting trip that lies ahead well read on and we will break it all down for you.

Perth HOG members have now done this trip on many occasions both individually or in groups. So we thought we would pass on some information based on our experience to assist you planning your trip over and possibly dispel some myths about making the crossing. We figure you all know your own states (and neighboring states) better than we do, so we will pick up the trip from Port Augusta all the way across to Margaret River.

PREPARATION - MAINTENANCEMake sure that your bike has been checked and serviced before you leave and at least take some basic tools with you on the trip. Remember your bike is going to be running for long periods at a time at highway speed, and for days on end. If your bike isn’t in top condition it could be an expensive exercise getting it back home again. Once your on the road, even if your bike is running well, at the end of each day take the time to check it over

Margaret River is surrounded by the

ocean on three sides. Two oceans in fact,

the Indian and Southern Oceans.

Issue No: One www.hogperth.com.au

21ST NATIONAL H.O.G. RALLY

M a r g a r e t R i v e rW e s t e r n A u s t r a l i a

1 7 = 1 9 N o v 2 0 1 1T E L E P H O N E

1800 HOG CLUB F R E E T O L L1800 464 258

Simply because it’s worth it

Have you got your ticket to kick it? Register now. Some of the locals

CROSSING THE NULLARBOR! PAGE2

Margaret River, Western Australia is an iconic Australian destination with stunning beaches, top-notch wineries and superb riding roads

you might find that something is starting to work its way loose.... and believe us things do fall off. It can be as simple as just sitting there staring at it and you’ll be surprised how many little things you can pick up.

RIDING IN GROUPSIdeal group numbers being around 15 - 20 per group, with RCs and TECs with each group. If you have large numbers try and break them into several groups using the same format and use staggered departure times each day thus avoiding congestion at the roadhouses when fueling up. You will be surprised how much time can be lost at congested fuel stops and something as simple as this can throw out all your plans and bookings etc.

As stated earlier there are sufficient fuel stops, and also accommodation types available to ensure that you can manage the whole journey at a pace that you are comfortable with. This can be achieved by a solo rider or on a group level.

Some Roadhouses will only give you single use bowsers after you hand over your driver’s license, which makes the fueling bikes a timely event that you cannot afford.

One way we overcome this is the buddy system where a number of riders or the

whole group cash up a fuel card prior and keep it with someone who is the ‘fuel monitor’ and is in charge of filling all the bikes from the single bowser in one hit all on one card. This avoids time wastage and gives the riders more time to have a rest and refreshments. Remember a lot of the road house staff are Europeans on holidays and are not very familiar with what is on offer, if in doubt see the manager.

WATERWater is always an issue when crossing the paddock so always have a couple of litres floating around in your bags for those unscheduled stops plus a few snacks.

Another must have is a copy of the RAC “state version” of the Tourist park Guide, these can be obtained from your state RAC branch. They give you all the information Australia wide of every caravan park and what they have to offer and contact details. As we normally use cabin style accommodation to get the best deals for everyone it is extremely handy as they identify their whole range of digs available from dorms to en suite cabins.

Myth No 1 The road isn’t sealed all the

way over.The entire road is sealed all the way

across – there are no dirt bits unless you come across some roadworks on the

journey.

Just another milestone on the trip Close to nowhere

CROSSING THE NULLARBOR! PAGE3

Western Australia, where the Sun and the Sea get together at the end of every day

WILDLIFEDO NOT travel at night or on dusk. There are some huge roos, wombats, camels & emus living out that way and you do not want to get up close and personal with those guys just to pick up a few extra kms. This will become evident by the amount of road kill you will come across each morning. The locals all the way across will tell you that only truckies and temporary tourists travel at night out here. Also be aware of the Wedge-tail Eagles during the day, as they will come down to the highway to feed off last night’s roadkill. These birds are huge (6ft wingspan) and take quite a bit of time to get airborne so give them plenty of room should you see them on or near the road. We always plan to be off the road around 4pm each day.

HEADWINDS From Port Augusta we usually set out looking to achieve an average of approx 700km per day as a target, which allows a comfortable 4 days to cross the Nullarbor. How ever you do need to be aware of headwinds when making the crossing. There is very little or no protection from these winds on the open road and they can really knock your fuel consumption around. So its always handy for someone to have an extra few litres aboard to help out if needed. Crossing the Nullarbor is no place to try and find out how far you can get on a tank. The best rule of thumb is to never miss an opportunity to top up because you don’t know if you are going to hit those headwinds on the next leg.

So with this in mind we usually go for the Nullarbor Hotel Motel at

7 6 5 k m a s i t h a s d o r m t y p e accommodation plus the motel style and great meals. On this leg there are sufficient stops to obtain fuel firstly at Kimba 158km, Wudinna 101km, Ceduna 207km, Nundroo 151km, Nullarbor 148km.

Please note there are no facilities or fuel at Yalata.

Lovely oysters to be had at the Ceduna Oyster Shack heading out of town on the right hand side just after the BP. The next leg will take 707 km and will have you landing at Balladonia Hotel Motel. Again there are sufficient stops to rest and obtain fuel firstly at WA SA Border Village 182 km down the road. This is the checkpoint into WA and you will be searched for contraband so eat all your fruit and veg before arriving.

“Only truckies and temporary tourists travel at night out here.”

ADMIRE THE WILDLIFE, JUST DON'T GET UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH IT

The Great Australian Bight is just some of the scenery you will experience Wedge-tail Eagle

CROSSING THE NULLARBOR! PAGE4

Western Australia, where a world class holiday isn’t a world away

From there it is onto Mundrabilla 77 km down the road. With this leg you can have an early departure and get a good breakfast at the two stops mentioned above. Then we have Madura 115 km, Cocklebiddy 206 km, Caiguna 64 km, Balladonia 178 km. The next day has you 188km from Norseman which is the first major town since leaving Ceduna and gives you time to fuel up have smoko and use some services that a town this size may offer. From here you have to decide which way to head as it is a tee junction. Turn right (north) and head up through the goldfields i.e. Kalgoorl i e -Boulder then a long to Coolgardie another 206 km then onto Perth another 594 km west. You may decide that this is a bit far for one day however there are sufficient small towns along the way to stopover. One option would be to spend the day in Kalgoorlie-Boulder and stay overnight leaving a 594 km run to Perth the next day.

P e r t h h a s a p l e t h o r a o f accommodation but sadly most of the Caravan Parks are out in the suburbs so you will have to find a good package deal somewhere if you intend staying for a few days to have a good look around. Perth is also the first place you will find a Harley-

Davidson dealership (Fraser Motorcycles) since passing Adelaide so it’s an ideal opportunity to get the bike checked over.

If you have chosen to turn left (south) at Norseman you will be heading down to Esperance 203 km then onto Albany another 476 km west. Along this southern route Great Southern Motorcycles is the Harley-Davidson dealership which is located in Albany.

Again this gives you a 867 km day. As Jerramungup is 685km from Balladonia then th i s cou ld be an opt ion or Ravensthorpe which gives you a shorter 574 km option. Both these towns have caravan parks but they are not rated by the RAC.

From any of these locations the next day will have you riding through some great areas on your way to Margaret River 483 km west. If you chose the Perth option then you head south and again there is also another dealership at Bunbury, Southwest Harley-Davidson. This will take you through some great riding country and do a similar distance if you do the scenic routes. So at the end of the day there are no large distances between fuel stops and accommodation is readily available if you plan ahead. If you chose to camp your way across there are a number of free camp

Myth No 2 Fuel stops are

to far apart for Sporties.

There are enough fuel stops all the way

across, even for Sporties. We have

taken Sporties across the Nullarbor on many occasions

without any problems.

Border Village On the road again

CROSSING THE NULLARBOR! PAGE5

Western Australia, where discovery isn’t a TV channel

areas that have eco toilets but again water is very limited so make a l lowances. We usual ly carry camping gear but sometimes it is cheaper to use the dorms, as it is a cheaper option per head than paying for a tent site.

The stopovers and daily ride distances we have mentioned above are not in anyway a must do. You can vary your daily distances and stopovers any way you want, as we often do, just to mix the trip up a bit.

TRAVEL REFERENCE MATERIALThe Western Australian Visitor Centre has all the free advice and information that you need to help make the most of your holiday to

Western Australia. You can also secure your copy of comprehensive regional holiday planners. The Nullarbor Australia’s Great Road Journey; A chance to play the world’s longest golf course the Nullarbor Links stretching from Kalgoorlie then onto the 18th hole at Ceduna 1365km away.

By phoning the Visitor Centre ph 1300361351, international callers +61894831111 fax 0894810190 Email travel@westernaustralia.com www.westernaustralia.com

For further information pertaining to traveling around South Australia contact: www.southaustralia.com

Myth No 3 The Nullarbor NymphWe are still trying to prove or disprove this one. So see if you can spot her on the way over.

(Photo evidence is required)

It’s the ride of a lifetime across the oldest continent on earth

RIDING THIS ROAD GIVES YOU A GREAT APPRECIATION OF JUST HOW BIG THIS COUNTRY IS

The information contained in this document has been compiled from personal experiences and after many crossings of the Nullarbor, all by motorcycle. It is offered purely as a guide to help you plan your ride across Australia, and is based only the experiences and knowledge that we have gained during these rides.No responsibility will be accepted for any information given which may be misleading, misread or misunderstood and you should use your own judgment and make your own decisions during your travel across Australia.

For more information about the trip across please email hogperth@iinet.net.au with your contact details and we will get back to you.