Perth to Windy Harbour 1985

This is the eighth of a series of retrospective bike stories, of rides taken before 1987. 1987 was the first ride to be fully documented in the current format, with distances, speeds, rest stops and so on, moreover written as soon after the event as possible.

This was the year in which I got away from the Monday to Saturday 5-night, six-day format. I broke through limits and went further than before, into a lot of unknown territory for me, taking 8 nights and nine riding days. I started on a Friday instead of the traditional Monday.

Charles A. Pierce

Other Days on this Tour:

Daily Locations for this Tour:

Perth to Donnybrook, day 1, Friday 15 November 1985. As in some other years, I decided to take the morning Australind train and start my ride from Bunbury. I was going to stop at Donnybrook for the first night so there was no hurry. For the first time the old Australind stopped at the new rail terminal which made it easier for me because it was closer to the start of the south-western highway.

I got the 9:30 am train from Perth. It took about 3 and a half hours to get to Bunbury in those days and I arrived there at about 1 pm. I had had ‘brunch’ on the train, pies and cakes from a deli.

I got the bike out of the luggage compartment, stowed the bag, donned the backpack, left the station and rode along Picton Road to find the T-junction.  ... Read more

Donnybrook to Bridgetown, day 2, Saturday 16 November 1985. I had breakfast in bed and got going as early as I could. This time I was prepared for the climbs that lay ahead, both mentally and with a well-prepared bike with the proper range of gears. The going was still hard but I think I managed to get up the hill after Balingup, and Hester’s hill before Bridgetown, without getting off to trudge. I remember definitely at some time having got up both those hills without having to get off and walk. I took some rest stops along the way, at Kirup and Balingup and after Greenbushes.

I had booked into a motel some way down Hampton Street (which was just the South Western Highway re-named for its passage through Bridgetown) from the centre of Bridgetown where all the old hotels were.  ... Read more

Bridgetown to Pemberton, day 3, Sunday 17 November 1985. I had breakfast of snacks bought the previous afternoon. I set off down Hampton Street, crossed the river and this time turned left for the South Western Highway, not right for the Brockman Highway as in 1983.

I had only travelled this road by car and bus and not taken much notice of its topography, so I was pleased to discover that the road between Bridgetown and Manjimup is not too hilly. Just moderate, manageable ups and downs. I did the 35 km in reasonable time, passing Yornup where the radio station 6BY was located. It is now part of the GWN network. I took a drink break at about half-way.

In Manjimup I took the opportunity for a rest and refreshment break and telephoned to book a room in a riverside resort, the Forest Lodge, about 4 km east of Pemberton.  ... Read more

Pemberton to Northcliffe, day 4, Monday 18 November 1985. I set off from the Lodge and stopped in Pemberton to buy drinks. I only had 29 km to go to Northcliffe. This would be new road altogether for me, I had never been south of Pemberton by any vehicle.

I had decided to take a look at a famous tree, the Marianne North tree. In 1880 an English artist called Marianne North was touring Western Australia painting pictures of natural wonders. She painted one of a huge ancient karri tree with a lumpy growth about 5 metres up its trunk. This picture now hangs in the Kew Gardens in England. The tree is about 4 km west of the main Pemberton-Northcliffe Road, up a gravel track known as Ralphs Road or Old Vasse Road.  … Read more

Northcliffe to Windy Harbour and return, day 5, Tuesday 19 November 1985. I had a good breakfast in the dining room and packed a minimum of stuff, packaged drinks, tubes, pump, valuables, small towel. I set off east along Zamia St. and turned right into Windy Harbour Road which is a continuation of Wheatley Coast Road. The country was interesting. It was low-lying with a lot of scrubby plants and there was water around so that water birds and frogs and rustling noises could be heard.

About half-way to Windy Harbour the land rose and the trees became taller until I was entering an impressive forest. This was the Mount Chudalup National Park, a forest around a massive 187 metre granite outcrop.  … Read more

Northcliffe to Manjimup, day 6, Wednesday 20 November 1985. This was to be one of the hardest days on these rides. The plan was to make the next overnight stop at Manjimup. I had my full breakfast, then an Episode, then I started to labour towards Pemberton.

I had a couple of drink stops and eventually made it without any other kind of stop, but as I turned right to go down Brockman Street into the town I could sense trouble coming. I struggled up the steep hill to the park at the north-eastern end of town and was relieved to find a public facility. After that I got more drinks and some food from the shop over the road and sat for a while getting the will to go on.  … Read more

Manjimup to Greenbushes, day 7, Thursday 21 November 1985. I felt a bit better than I had the previous morning, but still had my problem after breakfast. I started on the road to Bridgetown, hoping that things would improve.

I stopped at Yornup to use the public phone and try to ring my parents. I usually rang them every couple of days on these rides because they worried. I hadn’t been able to get them for a few days – the phone was either engaged or they weren’t answering. I had only just got my answering machine, but few people did in those days and there was no 101 service. I couldn’t get them at Yornup so I pressed on.

When I reached Bridgetown after between two and three hours, with stops to rest, it was clear that another Episode was coming.  ... Read more

Greenbushes to Donnybrook, day 8, Friday 22 November 1985. I had a good breakfast in the dining room and eventually was ready to leave. My plan was just to go straight to Bunbury. I thought, it’s 77 km but much of it is downhill and then level, and I should be able to do it in time for the train. I didn’t get far before I realised that I had no strength, every turn of the pedals was an effort. I was going to have to stop another night, in Donnybrook. I laboured on, had a few rest stops and walked up a few hills until a run down the scarp into the town.

I was able to get booked into a unit in the motel, then had a rest before riding down into the town to shop.  ... Read more

Donnybrook to Cottesloe, day 9, Saturday 23 November 1985.

I decided to sleep in a bit and generally take it easy on this last morning. There were only 39 km to Bunbury and the train didn’t leave till 3 pm in those days. I had my arrowroot for breakfast, then waited for a while before getting ready to leave.

I had a rest stop at Boyanup, then reached the Bunbury rail terminal at Picton and bought my ticket and relaxed. The new terminal was not so close to the beach and I can’t remember whether I took the trouble to ride to the beach and back on this occasion. I know I did in some other years. I certainly would have wanted to on this occasion, if there had been time.  ... Read more