Perth to Yallingup via Nannup 1983

Perth To Yallingup via Nannup, 6 day bicycle tour, 1983. This is the sixth 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.

Up to 1983 these rides had not got further south than Balingup, along the SW highway. In 1983 I had recently bought a new light alloy racing bike, had made a record (for me) time on it in the Cycle Touring Association’s 40 km time trial, and was determined to push the limits of my riding southward and eastward.

This was the first ride since my accident in January 1982, referred to in the 1981 ride story, Perth to Augusta Tour via Nannup 1981, (being a retrospective story, I could refer to events that hadn’t happened yet in 1981).  ... Read more

Perth to Greenbushes, day 1, Monday 21 November 1983. As in 1979 – 1981, I decided to take the morning Australind train and start my ride from Bunbury. My plan required me to ride from Bunbury to Greenbushes as my first night’s stop. I was still brooding over the hardships and shortcomings of the 1981 ride and wanted to do a similar thing better. This was the ride that taught me what I should already have known, that a relatively new bike, though already used successfully, has to be fixed up, tested and proved before taking it on a long country trip with hills steeper and longer than those around home.

On this ride I started wearing proper cycling shorts with a crotch-pad, and sensible shoes.  ... Read more

Greenbushes to Nannup, day 2, Tuesday 22 November 1983. I had breakfast in the dining room, then got ready to leave. I had decided to head for Bridgetown, then turn right and go to Nannup along the Brockman Highway.

I found the going hard because of the effort of the previous day, and not having a sufficient range of gears. There were some good downhill runs but some steep climbs, the one before Bridgetown, Hester’s Hill, being the most challenging, well-known to local bike tourists. After that there is a good downhill run into the town.

I stopped at the corner of Hampton street and Steere Street, bought some drinks at the shop and sat down to rest. I had only done 17 km but it felt like a full day’s riding already.  ... Read more

Nannup to Busselton, day 3, Wednesday 23 November 1983. I had breakfast in the old dining room. Then I got ready and set off, heading north on the road to Busselton. The next locality marked on the map was Jarrahwood. I had never been there, and this whole road was new to me. I thought to stop there to buy a drink and have a rest.

The conditions were moderate and the country was hilly, but I didn’t mind that because I was looking forward to the inevitable downhill run off the scarp onto the coastal plain where Busselton lay. Eventually I reached Jarrahwood. In those days the Vasse Highway still ran through Jarrahwood. Now there is a bypass and you need to turn off the main road and go about 1 km to the east to find the town.  ... Read more

Busselton to Yallingup, day 4, Thursday 24 November 1983. I decided not to stay at Dunsborough but to try a new place, new to me anyway, Caves House at Yallingup. At that time it was still the old traditional caves house with some new units built at the back. It hadn’t been revamped into the modern expensive resort. I booked one of the units.

I set off up the Bussell Highway. 7 kilometres out was the Vasse store. At that time it was isolated at the junction of Bussell Highway and Caves Road. Now it is lost amidst the continuous building that has spread along the shore between Busselton and Dunsborough.

I bought a drink at the store and continued to Dunsborough.  ... Read more

Yallingup to Busselton, day 5, Friday 25 November 1983. I had already paid for my room the night before, so I packed up and got away with the intention of having breakfast at Dunsborough, then going for the essential trip to Meelup Beach. There was no big hurry. When staying at Busselton on the Wednesday I had booked the room for Friday too, anticipating that the rest of the ride would include another night in Busselton.

I got a pleasant leisurely breakfast at Dunsborough then set off up the hill to find Meelup Beach Road. On this occasion I couldn’t find it and went a bit out of my way, finally coming back to Meelup Beach via Eagle Bay Road and Eagle Bay.  ... Read more

Busselton to Cottesloe, day 6, Saturday 26 November 1983. I had a leisurely breakfast in my room, then a morning swim, before packing up and taking the easy ride up to Bunbury.

I stopped in the Ludlow Forest and at Capel of course. I might have ridden the rest of the way to Bunbury non-stop, as I often did if the wind was favourable, since I would not have to ride any more after reaching Bunbury.

In the early afternoon I reached Bunbury, where I bought tickets for myself and the bike on the Australind train, then went up to the ocean beach for a swim. The afternoon train got me back to Perth in time to catch the recently re-opened Fremantle train home to Cottesloe.  ... Read more