Perth to Donnybrook 1981

Perth to Donnybrook, day 1, Monday 23 November 1981. As in 1979 and 1980, I decided to take the morning Australind train and start my ride from Bunbury. My plan required me to ride from Bunbury to Donnybrook as my first night’s stop. This was a distance of only 39 km.

Donnybrook

The North Boyanup Road shortcut was not so well known or used in those days and I just followed the south-western highway as it showed on my map, through Dardanup and Boyanup. Now, of course, the former North Boyanup Road has become the main south-western highway. The distance to Donnybrook this way is only 36 km.

The reason for going such a short distance on the first day was that there was no-where to stop between Donnybrook and Greenbushes. Greenbushes was another 40 km, with some climbing to be done.

I don’t remember what I wore for this ride. I didn’t wear a helmet until 1994, but at some stage during the 80′s I started wearing proper cycling shorts with a crotch-pad, and sensible shoes. But I did find, when I reached Donnybrook on a cool evening, that I had forgotten to bring a jumper. When I rang Janet that evening she seemed somewhat bemused by this.

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, sandwiches I had prepared myself.

I got the bike out of the luggage compartment, stowed the bag, donned the backpack, left the station and rode back up Blair Street to find the junction where the highways met. I started off towards Dardanup. There wasn’t any great hurry but I hadn’t yet been to Donnybrook so I thought it would be nice to arrive in good time for a look around.

For some reason this short ride with not much climbing seemed very hard. Some days are like that. I can’t remember whether I stopped at Dardanup, but I stopped at Boyanup and went into the pub for a rest and a drink at the bar. I had a lemon, lime and bitters.

I got into conversation with an old man at the bar, who was interested in the fact that I was riding a bike around the country. He told me of his bike-riding days, how bikes in those days had no ratchets, so that the pedals kept turning when you free-wheeled and you had to raise your feet high away from them. This explains those old photos showing cyclists coming down a hill with their legs spread wide and high. He told me he had had a bypass operation recently and that it was like having a young man’s heart in an old man’s body. It had given him a new lease of life.

I got going again and laboured the remaining 14km to Donnybrook. I passed fruit orchards as I got closer. There was a long curving bit of road, then a run downhill into the town for my first visit. I don’t think the Donnybrook Motel existed then, otherwise I would have stopped there. I ended up booking into the Donnybrook Hotel, or maybe it was the Railway Hotel, they are cheek by jowl in the centre of town.

The hotel was average for an old country pub. I had my shower and did some washing, then discovered that I had not brought a jumper with me. It was November but there could be some chilly evenings. Anyway, I took a look around the town. There were no passenger trains through any more, but the old station was in good repair. The splendid oak tree is still there today, in fine shape and sprouting hundreds of children under its spread. I went over the bridge and up the hill a way, then back down and along the river. That was flowing well and the banks were lush with growth, not all of it native.

After that I had dinner somewhere, maybe at the Chinese restaurant that has been there for many years. I know I bought food there in 1985. There was the usual lack of TV so I went to bed and read for a while.

Charles A. Pierce

Other Days on this Tour:

Perth to Cape Leeuwin Tour via Nannup, 1981
Perth to Donnybrook 1981 (This post)
Donnybrook to Nannup 1981
Nannup to Augusta 1981
Augusta to Cape Leeuwin and Margaret River 1981
Margaret River to Busselton 1981
Busselton to Perth 1981

Places Mentioned in this Post:

Tags: Boyanup, Bunbury, Dardanup, Donnybrook, Perth

Perth to Donnybrook 1981

Other Days on this Tour:

Places Mentioned in this Post:

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