Gnowangerup

Perth to the Stirling Range, 9 days, 1993. Cumulative distance 596km. This was to be the fulfilment of a dream that started in 1987, when I rode by the western edge of the Stirling Range and was prevented by weather and tiredness from taking a detour into it.

The idea was to get to Bluff Knoll, climb it, and ride back to Perth. Instead of starting the ride at Bunbury, as I had so many others, I decided to start this one at Albany, using the new flexibility offered by the discovery that, for $25, Niteroad will take your bike to Albany or Bunbury in less than 24 hours, or to any other point at which it is desired that a ride should start.  … Read more

Stirling Range to Gnowangerup, day 3, Friday 22 October 1993. I cleaned and oiled the bike, as I normally do on these rides after a wet ride, and left Stirling Range Caravan Park at 9:38. It was late but I had wanted to rest up.

This was to be a harder day than I had expected. I think I had overdone it on Thursday, also conditions were different from what I had imagined when planning the trip. I had thought I would be leaving the Stirlings with a good downhill run and a tailwind. Actually the winds turned northwest and freshened, and they were to stay NW for five days – quite unusual and demoralising for someone riding NW for five days.  ... Read more

Gnowangerup to Katanning, day 4, Saturday 23 October 1993. The winds started out with a promise of a bit of southerly in the westerly but as the day went on they shifted to the north again. This was to be 61km into a fresh head- or cross-wind.

I left Gnowangerup at 9:04 and took my first rest at 27533, then again at at 27546. I wanted to save a kilometre by taking the gravel track 1km before the normal turnoff to Broomehill, because the map showed it going right into the town. As it turned out the roads got a bit confused, or I did, and the km was wasted finding the Great Southern Highway again. I stopped at Broomehill, 27561, for a drink, at a shop in the main street.  ... Read more

Gnowangerup is a town located 61 kilometres (38 mi) south east of Katanning in the Great Southern region of Western Australia. The name of the townsite is Aboriginal, being derived from nearby Gnowangerup Creek and Spring, both names being first recorded in 1878. The name means “place where the mallee hen (Gnow) nests”.