Nannup

Nannup is a town and shire in the South West region of Western Australia, approximately 280 kilometres (174 mi) south of Perth on the Blackwood River at the crossroads of Vasse Highway and Brockman Highway, linking Nannup to most of the Lower South West’s regional centres. Nannup’s name is of Noongar Aboriginal origin, meaning “place of parrots”.

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

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

Perth to Cape Leeuwin via Nannup, 6 day bicycle tour, 1981. This is the fifth 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.

The 1981 ride was the last of the five ‘classic’ rides, during which I learnt much, changed a lot and suffered a bit. There was at least one major trial in each of these first five rides. There was no ride in 1982 because I went on an overseas trip. After that I tried to extend and explore and improve. But there was more hardship ahead.  ... Read more

Donnybrook to Nannup, day 2, Tuesday 24 November 1981. I had breakfast in the old hotel dining-room, then got ready to leave. I had been on new road, for me on a bike, ever since leaving Bunbury and turning down the old South-Western Highway instead of the Bussell Highway. This was to continue today. I had decided to head for Balingup, then turn right and go to Nannup.

About 1 km south of Donnybrook the road takes a left and begins a steep climb towards Kirup, then it’s up and down all the way. I don’t remember much of a struggle with that first hill and subsequent hills. Only 2 years later, in 1983, when I encountered that first climb, it was a shock and very hard for me, as though I had never ridden up it before.  … Read more

Nannup to Augusta, day 3, Wednesday 25 November 1981. I had breakfast in the old dining room. I paid my bill of $19.40 for dinner, bed and breakfast. Then I got ready and set off, on a day which was to resonate down through the years of bike riding ahead.

I had decided to take the Brockman Highway to Augusta, stopping at Alexandra Bridge for a swim in the river – a pleasant memory from 1980. I had never been over this country before in any vehicle and had no idea what to expect, except of course the stretch from Alexandra Bridge to Augusta which I had done in 1980. This day was to mark the end of my lack of attention to weather forecasts on these rides.  ... Read more

Cottesloe to Dunsborough 2005 – 11 days, cumulative distance 670 km.

Charles A. Pierce

Other days on this Tour:

Daily Locations for this Tour:

Donnybrook to Nannup, day 4, Thursday 13 October 2005. I had trouble getting going on this morning but made the effort. I had to make Nannup at least to have better options. The day was cool and sunny as usual, with headwinds and cloud building up during the day. I left at 8:23.

This day’s ride was to be in 3 stages. The total was only 56 km but I would have to climb the scarp, and the middle stage was 13 km of gravel.

The first stage was sealed road for 22 km. I had to turn right at the bottom of the town, not left to follow the main highway, but right into the Capel road. From this I had to take another left into the Tourist Drive.  ... Read more

Nannup to Busselton, day 5, Friday 14 October 2005. I left Nannup at 9:41. The morning was sunny and cool with a freshening westerly wind. I didn’t have too much trouble climbing the hills I had rushed down only the previous afternoon. I wasn’t in any hurry and I knew that this road would go for a long way through forests that would be rich in wildflowers, and I was looking for orchids. It wasn’t too long before I fond some yellow ones and took pictures.

I found many more of those all the way to Bunbury. I also found two different kinds of blue-violet orchids and took pictures.

I took a rest and a drink at 663 and at 667 I approached an establishment that had posters all along the road advertising mazes and teas and fun.  ... Read more