Millmerran to Toowoomba – 53 miles

(Open in Reader or blog as this contains a video)

I must admit it does seem unreal that a 53 mile bike ride with lots of climbing at the end feels like an easy day. I suspect as it was my last day morale was up. Along with the boys in hi-viz and the utes I was soon downing my last bacon & egg muffin and flat white and heading north into a gentle headwind on a very skinny hard shoulder.

Silo art is a popular thing in Oz but I hadn’t seen any although this large structure had some interesting graphics.

The initial part of the ride was flat but eventually the gradients started to appear and with the appearance of a petrol station I had to procure sustenance. All the fuel stations out this way seem to be owned or run by Sikhs. Many a man in a turban has completed the transaction also as you approach the building you can sometimes smell curry from their private kitchen. Now a proper ‘Indian’ meal is something I’m looking forward to back in York.

After my dismal failure at finding a live kangaroo I found these chaps. Scant consolation, I know.

So with a series of climbs I slowly got to Toowoomba. It’s quite a large town 80 miles west of Brisbane. It was here I was going to end the tour. I could get a train or bus eastwards from here. It was as northerly as Brisbane and so I’d done the distance but it was, after thinking this through after battling my way out of Sydney, never my intention to endure the traffic lights, heavy traffic, pavements, cycle paths etc that make up the misery of urban cycling and cycle up to my Brisbane accommodation. For what it’s worth I’d cycled into Brisbane in 2020. I had the medal.

So the last stretch was going to be by coach. This meant possibly being sat next to a millennial reeking like a polecat after my 53 miles cycling. Not nice. So as I’m cycling I spotted a large golf club and made my way to Reception where, explaining my predicament, asked if I could take a shower? ‘That’s an usual request.’ Came the reply.

Anyway it was granted and I cleaned up.

I continued by cycle paths to the centre where I had some lunch, looked around and waited for my bus. The bike cost extra as baggage but fitted comfortably in the hold.

Comfortable affairs with lots of space, reclining seats, charging points, loo etc

It was dark by the time we got to the centre of Brisbane. From here I cycled about a mile to the apartment Anna had booked.

So Australia had been a 653 mile bike ride. I’d climbed 5,664 metres. For the combined countries I’d totalled 1,171 miles or 1,885 km. Climbed 13,591 metres or 44,590 feet.

These are unique projects as I didn’t come across another cycling tourist in Australia!

So Australia this time? After Murrurundi it was a slog until Goondiwindi. When I cycled from Sydney to Adelaide it was only the last section that equated to some of this slog. After Goondiwindi it was back into large hot empty spaces until Toowoomba. Not the best route in places and I was a little unlucky with the heat. I suppose that makes it an adventure?

One more blog about Brisbane and meeting my remarkable cousin to follow.