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| Forest on Knodingbul Road |
Route: Apsley Falls, Yarrowitch, Mount Seaview, Doyle's River (Maxwell's Flat Camping Area).
Distance: 87km
The day's cycle is split into three stages: (1) 42km along the Oxley Highway through open pastureland, (2) 30km along the Oxley Highway through forest, and (3) 16km along unsealed forestry roads through forest. There is only one small shop along the way: a café at Ginger Creek, some 65km from Apsley Falls.
The first part of the trip features much the same countryside as that encountered yesterday. There is a basic rest area (bins, tables, no toilets or water) 20km from Apsley Falls at the Tia Falls turn-off. (Visiting or camping at Tia Falls would add another 12km to the trip.) After another 10km, just before the Oxley Highway crosses the Yarrowitch River, one can find a small church and public telephone booth. From here a very gradual climb (200 vertical metres) out of the Yarrowitch Valley brings one closer to the forests, which marks the second part of they journey.
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| Yarrowitch Valley |
Once the Oxley Highway enters the forests, the road becomes more windy, through still relatively flat. Watch out for log trucks; a few times I pulled over to let one pass. If the forests bring a welcome change of scenery after 100km of open farmland, even more so does the descent from 1200m to 800m (above sea level), some of it through stands of temperate rainforest (keep an eye and ear out for lyrebirds). A small café at Ginger Creek boasts "the best food on the mountain." (As far as I know, they offer the only food on the mountain!) Nevertheless, given the isolation it is too hard to pass up the opportunity of ordering a hamburger. A little further down the road at Stockyard Creek is a large rest area with toilets and picnic tables, nestled in the forest.
Four kilometres after Stockyard Creek, a right-hand turn into Knodingbul Road (also known as Dolye's River Road) commences the third stage of the day's cycle.
Knodingbul Road is an unsealed road of varying quality which heads (mostly, though not initially) south along a ridge for about 50km, passing through dense eucalypt forest and temperature rainforest and taking very little traffic.It is one of the main forestry roads in the area. Initially the surface is quite stony. Mountain bike tyres are not necessary to negotiate this section but at least a pair of wider strong hybrid tyres is will be appreciated along here. There are no satisfactory places to camp along the ridge. Further along the road there are a few (muddy?) water sources (see the entry for Day 5). For this reason it is almost necessary to camp at Maxwell's Flat.
To get to Maxwell's Flat, turn left from Knodingbul Road onto the Causeway Road about 9kms after leaving the Oxley Highway. This section of the Causeway Road is relatively smooth though probably quite muddy in wet weather. A gentle downhill run for 7km takes the cyclist to Dolye's River and Maxwell's Flat. The camping area has pit toilets, one covered picnic table, a fireplace, easy access to the river (which is only a creek at this stage), room for a hundred tents and, when I was there, a very bold marsupial.
© 2008 Robert Taggart. Last updated 13 November 2008.