Touring Rides

There are moments when touring becomes blissful - an experience of power and movement when body and bicycle become one. Heading down the east coast of Tasmania I was cruising in the high 20s when the road and the wind lined up and I realised a little extra work would give me 30km/h, then 35km/h and magically 40km/h. An almost effortless 100kgs of body, bicycle and luggage travelling through the landscape, writes Sue Webber.

This East Coast tour is a wonderful combination of hills and coastline with the spectacular Freycinet and Maria Island National Parks to enjoy. Summer in Tasmania is perfect. While the rest of the continent swelters, Tasmania has great cycling weather. The East coast is usually protected from the storms that ravage the west and warmer than the central plateau. Autumn and Spring on the East coast can be great too.

Launceston airport to Upper Blessington.

46km, dirt and sealed.

Launceston airport is in a great position for the start of a cycling tour. It's south of the city, about 4km from Evandale and close to back roads for a stress-free journey.

Evandale is a good place to stop for food supplies and there's a great bakery.

From Evandale, follow the left-hand shopping street on to the C413 (there's no sign). The sealed road soon turns to gravel. Climb Diabobble Hill, as a first taste of the many hills to come and take the second marked left turn down to the sealed C401 that follows the North Esk River. This provides easy riding with some pretty scenery as you ride toward Ben Nevis and Upper Blessington. There are no shops at Upper Blessington, take the south road towards Roses Tier. Roses Tier is a big climb and if you prefer to camp before the climb, look for bush camping spots near the road. Otherwise begin the climb and you will find a small cleared area about 3km from the start of the climb. There are also places to camp at the top of the climb.

Upper Blessington to St Mary's

68km, dirt and sealed.

The climb up Roses Tier through the State forest rises about 200m over 3.6km, up a winding dirt forestry road. There is a short sealed section on the top and water if you need it. A great downhill follows along the C401 to Upper Esk. Turn right on to the sealed road (still C401) before reaching Upper Esk and follow this to Mathinna (31km) where there is a general store, pub, coffee shop and a picnic area at the oval.

Nine km south of Mathinna turn left and cross the South Esk River by bridge to follow the C430. This gravel forestry road climbs through a clear felled area and then through a pine plantation to a saddle between Mt Durham and Mt Nicholas. A five km descent leads to the sealed A4 road and then another seven km to St Marys. The hotel at St Marys has accommodation and there is food at the bar and at the restaurant in town. There is a supermarket for supplies.

St Marys to Douglas Apsley National Park

48km sealed and dirt roads.

The A4 south of St Marys leads over Elephant Pass, an easy climb on a sealed road after yesterday's exertions. The Elephant pancake house at the top is well worth a visit. The descent to the coast is excellent riding on a smooth, winding road. Follow the coast road (A3) south. There are good lunch spots at the beach reserve and swimming places if it's warm enough. Forty km from St Marys there is a turn-off to Douglas Apsley National Park along a gravelly road. The Apsley Gorge camping area is basic with a pit toilet but there is a wonderful waterhole nearby. If you've been looking forward to a swim, this is the place to head for. Overnight camping fees are payable ($3 for a bicycle but $9 a night for a car with up to 9 people).

Douglas Apsley National Park to Coles Bay

52km dirt and sealed roads.

Return along the gravel road to the main A3 road and into Bicheno (12km) where you'll find great coffee and cakes at the Freycinet Café and Bakery. Head south from Bicheno for another 11km and turn left down towards Coles Bay and the Freycinet Peninsula. There are two camp grounds in Coles Bay and another in the Freycinet National Park. There are shops, cafes and restaurants at Coles Bay. It's well worth taking a day or two to explore the Freycinet Peninsula on foot to see the famous Wine Glass Bay.

Coles Bay to Triabunna

78km, sealed roads.

The land route to Swansea involves returning to Landaff on the A3 and riding down to Swansea, over about 53km. Instead, you can take your bicycles across the water at Swanwich and save about 26km. To arrange the crossing, phone 6257 0239 the day before you want to cross and arrange a time. Swanwich jetty is north of Coles Bay. Turn left by the golf course and right at the phone box. The metal dinghy can take two bicycles and two passengers a trip across the narrows from Swanwick to Dolphin Sands.

A quiet sealed road leads from a beach to join the A3 just outside Swansea, where there is a bakery, café and supermarket and bus connections back to Launceston. About 13km south of Swansea, on the A3 there is a Japanese restaurant called KaBuki. Dishes include the local Triabunna seaweed, which is very good, there is also accommodation, phone 03 6257 8588. The A3 follows the coast to little Swanport where it heads inland for another 22km to Triabunna, with a campground and shops.

Triabunna to Maria Island

9km, sealed roads

The ferry to Maria Island leaves from Louisville. Take the A3 south from Triabunna for about 5km and follow the signs down to the Maria Island ferry. Bicycles can be taken on the ferry and are stowed on deck with a tarp to cover them for the 20 minute crossing. There are no shops on Maria Island so you must take all the food you need with you. Wash down your tyres when you arrive at the island, this is requested in an attempt to keep Maria Island free of the fungal rot that kills plants at Freycinet and Douglas Apsley National Parks.

Maria Island is a National Park and the only motorised vehicles are those used by the park rangers. It's a great place to explore by bicycle or on foot with layers of history that include the remains of a penal centre, a holiday development from the 1880s and a concrete works. It's worth staying for a day or two to explore the island. There is a good camping area, showers and toilets, barbeques and a covered eating area. It is also possible to stay in the old barracks. Be very careful with your food, the possums here are the most persistent I have met and we had to sleep with all our food in our tent (not just under the fly but right inside).

Maria Island to Dunalley

58km, sealed and dirt roads.

Return to Louisville by ferry and follow the A3 south to Orford where there are shops. Turn off the main road at Orford and follow the coast road to Spring Beach. There are great views back to Maria Island before the road turns inland. The coast road joins Wielangta Road (19km). This is a rough, gravel sided, corrugated dirt forestry road and hard work for cyclists. There's a long steep hill just past the sign for the Wielangta walk. From the top it's 1.2km to Sandspit Reserve with picnic tables, rain water tanks and toilets.

The signs at the junction at 39km left me confused but the Bream Creek road is a good dirt road through farming country. At Bream Creek take the right hand road (Burnt Hill Road), turn left then right on to Bay Road and follow the edge of Blackman Bay past the fishing shacks joining the A9 just 1km outside Dunalley. You may be able to camp behind the Post Office and supermarket (ask first) but if you'd like some luxury there's a great place to stay at Potters Croft with loft rooms or a self-contained cottage, phone 03 6253 5469.

Dunalley to Hobart airport

50km, dirt and sealed roads

From Dunalley turn right just before the bridge that leads to the Tasman Peninsula and Port Arthur. Follow the unsealed coastal road towards Dodges Ferry (23km). Follow the signs to Lewisham and along the back roads to the A9 highway. The last five km into Sorrell is along the A9 with its gravel shoulder and lots of traffic. There is accommodation at Sorrell otherwise, it's another 11 km to the airport via Midway Point.

The A3 from Sorrell crosses a causeway to reach the airport. This starts well with a cycleway on the right of the road to Midway Point where the planners seem to have lost interest in cyclists and the cycleway disappears and a there is only a very narrow shoulder.

The second half of the causeway has given up on cyclists and there is a narrow shoulder. Things don't improve on the other side where the shoulder becomes gravelly. The road is narrow with fast traffic. Large vehicles can be a real problem for cyclists here. A roundabout heralds the entry to the airport where a wider straight road leads in to the airport. It would be a good idea to choose a quiet time of day and week if you must cycle this route.

A less stressful alternative is to ride via Richmond. Head north out of Sorrell on the A3 and turn left and ride in to Richmond where the wine and cheese centre has excellent pasta and wine. Head south on the B31 towards Hobart. The 12km road has at least three good wineries and a restaurant at Meadowbank. At Cambridge turn left on to the freeway (large 2m shoulders) and about 4km along, at the airport roundabout, turn right.

Maps

Hema Tasmania is a good overview.

Tasmap 1:100,000 Topographic maps: Forester, Break O'Day, Freycinet, Prosser.

Tasmap, Tasmania 1:250,000 North East and South East, are sufficient if you do not want to buy the topographic maps

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