June 26: Cuddly Koalas, Countryside Roads in Cudlee Creek
As I carefully cuddled Bella the koala against my chest at the Gorge Wildlife Park in Cudlee Creek last night, my maternal instincts took over. About the same weight as a large baby or young toddler, she contentedly chewed on fresh eucalyptus leaves while I swayed back and forth and held her close, gently patting her soft fur. What a magical evening thanks to locals and fellow bikers, Tony and Jan Fathers.
Tony and his wife had reached out to me several weeks ago after I posed on the Australian Adventure Motorcycle Riders Facebook page, asking for tips on the road heading west from Melbourne.
A veritable gold mine of useful advice, Tony graciously spent several hours with me on the phone, pouring over maps and brainstorming for tour and sightseeing options. When I mentioned I was interested in going to Kangaroo Island to pet the wildlife, Tony offered to instead host me at his house and set up a private tour at the koala sanctuary down the road from him, one of the few places in Australia where you can hold a koala.
After meeting up in Hahndorf last night, Tony led me on a enchanting ride through the foothills to his home, twisting and turning through thick groves of trees with spectacular valley views, pointing out wild kangaroos grazing in the fields as the sun began to set in the sky.
Following a delightful visit to the sanctuary, we all shared great conversation over a home cooked meal and a delicious breakfast the next morning before Jan sent me off with some high protein granola to snack on down the road.
I headed north from their house on country backroads, riding on the top of a ridgeline looking out at the dale beyond and then descending down to Horrocks Highway, taking me past vineyards and vast fields of rich red dirt spotted with distinctive tall, flat-topped trees.
Somehow, I ended up getting lost at the crossroads of several dirt tracks but got lots of helpful directions from a farmer with a weathered face in a late model pick-up, a young female delivery driver with her hair pulled up in a ponytail, and a worker in grease-stained overalls crossing the street. They all kept referring me to the “Bitumen” roads, which I later found out meant gravel covered with a sealant.
After passing through Clare, I turned west at Brinkworth on the sealed rocky roads and made my way through Koolunga to the A-1 where I followed the Spencer Gulf north to Port Agusta, taking in more delightful views of red fields and plains as the afternoon sun began to break through the overcast clouds above. What a great day on the bike!
