Guided Motorbike Tours - The Cross Continent Experience

The Cross Continent Experience

A heady blend of cultured city sophistication combined with rugged outback isolation. This 17 day mixed surface tour is a great way to cross the continent, via some great outback tracks and the road less travelled. Range from the delights of Victoria in the south, through to the heady tropical delights on offer in the Northern Territory.

Melbourne
With over 3.5 million people it's Australia's second largest city and is perfectly located on the banks of the Yarra River and the shores of Port Phillip Bay. A cosmopolitan city with a great quality of life, and plenty to offer. Explore on the trams, eat at the riverside restaurants and people watch at the cafes!

A great place to start your journey, there's a bit of time for familiarisation with the bikes before a ride through the Lederberg Forest and surrounds, en route to our first night stop at Apollo Bay near the start of the Great Ocean Road.

Leaving Apollo Bay it's not long before we reach one of the many highlights of the tour, so early on too! One of the worlds most breathtaking rides.

The Great Ocean Road
One of the most iconic coastal drives in the world, words can't describe the spectacular scenery on this amazing section of road. Every motorcyclist should ride this road at least once in their life!

You have the jaw dropping coastal scenery including the world famous 12 Apostles on one side, with the temperate rainforest of the Otway Ranges on the other. Dotted along the way are quaint, friendly small towns with great cafes and restaurants that are perfect for a coffee break and a chance to take in the atmosphere.

There's plenty of time to explore the intricacies of the Great Ocean Road as we ride the fantastic route, before we spend a night in Port Fairy, a short ride from the Great Ocean Road’s most recognisable sight of the 12 Apostles.

We enter South Australia and call in at the stunning Coorong National Park, a sanctuary for innumerable species of birds, mammals and of course fish. We can arrange an optional beach fishing excursion from here, if you want to get a bit closer to some of the specimens that call the park their home. There's the chance to catch Mullet, Shark and Salmon to name but a few.

We ride on through the the Adelaide Hills - a biker’s paradise of winding, twisting roads from which you'll be hard pressed to tear yourself away, but there's plenty more to look forward to.

The Barossa Valley
Is home to over sixty wineries, some of which have been in operation for nearly 160 years. The ride takes us over the rolling hills and along twisting, vineyard fringed roads deep amongst the valleys where the wine flows freely.

We continue our trek north and begin our transition to the more stereotypical 'outback' scenery. First encounter is the stunning Flinders Ranges and the jewel in its crown, the Wilpena Pound. A vast natural amphitheatre ringed with sheer cliffs and jagged rocks that are constantly changing colour at various times of the day, it's a spectacular outback show.

Two nights are spent at the renowned Prairie Hotel at Parachilna, where the permanent population sometimes only numbers two. Internationally recognised as some of the best outback accommodation and one of only two restaurants in Australia to be recognised by 'Hip' magazine as serving the best 'bush tucker' available in Australia. Some of their culinary delights on offer will raise a few eyebrows for even the most seasoned foodie traveller.

There's a full day available to ride the magnificent dirt tracks and ghost gum lined canyons of the amazing Flinders Ranges if you want to, or you can just relax.

Next on this Australian odyssey is Australia’s most iconic outback adventure, the Birdsville Track.

The Birdsville Track
This fantastic outback track traverses some of the driest landscapes in Australia, spanning the Tirari Desert and Sturt Stony Desert where rainfalls of 100mm per year are considered to be "too bloody wet". We travel past the 'Dingo Fence', the world's longest example of such a structure, camping out over night nearby under a blanket of stars the like of which you've never seen. The memories of simply being in such an incredible environment will stay with you for the rest of your life.

We eventually arrive in Queensland and enter Birdsville itself, pausing for a well earned beer at Australia’s most famous pub.

From there it's onwards to the settlement of Boulia, this is 'Min Min' light country. Mysterious lights that hover above the ground; many believe these lights are UFOs, if you're lucky enough you might just seem some yourself.

The ride then continues on through the vastness of the Channel Country and on to the “real Australian” city of Mount Isa. Here we stop riding north for a while and head west, to ride the deserted Barkly Highway as it snakes its sinuous path through the vast Barkly tablelands.

The Northern Territory
A vast land of epic landscapes and true wilderness, welcomes us with outback hospitality as we ride across the border. We visit Daly Waters and its famous pub, before spending two nights at Katherine.

Katherine
The third largest town in the Northern Territory and famous for Katherine Gorge which is actually a series of 13 linked gorges along which you can take a boat ride, or explore via canoe. Located in the Nitmiluk National Park just to the north east of town, it's not far an there's plenty of time to explore the fascinating things on offer. A good job too, as there's enough to keep even the most dedicated explorer occupied for days on end!

We leave the parched red desert landscape behind as we enter the northern tropics, heading for Darwin via Jabiru, located deep with Kakadu National Park.

Kakadu National Park
Kakadu is the world heritage listed jewel of the Northern Territory. Incredible wildlife with big crocs, stunning bird life, water buffalo and an amazing variety of plants and trees can be found in this wetland paradise. Watching the sunset over the wetlands at Ubirr is magical, whilst exploring the caves and aboriginal artwork at Nourlangie, some from 60,000 years ago, provides an amazing insight into the country and the connection the aboriginal people have for it. Two nights are spent in the park, giving ample time to explore this fascinating spectacle of nature.

The final day sees us riding into Darwin - the capital city of the Northern Territory.

Darwin
A population of 111,300 makes it by far the most populated city in the Northern Territory but the least populated of all Australia's capital cities. Laid back, multicultural, tropical and easy on the eye - all in all, a great place to take in the relaxing tropical atmosphere and celebrate the completion of a fantastic motorcycle tour!

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