16 days

Duration

3125

Miles

Max 12

Riders

Experienced Riders Only

Tour pace

AUSTRALIA MOTORCYCLE TOUR

Exclusive to Guided Motorbike Tours Ltd, we are proud to offer you one of our newest and most exciting tours. Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales, motorcycle adventure tour in Australia. An amazing Journey riding through nirvana via the outback, mountains and coastal roads south eastern Australia

HOTELS

3* or above Hotels included with most meals*

GROUP

Group size is between 10 – 12 riders

GUIDED

Fully Guided tour & professional guide

This is an incredible 16-day ride that highlights some of Australia’s finest mountain scenery, cultural trails and epic outback landscapes. From movie sets to remote back tracks, renown wine districts to rugged coastal scenery, legendary cities to unknown villages, this ride is a superb mix of known and unknown that showcases the many faces of this vast continent.

This ride offers participants an amazing diversity of iconic Australian landscapes. We ride through towering Mountain Ash, Eucalyptus and temperate forests through to the stark yet hauntingly beautiful “outback” with some of the lowest population densities on earth. We marvel as we ride the world renown Great Ocean Road and the relatively unknown rugged Sapphire Coastline. Covering so much of “hidden Australia” this ride ensures participants will see and experience much more of Australia than most Australians.

This is a 70% paved / 30% off-road tour
We choose back roads for the vast majority of this tour, these roads are often empty, narrow, undulating, potholed and have tall rough shoulders. Some roads have very tight twisties with blind corners and have vegetation on corners in the forests.

The off road tracks can have bulldust holes, in the outback, loose gravel, a small number of creek crossings, fallen trees, blind corners, washouts and corrugations. On all types of roads, riders must expect wandering wildlife and cattle

Distances
The biggest riding day is 580 km / 360 miles with the shortest being just 210 km / 130 miles. Most riding days we average around 250 – 300 km / 155 – 186 miles. The total distance is approximately 5,000 km / 3125 miles

Bikes
We operate BMW motorcycles. Our fleet consists of the BMW F700 GS / F800 GS, R1200 GS & 1250GS motorcycles. All bikes come equipped with crash protection and a top-box if requested.

Experience required
This tour is open to competent, experienced riders or seasonal tourers, although not extreme, some dirt road riding is included and riders should be comfortable on bigger bikes and have had some dirt road riding experience on larger adventure bikes. The typical roads we ride are dirt/gravel fire trails. All riders must have a valid motorcycle license.

Weather
We run this tour at the best time of year to be riding in Southern Australia, when there is little rain, the skies are blue, and the mountains are visible and its warm but not too hot. Some mornings may be cold but quickly become warm during the day. We must expect variable weather conditions throughout the day, especially in the mountains. Temperatures reach highs of 37c.

Highlights

Melbourne Iconic Great Ocean Road
Grampians National Park
Barossa Valley
Riding the dirt tracks of the outback
Flinders Ranges
Mad Max territory at Silverton
Swan Hill on the Murray
Remote riding in the iconic high country of Victoria
Sapphire Coast
Amazing Coastal Ride Into Sydney

Additional information

Bike Option	BMW F700, BMW F800, BMW F850, BMW R1200GS, BMW R1200GSA, BMW R1250GS

On arrival to Melbourne city we include a joining dinner
Please note; flights are the responsibility of the customer and will need to be booked separately. Time of arrival will be stipulated after booking in order to arrive in time for the transfer to hotel.

DAY 1 - CAMPBELL

No ride in Australia is complete without experiencing the world renown Great Ocean Road (G.O.R). We take the road less travelled via a series of small rural towns and down through the temperate rain forests of the Otway’s National Park to get to the G.O.R, from here its an endless scenic overload of ocean, forests & coastal cliff scenery all the way to the small hamlet of Port Campbell

400km / 250mi

DAY 2 - HALLS GAP

A short ride today through lush dairy country to visit the 300-million-year-old Grampians National Park. We hit the dirt of the Glenelg River Road that runs through the valley of this beautiful national park. Our overnight stay is in Halls Gaps where you are all but guaranteed to see kangaroos in the hotel premises

265km / 165mi

DAY 3 - ROBE

Leaving Victoria, we cross into South Australia and head for the Limestone Coast and this historic port town of Robe, famous for its lobsters and beautifully located on the shores of Guichen Bay. Robe “was” Australia’s second busiest port in the mid 18th century and today retains many of its buildings from that bygone era.

340km / 215mi

DAY 4 - LYNDOCH HILL

We cross onto the Fleurieu Peninsular and ride north though the wonderful Adelaide Hills visiting Australia’s premier car & bike museum at Birdwood, it’s a veritable history of bikes, car and trucks in Australia. Continuing on we reach Australia’s most renown wine growing district, the Barossa Valley, and stay at the wonderful Lyndoch Hill and enjoy a boutique winery tour. The Barossa has been producing wine for over 160 years (old for Australia!!) and has over 60 wineries. It is a beautiful ride amongst the valleys rolling vine-covered hills.

380km / 240mi

5 & 6

DAY 5 & 6 - FLINDERS RANGES

Further north, through the Clare Valley, we reach the iconic “outback”, a stunning landscape of ancient red rock cliffs, peaks, gorges, ghost gums and dirt tracks. The dirt riding here is sensational and the landscapes truly Australian, empty, rugged and remote. We spend 2 nights here in the magnificent Flinders Ranges allowing us time to visit Blinman with a population of 13 people, ride the stunning Parachilna Gorge and ride the many dirt tracks that crisscross this epic landscape.

380km / 240mi

DAY 7 - BROKEN HILL

Turning east we hit the dirt for some awesome remote dirt track riding, and a shortcut, to the Barrier Highway. We cross into New South Wales and reach the wonderful old mining town of Broken Hill where it all began for the mining conglomerate BHP so many years ago. We visit the old mining town of Silverton, on the edge of the Mundi Mundi Plains, better known these days as the location for numerous movies such as Mad Max 2, Mission Impossible 2, Pricilla Queen of the Desert and more. We visit the Mad Max Museum that still have 2 of the original interceptors on display!! A sunset visit to the amazing Living Desert Reserve and Sculptures just out of Broken Hill is a must

380km / 240mi

DAY 8 - SWAN HILL

Starting early, we ride south via the “long way round” through Menindee and Pooncarie. We cross the mighty Murray River and into Victoria and ride along the Murray for some time before crossing it again on the Speewa punt. We overnight in Swan Hill, a Murray River port city of a bygone era that serviced the many paddle steamers that ran freight up and down this river

580km / 360mi

DAY 9 - DONALD

After a 1hour Murray River cruise on a restored paddle steamer we leave Swan Hill and ride for the Wimmera – Mallee region, grain country, and ride the amazing “Silo Trail”, Australia’s largest outdoor gallery where artists, from Australia and around the world, painted stunning murals of locals on towering grain silos located in tiny regional towns. (B)

340km / 215mi

DAY 10 - HEALESVILLE

Riding the back roads through rural Victoria, we ride just north of Melbourne and reach the Yarra Ranges but not before riding one of Victoria’s most renown roads known as the Black Spur, famous for its lush temperate rain forest and giant fern landscape. We overnight in the rural village of Healesville

390km / 240mi

11 & 12

DAY 11 & 12 - MANSFIELD

Leaving Healesville it’s not long before we hit the dirt as we ride for Woods Point, an old gold mining town; once with 50 gold mines and 30 hotels its now a tiny village of 30 people surround by towering ash trees. We spend 2 nights in Mansfield allowing us a full day to explore a part of the High Country through an iconic landscape of Australian ghost gums and eucalyptus trees. We shall visit the famous Craig Huts as used in one of Australia’s most famous movies, “The Man from Snowy River”. It’s an amazing days ride through “the bush”.

210 km / 130mi

DAY 13 - FALLS CREEK

Leaving Mansfield, we ride north and are soon on the gentle dirt tracks past Cheshunt. We ride over the challenging Goldie Spur Track with incredible views of the stunning Mount Buffalo National Park. Lunch is had at the scenic village of bright nestled amongst the mountains before we ascend via a series of amazing twisties to Australia premier ski resort village of Falls Creek.

240 km / 150mi

DAY 14 - JINDABYNE

The landscape today is amazing with small trees, stunted by the yearly snows, on the roof of Australia; we hit the dirt again that is superb as we descend to Corryong, the resting place of Jack Riley, The Man from Snowy River. We reach the pavement and ride an amazing series of twisties and skirt Australia’s mightiest river, the Murray, past the wonderfully named Tom Groggin Station, and into NSW to our overnight stop of Jindabyne.

365 km / 230mi

DAY 15 - BATEMANS BAY

We descend from the high country and enter the forested world of the beautiful South Easts Forests National Park, a region of tall forests, waterfalls, escarpments, gorges, high peaks and panoramic views. We ride the spectacular Mt Darragh Rd to the equally spectacular and pristine Sapphire Coast. Riding along the coast we reach our overnight stop at Batemans Bay

350 km / 220 mi

DAY 16 - SYDNEY

We follow the beautiful coastline today winding our way through numerous seaside villages and end our ride at possibly the most recognisable city view on earth, at Circular Quay with the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House at each side of the bay. We enjoy our last night together as we reminisce about the amazing landscapes, wildlife and peoples of the “lucky Country”.

280 km / 175 mi

DATE

21st November 2020 (Tour start date)
You will need to ensure your flight arrives the day before this date, on the: 20th November 2020
Full details of departure and return dates will be provided shortly or email us for more info

PRICES

Prices below are based on a rider using a BMW F700GS included in the prices. For bike upgrades, please see below.

Single rider sharing a twin room £5,185 per rider
Pillion / Support vehicle Place sharing a twin/double room £3,988 per person
Single rider with private room £6,063 per rider

BIKE UPGRADE SUPPLEMENTS

BMW F800 Upgrade: £200 extra
BMW F850 Upgrade: £240 extra
BMW R1200GS Upgrade: £280 extra
BMW 1200GSA Upgrade: £280 extra
BMW 1250GS Upgrade: £370 extra

PAYMENT DETAILS

Deposit to secure your booking today: 30% of the total tour price
Balance for the tour is due: No later than 12 weeks before departure by bank transfer

Once you have made payment, you will receive an invoice within 7 days, detailing your deposit payment and balance. If you pay in full at the time of the booking you will receive a final invoice settlement within 7 days.

TOUR INFORMATION PACK

You will receive the tour information pack 8 – 12 weeks before departure (once full payment is received) along with the necessary information you need regarding arrival times for transfer to the hotel from the airport

On all tours it is a condition of booking that you hold valid and adequate travel insurance, which includes repatriation of you and your pillion (if applicable). We strongly recommend using Holidaysafe as they provide tailored insurance cover specifically for motorcyclists

The exchange rate for this tour is based on 1.88 AUD. Should the rate drop below this, we may amend your invoice to coincide with the difference in exchange rates an costs.

All prices on our website include VAT @ 20%

Suitability
The Australia Motorcycle Tour is an adventure tour that involves some off tarmac riding and requires a certain degree of experience in order to stay safe. Please ensure your are confident and skilled enough to ride the larger bikes on this type of terrain. We choose back roads for the vast majority of this tour, these roads are often empty, narrow, undulating, potholed and have tall rough shoulders. Some roads have very tight twisties with blind corners and have vegetation on corners in the forests. The off road tracks can have bulldust holes (a fine red aeolian dust which is especially common in the Australian Outback. It is formed from dry particles which measure less than 2 microns and so form a dense cloud when disturbed), in the outback, loose gravel, a small number of creek crossings, fallen trees, blind corners, washouts and corrugations. On all types of roads riders must expect wandering wildlife and cattle.

Meals
Most Meals are included in the price of the tour as well as bottled water and some snacks throughout each day. The food options on this tour are extremely varied. All types of western style meals are available, often Asian, Italian and Indian cuisine may also be available. Of course all breakfasts are included, and those with particular dietary requirements are easily catered for.

Breakfasts: 16
Lunches: 0
Dinners: 11

Accommodation
Our hotels are generally 3 and 4 star rated, and are chosen for their location, cleanliness, suitability for motorcycle groups and ambience. Some hotels have restaurants and bars attached. Accommodation is an important part of your ride experience, and after many years of running tours in Australia we believe we offer a superb mix of excellent boutique hotels.

Accommodation: 16 nights

Included in the price of your Australia motorcycle tour booking

Airport Transfers
Motorcycle rental as per your selection
All accommodation
Petrol & tolls
Support vehicle with passenger carrying ability
Full mechanical support
Services of local ride leader / guide
Pre-departure material and route maps
Access to satellite phone, pay per minute
Entrances to all National Parks mentioned in the itinerary
Entrance to Cape Otway Lighthouse
All local transport

Not included

Flights
Travel insurance (We recommend a motorcycle specific travel insurance such as Holidaysafe)
Repatriation cover
Meals or drinks other than stated
Room service or mini bar
Hotel extras, such as; premium wifi etc
Bike hire deposit
Bike hire insurance excess for damages
AUD$4000 excess for any damage to the bikes (can be reduced to AUD$1000 for AUD$25 per day of the tour)

Flights

Flights are available from £750 -850 GBP and can often consist of one stopover or connecting flight. Usually the total time to reach Australia on an economy flight is 24 hours, with an approximate 3 hour stopover in Hong Kong.

Visas

You need a visa to travel to Australia. British citizens can get the following types of electronic visitor visa:

eVisitor visa direct from the Department of Immigration & Border Protection. There is no visa application charge or service fee for this;

Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) via your travel agent or airline. There is no visa application charge, but a service fee of A$20 applies. Information on all other types of visa is available from the Department of Immigration & Border Protection, or from the Australian High Commission in London.

In certain circumstances you may be asked to undergo a health examination before a visa can be granted, for example if you are aged 75 years or older. Factor in extra time for this when applying for a visa. On arrival you may be asked to provide evidence of funds to support your stay and a return or onward ticket.

For entry into Australia, your passport should be valid for the proposed duration of your stay. No additional period of validity beyond this is required. If you are transiting another country on your way to or from Australia, make sure you check the entry requirements for that country. Many countries will only permit entry if you have at least 6 months validity remaining on your passport.