Rosebery to Strahan: the very gates of hell...

Thursday November 12, 2009, 76 km (47 miles) - Total so far: 857 km (533 miles) 

 

Today I leave the west coast mountains and mining towns briefly to visit Strahan, a fishing port on Macquarie Harbour. Strahan has a colourful history dating back to the convict era, and is a very popular destination on the tourist circuit.

The entrance to Macquarie Harbour was dubbed "Hells Gates" by those unfortunates sentenced to punishment at the infamous penal settlement on Sarah Island.

Morning rain is expected, and indeed a few drops fell as I packed.

My room tariff included a continental breakfast, so after consuming that I packed and went to the bakery around the corner, for brekky number two and lunch for the day, a muffin and salad roll.

Leaving Rosebery under a cloudy sky, the road went up and down like a roller coaster, with several long slow climbs at around 10% grades. But considering the mountainous terrain through which the road passed, it's surprising it wasn't even more difficult.

Eventually the mountains seemed to draw back, and at Melba Flats the road leveled out and at last I enjoyed some easy going on the run in to Zeehan. Here I enjoyed a long lunch break and a huge burger, and while chatting with the cafe owner discovered he was another Queensland expatriate (I've met several during the tour) from Gladstone, and also knew the lady from Gladstone I met who was working in the pub at Mole Creek.

Finally I set out to tackle the last 43 kilometres to Strahan, with the advice from the groundsman at the Rosebery pub ringing in my ears. 'You'll be right mate - she's dead flat to Strahan, flat as a pancake.' Yeah, right, I'll believe it when it's done.

Well, it was not quite as flat as a pancake, there were a couple short, sharpish climbs, and a variable wind that sometimes helped, sometimes hindered. The route was very open and surrounded by strange looking hills, but I was starting to feel quite weary from the morning's exertions, and the ride became a long and dull grind.

I stopped at a lookout overlooking the Henty sand dunes, and the view extended south as far as Ocean Beach, near Strahan, so I knew my goal was nearing. Remounting, I enjoyed another screaming downhill run before the road leveled and I made good time into Strahan, where I took a room in the backpackers lodge.

The Rosebery community celebrates it's mining heritage, and acknowledges the contribution of the many Chinese who worked these hills...

Strange, bare hills on the way to Strahan...

Coastal heath and dunes at Henty, Ocean Beach far away in the background...