New South Wales – Page 2 – Travelling reflections

ACT, Australia, Cycling, New South Wales, Trans Oceania

D32 TransOceania Canberra- Goulburn

A common thread between Canberra and the places we pass through / finish in today is again war memorials. Remembrance Days the world over, and the poignant signs, resound with “we will remember them”. I wonder why we don’t honour them by working harder at living in peace? The ones who returned still have their own, often untold, stories and pain. Worth repeating one story, my Dad’s framed by an extract of Eric Bogle’s song. https://gldbt.blog/jimmy-1918-1988/

Ah young Willie McBride, I can’t help wonder why
Do those that lie here know why did they die?
And did they believe when they answered the cause
Did they really believe that this war would end wars?
Well the sorrow, the suffering, the glory, the pain
The killing and dying, were all done in vain
For young Willie McBride, it all happened again
And again, and again, and again, and again

I was chewing on this as we make our privileged way through our cycling day. Which we enjoyed!

Canberra didn’t take too long to get out of. Rush hour was on a small scale. On some excellent cycle ways, skirting the satellite town of Queanbeyan. A bit like the Scottish New Towns such as the one which I grew up in East Kilbride – post WW11 and 12 miles from Glasgow. Except ours sucked the life out of the old city for a while whilst Canberra’s circle of towns seem more like what Cambridge wants to do.

For a part the route becomes lined with large estates – probably Canberra’s gentry escapes. Then into more rural areas – a touch greener than before with hairy merino and cattle chewing the cud. Lots of heavy goods wagons in places to/from a quarry – all being careful as they thunder by.

Goulburn, 24000 folks, is a fine place (that’s a quick superficial judgement of course based on good coffee, fine old buildings, the rail history etc.). Sadly we’re on the outskirts so no major explore.

Tomorrow continue towards Sydney and maybe the first proper rain for a while. Yay!

Australia, Cycling, New South Wales, Orient Express

D31 TransOceania Cooma – Canberra

To avoid a dangerous road, our route changed to take the backroad through Namadgi National Park. The translation of Namadgi is shit roads. Shake rattle and roll along a bumpy track.

Only 2 years ago 80% of the park was destroyed in the bush fire which raged through the area. An amazing amount of vegetation has come back. Nutrients released by the fire are available to growing plants, and there is also abundant light and space. Animals have it tougher but they too have strategies to survive.

Fire causes the opening of woody fruits in resprouting plants such as banksias and ti-trees and seeds are released onto the soil surface after the fire has spread. Epicormic buds also come into play. Ecology is fascinating.

Of course these thoughts were dormant at the time of cycling, as survival is of a higher order. The views helped though as the eyeballs were bouncing around it was difficult to focus at times.

Thankfully this was only for 20 miles or so. The next challenge was a 15mile entrance to Canberra on a maze of cycle paths. Safely navigated, tomorrows rest day awaits……

Australia, Cycling, New South Wales, Trans Oceania

D30 TransOceania Delegate – Cooma

As though we have moved to a different planet in crossing to border. Gone are the forests. Now miles of deforested land used for ( over ) grazing sheep and cattle. Arid, dry, parched. Beautiful in a different way.

Sparsely populated, for Delegate we reach Bombala after 20miles then nothing until Cooma 65 miles later.

The remains of a railway station and stockyard – a passing shepherd told it used to have one train a day to Sydney until closing in the 80s. He thinks reopened to Canberra it will help populate the towns. He asks me where I’m from in Scotland – he’s never been but imagines the Highlands must be like the landscapes here. Lowlands more like – though a lot greener and wetter. Nice chap.

Tomorrow will be Capital….

Australia, Cycling, New South Wales, Trans Oceania, Victoria

D29 TransOceania Orbost – Delegate

Delegate was a candidate place for the Capital, which ended up being Canberra. I suspect it didn’t take long to be ruled out. Though what might the 250 or 425 residents have thought had it won. Population estimates vary.

It’s a small watering hole. Water is non potable due to water table and farm contamination. Future growth might be a challenge. Makes you appreciate more the daily convenience we take for granted.

The route was one country road. Empty and a wonderful surface. Dense lush green forest with the sound effects of cicadas kept the senses occupied. Hills kept the lungs pumping. Only a few homesteads along the way.

We’ve just crossed into New South Wales. Thankfully named before North Wales had a chance to winge about Cardiff bias, or the Welsh Language police got to work. All Captain Cook’s doing apparently. Diolch.