Australian Outbacker Tour
Victoria, South Australia and Northern Territory
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Travelling across the continent from South to North probably gives you the most comprehensive impression of Australia and its different landscapes from breathtaking ocean views through seemingly barren outback and deserts to the lush landscapes of the Northern subtropics. Explore Australia on some paved and some unpaved enduro roads on a BMW or Suzuki motorbike.
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This tour is suitable both for single and pillion riders with average experience. There is also a place in the support vehicle for passengers, and you can join our tour on your own bike or with one of our rental 4WD cars. There is no group riding required, as there will be a daily route briefing each morning.
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TOUR DETAILS
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Location:
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Melbourne to Darwin, or Darwin to Melbourne (depending on the date) (MELBI5)
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Terrain:
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Both paved and dirt roads
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Duration:
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21 days
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Riding days:
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20 days
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Route length:
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Approximately 4,800 km (3,000 miles), mostly on paved roads - extra mileage available
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Motorcycles:
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Suzuki DR650SE, BMW F650GS Dakar, BMW R1150GS, YamahaXT660R
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Group riding:
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Not required
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Accommodations:
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Camping
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Highlights:
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Great Ocean Road, Adelaide, Coober Pedy, Ayers Rock, Kings Canyon, Henbury Meteorite Crater, Alice Springs, Katherine Gorge National Park, Darwin
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TOUR DIFFICULTY
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 All-weather motorcycling experience required
Ability to ride for long periods required
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TOUR DATES
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Want other dates?
Contact us
with the dates
that interest you!
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Scheduled tours:
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March 14 - April 3, 2010 (Melbourne to Darwin)
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August 14 - September 3, 2011 (Melbourne to Darwin)
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TOUR PRICE
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PER PERSON
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Price for a rider
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Renting a Suzuki DR650SE
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AUD 4,285
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Renting a BMW F650GS
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AUD 5,335
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Renting a Yamaha XT 660R
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AUD 5,335
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Bringing your own bike
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AUD 2,385
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Price for a passenger
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Riding pillion
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AUD 1,230
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Riding in the support vehicle
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AUD 2,175
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Extra options
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Motel/Cabin Accommodations (double)
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AUD 1,850
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Motel/Cabin Accommodations (single)
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AUD 2,530
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Currency: AUD - CURRENCY ASSISTANT >
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 Ready to ride? Book here
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* 20% deposit due upon booking. Final amount due 6 weeks prior to tour start.
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 ITINERARY
We pass through three climatic zones, starting from the mediterranean climate of the South heading through the deserts of the centre to the subtropics of the North. Furthermore, Australia is not just desert and prairie, the south being reminiscent of Ireland and the North very similar to the tropics of Asia.
This tour can be mastered by bikers of average experience. Most of the roads are surfaced but there is also some opportunity to ride off the road and to have some "enduro" fun.
We leave Melbourne heading west and follow the 'Great Ocean Road', one of the most beautiful of Australia’s coastal roads. This part of the coast consists of countless sandy bays and bizarre rock formations created by millions of years of erosion. It is here, that we find the 'Twelve Apostles', a collection of massive detached rocks, which are an absolute must for every - hobby - photographer. This coastal road provides you with constant breathtaking views of the ocean and gives you the opportunity to go for a refreshing swim. In Cape Otway National Park , there is the opportunity to hire horses and ride through the unique countryside for a few hours. A great experience even for beginners! On every ride up to now it has been possible to see koalas and kangaroos living in the wild. After about three days we arrive at the pulsating city of Adelaide. Another day’s ride and we reach Port Augusta, which borders the Outback. This is where the legendary Stuart Highway begins which then winds its way along the 3.000 km to Darwin and the Timor Sea. Just a few kilometres beyond the outskirts of Port Augusta we are already in the Outback, with its thornbushes, huge cattle herds, gnarled Eucalyptus trees and, of course, kangaroos.
Already, we hardly see other vehicles, just the occasional road trains, which are huge trucks with up to three trailers. Between Port Augusta and the next town, Coober Pedy, we camp out in the bush at a huge salt lake. The fascinating atmosphere of the Outback at night is something indescribable, it’s something you just have to experience. The desert town of Coober Pedy is the most abundant source of opals in the world, providing 75% of world's opal production. Most of the inhabitants live underground in dug-outs which are hewn out of the soft rock and which are often very comfortable dwellings. Our overnight stay here is in one of those dug-outs. Nearby there is an interesting museum which gives a good impression of the early pioneer days in Coober Pedy.
After another two days, we arrive at Kulgera which is nothing more than a road-house. Not far from here is the turn off to Ulruru - Ayers Rock, the red heart of Australia , which is 8,8 km in circumference and towers 348 m above the plain. Geologists have estimated that it also reaches a depth of 3,000 m below ground level. This 'giant' is a sacred place for the Aboriginals who call it 'Uluru'. Every aspect of the rock, whether it be the 60m long 'Kangaroo’s Tail', the waterholes, the caves or the formations caused by erosion, such as the 'The Brain', has its own individual religious importance for the indigenous population. Wall paintings can be seen in some of the caves. These are painted in three colours: Red, representing the past, Black, for life and White, for death.
Only 30 km from here are the equally impressive Kata Tjuta - Olgas whose granite cone-shaped summits rise up to a height of 546m.
After Uluru it’s another day’s ride along a dusty track to Kings Canyon, which is a rarely visited national park. Here, we take a day and a half break from riding to do some hiking through this immense canyon with its hidden oases and their tropical vegetation. On the way to Alice Springs we stop and take a look at the crater left by the Henbury meteorite. In 'Alice', as the Aussies call it, we have a day’s rest and visit the local attractions, for example, the open-air museum and an old telegraph station.
After a further two nights in the bush we finally reach the tropics just north of the gold-mining town of Tennant Creek. We spend the night by the hot springs of Mataranka and visit the Edith Falls in the Nitmiluk - Katherine Gorge National Park, which are terraced waterfalls set among unique shrubland.
In the middle of the tropics we reach our destination, Darwin and the Timor Sea, after travelling some 5.000 km. Darwin is a town with the typical easy-going atmosphere and it’s here that the tour ends. This tour, although not always comfortable, is full of unique experiences in a wild untouched countryside and will, by now, have provided you with a good section of the Australian continent.
Note: We reserve the right to make changes.
Ready to ride? Book here
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