TURF AND SURF

WORDS PETE VORST PHOTOGRAPHY MOTOHEAD

KANGAROO VALLEY OFFERS A PLEASANT STOP ALONG ONE OF THE BEST DAY RIDES NSW HAS TO OFFER

LURKING DOWN IN SOUTHERN NSW, approximately 160 km from the guts of Sydney, is one of the most scenic little towns in nSW. it’s a hotspot for tourists, grey nomads, and yuppies alike, but to motorcyclists, the small village of Kangaroo Valley, between the Southern highlands and the coastal city of nowra, is but a place to rest the arse, fill the gut, and steel the nerves for the remainder of the journey. the route from Sydney to the commercially rustic township and back is one of the best day-rides nSW has to offer.

Depending on your coordinates, the trip from Sydney to Sydney via the Southern Highlands and back via the coast is roughly 450 km. On a day trip of this duration and quality, it’s best to get the “shit bit” out of the way first, I reckon. The “shit bit” is the mind-numbing section of the Hume Highway that must be endured before exiting at the Mittagong exit, the gateway to the rolling green pastures and beauty of the Southern Highlands and heading towards Bowral. It’s worth filling up at Bowral if you don’t have plenty in the tank, as, like most things in Kangaroo Valley, fuel is hideously expensive.

Once you’ve left Bowral, follow the signs to Nowra via Sheepwash Road and Nowra Road as you take in the beautiful scenery that is sure to conjure thoughts of Mother England if you’ve been there, come from there, or watched episodes of the original River Cottage TV show.

It isn’t until you’ve turned left onto Nowra Road and passed the moist but stunning Fitzroy Falls, with the forest gums starting to envelop the road, that you’ll need to bring your A-game and ply your trade.

Nowra Road is in pretty good condition as Australian roads go, and this hair pin littered section offers all-around glorious riding for those who wish to apply themselves. It is also quite narrow in places, and overtaking sections are at a premium. Due to the coverage provided by the forest canopy, many sections are carpeted with a fine layer of moss. It is also worth being mindful of glacially slow weekend drivers and conservatively-clad wankers in Range Rovers from Bowral as you come around some of the blind corners.

Due to the alleged quality and abundance of its culinary delights, and an obvious overindulgence in cannabis use in the area, Kangaroo Valley has labelled itself as ‘the Paris of regional NSW’. It is a decent place to stop for a feed, and there are plenty of opportunities to feast on everything from bakehouses selling allegedly award-winning pastry vessels of offal to food trailers flogging burgers and coffee – so Paris! If coughing your lungs up after inhaling the flaky pastry from a Kangaroo Valley sausage roll or choking on a selection from your $40 bag of handselected lollies doesn’t fill your heart with glee, the Friendly Inn, whose staff are generally as friendly as the name suggests, serves decent meals, potions to warm your cockles, and has play equipment for motorcyclists out the front.

Once you have devoured your rich, rustic refreshments, it’s time to head for the coast. There’s only one road in and out of Kangaroo Valley, so just head in the opposite direction from whence you came. Just 11.5 gloriously curved kilometers after you depart Kangaroo Valley is Cambewarra Mountain, which is well worth a look.

There’s a café up at the lookout, and on a clear day, the view extends all the way to the South Pacific Ocean.

Nowra Road ends at a roundabout at Bomaderry, and hanging a left has you heading back towards the big smoke via Berry and Kiama, with its famous blowhole and the smell of the sea in your nostrils. Follow the signs to Wollongong and then onto Bulli before turning right onto Lawrence Hargraves Drive, which winds its way up to the stunning, bike-frequented views of Stanwell Tops, via the most picturesque Sea Cliff Bridge.

From here, you should veer right again onto Lady Wakehurst Drive, and then right again onto Sir Bertram Stevens Drive, which eventually spits you out onto the Princes Highway at Loftus. The sprint from Stanwell Tops to Loftus is glorious and travels through the Royal National Park, or ‘The Nasho’, to Sydneysiders. This section is an unofficial racetrack for Sydney’s hoons and a magnet for dim-witted suburbanites looking for ice-cream and selfies, so it pays to keep a keen watch out for SUVs with stick-figure family stickers and Ninja 400s sliding across the road.

The Hume and Coast route is a fantastic day loop of around 450 kilometres and really does take in a massive variety of scenery and road types. Whether you’re a sports rider out to risk life, limb, and licence, or the touring type that’s out to see gorgeous scenery, eat some good grub, and shake your head at the sports bike knobs, there really is something good for all kinds of riders on all styles of bikes on this ride. There’s even a good variety of adventure bike routes, but that’s a story for another day. Amm

Ifyou’re scared of saltwater or don’t live in the guts of Sydney, there’s always the option of chucking a 180 after luncheon in Kangaroo Valley and heading back to Sydney via a similar route from whence you came, but that takes in the adorably quaint township of Berrima.

After enjoying the twisty climb out of the valley, continue along Nowra Road rather than turning right onto Sheepwash Road and heading back into Bowral. Follow the signs to the charmingly uncharming town of Moss Vale, where you can enjoy a Devonshire tea while trying not to slip into a boredominduced coma.

Head along Berrima Road, which unsurprisingly takes you to the historical township of Berrima. Berrima is a very pretty little old town that has decided that the best way to endear itself to tourists is to charge the GDP of Madagascar for a coffee and a muffin. The grub, although expensive, is good, and the opportunity to acquire all manner of knick-knacks, from teapot dollies to dream catchers, is vast. It’s worth a walk around to check out the old buildings, and the Surveyor General Inn is worth stopping in for a pint for the atmosphere alone. Berrima is the end of the line for interesting riding, with the only challenge being the effort required to try not to bowl over a grey nomad as they search for the motor home effluent dump on your way out of town.