ASHES TO ASPHALT
THE GRAMPIANS RIDE AGAIN
Twelve months ago, this was the last place you’d want to be riding.
But as the green shoots signal revival, it’s time to ride the ranges again
While the Grampians National Park is no stranger to bushfires, last year’s event was particularly brutal, striking the national park at a time when the region was expecting peak visitation. Around 135,000 hectares were burnt, affecting nearly 80 per cent of the park and closing the hub, Halls Gap.
So when our team put our heads together for the next AMCN ride feature, the Grampians –with its spectacular scenery and exciting roads – was an easy call.
Fast forward to D-Day, and we have a pair of spanking CFMoto 800MT-Xs (Heckle and Jeckle) and a swank Omoda 9 SHS Crossover Hybrid SUV to cart our accoutrements. We welcome local riding pal Neil to the fold, along with regulars Pete (on his classic Honda ST1100) and Bill.
WORDS RODERICK EIME + PHOTOGRAPHY EIME, VISIT GRAMPIANS, SUPPLIED
ROUTES, RESTS AND GRITS
For Victorian riders, the Grampians are a cinch. Take the lazy route up the Western Hwy (A8) or for a bit of byway adventure, peel off at Ballarat and come in from the south via the B160, which will set you up for Dunkeld or Hamilton as an overnighter. Dunkeld has a quaint village-like character and is a relaxed venue with dinky little shops, cafes and museums full of local history and superb produce. While the fancy Range Rover set will want to ponce around the upscale Royal Mail Hotel, you can get premium grub at Izzy’s Cafe like lush European-style pizzas, big burgers, fresh Portland flake, Illy coffee and scrummy Timboon icecream. Oh, and the lemon curd doughnuts! (Yes, we had seconds.) Then stock up on local produce – including wine and beer – at the Grampians Providore across the road.
If you’re venturing to Hamilton, a larger rural centre with lots of shops and services, be sure to visit the Sir Reginald Ansett Transport Museum and Campe’s Motor Museum, both superbly presented historical hangouts with lots of stuff that will bring back memories of road trips with the grandparents and maybe your first ever aeroplane flight. Among the 100-plus vintage and classic vehicles at Campe’s, there’s a small but excellent quality display of vintage motorcycles, with my pick being the gleaming 1950s Royal Enfield Bullet.
Based on recommendations, we stayed at the Grampians Retreat, just out of town past the Piccaninny, where Wayne and Kerryn are very familiar with motorcycle groups. In fact, I would say that across the region, the Grampians Retreat is probably the best suited for larger groups of riders, especially those on adventure bikes. Plenty of beds, a relaxed, sympathetic atmosphere, straightforward self-catering and very affordable. Wayne is an owner/rider himself who will gleefully regale you on local riding options and help you
settle in. He’ll even lend you a spanner if you need.
One other option on the southeastern end of the national park is Mount William Station, about 10 kays west of Maroona (at the junction of the B180 and C182), along an unsealed road. It makes sense as a first overnight stop out of Melbourne.
Don’t be put off by the luxurious marketing. The Shearers Quarters, away from the main homestead, is a superb facility for groups up to about a dozen. Yes, it’s still a bit fancy and the booking process can be finicky, but the amenities are top-class and perfectly suited to self-catering.
Another venue we sampled for accommodation was at Great Western, midway between Stawell and Ararat on the A8. Attached to the classic mid-19th-century pub is a vintage 20th-century motel (complete with breakfast nooks), tastefully renovated to modern standards with super comfy beds and hot showers. Great pub meals are served in the bar, and the slow-cooked pork ribs are to die for. No matter where you eat in the world, it’s always good advice to ask the chef what they’re excited about. It’s a mantra that has always served me well, particularly on this occasion.
With the Maroona pub closed on a Monday night, we pushed on to Ararat to the newly reopened Leopold Hotel for a slap-up feed and some cool ales. Again, a most satisfying repast. It’s also handy to note that Ararat has an Aldi for snacks and drinks. Just don’t do what I do and end up with an electric chainsaw and a six-man tent when all I went in for was a litre of milk and some toothpaste.
While there, you must go up the historic 2km hillclimb track to One Tree Hill for the lookout
photo-op and, for a bit of macabre sightseeing, J Ward for the Criminally Insane. Yes, I know what you’re thinking.
Our final overnighter was at Wartook, just out of the northwest corner of the park, at the Happy Wanderer Holiday Resort, which is the modern reincarnation of the old-school caravan park. And there’s a small shop with essentials (like beer!) and fuel. Throw down a swag if you want, but we wimped out and took one of the plush two-bedroom cabins with TV, kitchen and comfy couch. To completely reinforce the fact we’d gone totally soft, we ordered a dining pack from Peaks Chefs out of Halls Gap so we could whip up some snags and chicken skewers in the kitchen. Well… what we received was enough to feed the rest of the park. Steaks, gourmet sausages, marinated chicken breast, plus salads and very naughty homemade blueberry muffins. So we were sorted for the next two days!
Halls Gap is a location you can visit at any time during your visit, as you’ll likely find yourself in and out of there as you traverse the roads around the park. Proper grub can be had at Flame Brothers who, as the name suggests, hurl chunks of gum tree into a massive American-style smoker out the back that could easily be a relative of Thomas the Tank Engine. They also serve breakfasts on weekends, lunches from midday and dinners from 5pm. Thirsty? Then head over to Pat’s Paper Scissors Rock Brew Co at the other end of the shopping complex and tell him you read all about his Honda Postie bike in AMCN
THE OWNER OF THE GRAMPIANS RETREAT WILL EVEN LEND YOU A SPANNER IF YOU NEED
STAY
• Mount William Station: mountwilliamstation.com
• Great Western Hotel: greatwesternhotel.pub
• Grampians Retreat: grampiansretreat.com.au
• Happy Wanderer Holiday Resort: happywandererresort.com.au
EAT & DRINK
• Leopold Hotel, Ararat: theleo.com.au
• Flame Brothers, Halls Gap: flamebrothers.com.au
• Paper Scissors Rock Brew Co, Halls Gap: paperscissorsrock.beer
• Izzy’s Cafe, Dunkeld: izzys.com.au/dunkeld
• Black & Ginger Wine Shed: blackandginger.com.au
• Clayfield Wines: clayfieldwines.com
• Barney’s Bar & Bistro: barneysbistrobar.com.au
• Grampians Providore, Dunkeld: facebook.com/GrampiansProvidore
• Peaks Chefs: peakschefs.com
STOP & LOOK
• Dunkeld Museum: dunkeldmuseum.org.au
• Australian Light Horse Heritage Collection, Dunkeld: facebook.com/putgrantstraightatit
• Sir Reginald Ansett Transport Museum, Hamilton: ansettmuseum.com.au
• Campe’s Motor Museum, Hamilton: grampianspoint.com.au/attractions
• J Ward for the Criminally Insane, Ararat: jward.org.au
Maps and general information available from Grampians, Wimmera and Mallee (GWM)
Tourism Information Offices in Halls Gap, Dunkeld and Hamilton. visitgrampians.com.au
THE GRAMPIANS TOURIST ROAD IS A GORGEOUS, SCENIC RIDE WITH EASY CURVES, GENTLE SWEEPERS AND VIEWS
A RIDER’S WONDERLAND
For starters, the roads in and around the Grampians National Park are about as good as those you’ll find anywhere in the country and can be favourably compared to those favourites like the Adelaide Hills, NSW North Coast or the Yarra Valley.
The Grampians Tourist Road (C216) from Dunkeld to Halls Gap is a gorgeous, scenic ride with easy curves, gentle sweepers and plenty of spots to pull over and enjoy the view.
The loops around Halls Gap (C222/C218) will test your mettle a little more with tightening corners and oncoming caravans. You know what I mean, so be careful, please. Plus, I don’t need to tell you about wildlife on the move, especially around mornings and evenings.
Take the time to stop at Reeds, the Balconies and Boroka Lookouts for some great photos and a grasp of just how vast and beautiful this area is.
Because the park is busy regenerating after the bushfires, some roads might not be open, but for those with a penchant for mild adventure, the Glenelg River Road is one option for getting your boots dirty, as well as Mt Victory Road and the fabulously named Asses Ear Road. We thought we might ride to the summit of Mt William (1167m) and the sealed road had a very promising start, but a kay from the summit, you have to dismount and walk.
FINE VINTAGES
It seems no matter where you go, you run into motorcycle people, and so it is with the Grampians. Riding into Hall’s Gap, you might spot the unusual
signage on the Paper Scissors Rock Brew Co, where Pat Calvird and Will Hudson set up their craft brewing operation seven years ago.
Pat reckoned the Grampians was missing out on the booming craft beer scene, and so the street-front brew bar was born, with eight of their own on tap with such evocative labels as Traveller Pale Ale, Stone Cold Hazy and Dark Vader Stout. There’s also a Strawberry Guava Sour for those so persuaded.
So, I ask burly, bearded Pat what he rides, expecting to hear Electra Glide or some Softail, but his current wheels are a 125cc Postie. Go figure.
Over at Pomonal, we meet Hadyn Black of Black & Ginger, whose 1974 CB750 cafe racer is as much a part of the winery’s persona as his signature shiraz, Lily’s Block, named in reverence of his late mum, who passed away suddenly while they were redeveloping the Hounds Run vineyard and winery.
Grafted onto the rustic Barney’s Bar & Bistro just off the main road, it’s an appropriate stop for a feed.
If we thought Pat and Hadyn were a bit out there, Simon Clayfield at Moyston takes the cake.
A celebrated and acclaimed winemaker in his own right, Simon is a hopeless tinkerer with a shed full of ‘projects’ – including BSA, BMW, Honda, Triumph and a superb 1947 Sunbeam S7. I’m probably doing him a disservice because all the bikes save the Sunbeam are gleaming runners, so the man clearly sees his projects to fruition.
THE BIKES
If you think the Chinese are taking over the motorcycling world, you may be right. Our pair
of CFMoto 800MT-Xs were a perfect choice for this adventure. You might recall we trialled the smaller 450MT on the Alpine Way and were notably impressed with the compact version. The bigger 800MT-X certainly feels that way, and even for regular-sized blokes (sub-180cm) it felt a little tall at 870mm seat height (compared to 820mm for the 450). There’s a low seat option that reduces the height to 830mm with rejigged suspension components. Sadly we didn’t get that option, so it was delicate tippy-toes for us.
Reviewing comments from other, more experienced riders, we agree that the general consensus is of a capable, confidence-inspiring middleweight adventure bike with strong offroad ability, although we certainty didn’t extend our test to serious offroad detours.
The 800MT-Xs performed more than capability on the tarmac and were effortless on the few unsealed sections we navigated, giving us some experience with the three ride modes: Standard, Rain and Offroad. We did have an afternoon of rain, on some of the tricky sections, so that option was welcome. With a ride-away price of $15,990 and three-year warranty, there’s no doubting the value of the 800MT-X when compared to rivals like the Tenere 700 ($21,999) and Aprilia Tuareg 660 ($23,540).
Bakery with some fine pastries
7. Hopefully those aren’t old memories flooding back outside J Ward at Old Ararat Gaol
8. Bill atop One Tree Hill lookout
9. PaperScissorsRock Postie bike
After a few days in the saddle, it’s clear the Grampians have shrugged off last year’s devastation and are keen to welcome us back. The roads are calling again, the landscapes are regenerating and, for riders, there’s never been a better time to get out there.
