Today was a day of extreme contrast!

We started the day in Shellharbour by packing up the tent and setting off at 9am.  Today was rare as the first 30km was on the fabulous Wollongong cycleway.  It’s a real treat to cycle on a purpose built cycleway for so long.  From Shellharbour we travelled along the coast with great views of rolling surf, surfers, people strolling and nice houses.  We then crossed the bridge and headed towards Port Kembula on the cycle path.

Port Kembula is one of the most industrialised areas in all of Australasia.  We have never seen anything like it.  Factories, steel works and heavy industry.  Chimneys belching smoke and steam, huge flare towers with flames over 5m high, dust, weeds, trucks and trains, an acrid smell, noise and low clouds.  It seems surreal to be cycle touring on a great path through all this heavy industry.  After Port Kembla we biked on the cycle path next to a very busy road before arriving in Wollongong at the foreshore.  It was immaculately groomed with people lunching, kids playing, yachts and the sun came out.  We stopped for lunch and soaked in the view.

After lunch we then cycled, still on the cycle path, through the northern beaches of Wollongong.  Some were covered in graffiti and dog poo but as we headed further north the suburbs got flasher and flasher.  We stopped in Austinmer to go to the supermarket and we must have talked to 6 or 8 people who were interested in our trip.  All were posh well-spoken ladies.  Houses and cars got flasher and this is obviously a desirable area to live.

Things got a little hilly and the cycle path finished but all drivers were extremely courteous and it was fun cycling.  To top off the day, we next cycled over the amazing sea cliff bridge.  We couldn’t take a photo that did justice to how amazing it was so we’ve included a stock image.  We arrived in Stanwell Park at 2.30pm and settled into the apartment we rented for tonight.  We had considerable trouble finding somewhere to stay in this area and it took many phone calls yesterday to find this apartment.

Today has had extreme variety between beautiful surf beaches, posh suburbs, some less salubrious areas, and the extreme heavy industrial area.  Most of the day was on the excellent cycle path and the people of Wollongong who initiated, backed, implemented and maintain the cycle path should be applauded.

Highlight of the day:  The cycle path through such a variety of landscapes.

Cycling through suburbs with the huge ever-present chimney

Weird art near the port

Port Kembla heavy industry

Wollongong foreshore

The amazing sea cliff bridge

Nothing much to report.  We spent most of yesterday getting the bikes serviced.  We cycled on a great cycle path along the beach then along the shores of Lake Illawarra to the bike store.  The staff were friendly and we left our bikes to get serviced and walked back via Shellharbour City Centre, a mega-mall.  We went to the movies (The Great Gatsby in 3D, 5.5/10) then did some groceries before cooking dinner for Dan and Em.  It was great to hang out and chat.

Today the friendly couple of grey nomads next to us offered to drive us over to pick up the bikes.  It was very kind of them as we didn’t fancy walking back 10km.  We cycled back from the store on shiny bikes and have just hung out looking at the view this afternoon.

Tomorrow we continue our journey north through Wollongong to Stanwell Park.  Friday we’ll be in Sydney, exciting!!

Yesterday we had the day off in Nowra.  We probably wouldn’t have chosen Nowra for a rest day but it rained most of the day so we hung out watching TV and relaxing.  We also spent quite a bit of time researching our path through Sydney and booking accommodation.  Up until now we have simply turned up at a town and found either a caravan park or motel.  But Sydney in a different beast and it was challenging (entertaining for Will) to find places to stay.

This morning we set off from Nowra to Shellharbour where Dan and Em live.  The first 25km was flat, amazingly flat and we seemed to fly along.  We got to Gerringong and had an early lunch.  We chatted to a nice mountain biker who confirmed our plan to take the coastal walkway.  There is only one choice of road heading north from Gerringong, the motorway like Princes Highway.  The other option was to use the coastal walkway which goes over the headlands and bay between Gerringong and Kiama to the north.  We decided this would be safer and an adventure.

After crossing a short stretch of sand we had to unload the bikes and lift them over a gate, reload them then started pushing up a hill.  The track was wide mowed grass and occasionally mud.  Large parts of the 6km track could be ridden, especially on a mountain bike, but we chose to walk.  We walked because it was kinder on our bikes which are hybrids and although happy on many surfaces, wouldn’t be happy on a track like this.    With the weight of the panniers it would be easy to buckle a 700 wheel.  We also weren’t sure if biking was allowed and didn’t want to cut up the wet grass track.  The walk was nice and the views were spectacular with pounding surf and rocky headlands.  It took us longer than expected and we arrived in Kaima at 2pm and had more food.  We then biked on cycle path all the way from Kiama to the outskirts of Shellharbour.  We wound our way through acres of suburbia to the pretty old beachside town of Shellharbour and checked in at the Caravan Park.

We plan to spend 3 nights in Shellharbour visiting Dan and Em plus getting our bikes serviced.  We consider this the halfway point on our trip from Melbourne to Brisbane so it’s a good time to do some route planning, sorting and fixing of bikes.

Highlight of the day:  The cliff top walkway.

Another great cycle path.

Jen looking happy!

Will taking a rest from pushing the bike.

Jen on the cliff top walk.

Relaxing by the tent in Shellharbour.

We didn’t want to leave Huskisson but we have a plan.  It is due to start raining later today and rain all of Sunday.  So we wanted to move on to Nowra for tonight and probably tomorrow.  We then aim to be in Shellharbour to visit Dan and Em from Monday to Wednesday.  It’s probably not ideal for them to have us visit midweek but we will make our way through Wollongong and be in Sydney for next weekend.  We figure it will be easier to transit through Sydney at the weekend, a long weekend here in Australia (Queen’s Birthday).

So we left Huskisson after a cooked vegetarian breakfast at a café and cycled along nice quiet country roads.  We met the Princes Highway and had little choice but to cycle it for 5km.  It was terrible.  Motorway style with no verge, very heavy traffic, 110km/hr then road works.  At least the traffic had to slow for the road works.  It was bliss to get off onto BTU road, a quiet road that meant a little extra distance and a wee hill, but better than the highway.  From here we will make every effort to not use the highway if possible as it’s a beast of a road that looks like a motorway.

We arrived in Nowra at lunchtime just as it started to spit although it hasn’t rained properly this afternoon.  We checked into a motel and went for a walk around town.  We don’t think many tourists come to Nowra but we like it as it has many services and some nice areas.

This afternoon we are relaxing.  This time last week we were down in the Sapphire Coast.  We have done 300km in the last week and feel we are making good progress heading north.

Highlight of today:  Turning onto BTU road off the Princes Highway.

Only one photo today.  Sunrise in Huskisson.