Today we are moving on, Wendy and Rick have treated us so well we could happily of stopped another week! It is with genuine sadness we leave. We do get to cycle with them both for a little while as they join us on the East Gippsland Rail Trail. The trail is almost 100 kilometres long running from Bairnsdale to Orbost on traffic free paths and we are doing half of it today. The website for the trail is HERE including a pdf map.

All ready for the rail trail, Janet, Wendy and Rick

Getting to the start of the rail trail

Also joining us was Wendy’s friend Denise who we met at the start of the trail. To begin it is around 10 km of sealed track although the surface has deteriorated quite badly now. It runs through rich farmland with only gentle inclines and declines, very nice cycling.

Sealed track with Janet, Denise and Wendy in the distance

Crossing the Nicholson River over an impressive bridge a flock of Black Cockatiels flew by.

A pair of Black Cockatiels

Not too much further on Wendy and Denise left us to continue on, Rick having gone back a little earlier.

The trail continued as a compact gravel path actually better than the sealed section. There was a very very long uphill (gentle) with us now cycling through mature forest, there were also some mozzies out as well to keep us on our toes.

Nice riding

In the remote section someone had left water in a barrel for cyclists

Of course after the up came a very nice long descent passing the Stony Creek Trestle Bridge, a very impressive wooden constructed frame built in 1916, more information HERE.

Stony Creek Trestle Bridge

Janet giving you some scale to the size of the construction

One final descent later and we arrived in Nowa Nowa, stopping at the Mingling Waters Caravan Park, a nice site with a large kitchen and lounge area, and as we are the only ones here we have it all to ourselves. The local shop (very limited stock) sold milk, that is all we needed today.

After eating we then spent some time looking at the next few days as there is very little between Orbost and Eden, so meals and water need planning. We think we have it now!