Mar 11, 2013

Traralgon to Seymour (via) Tyers, Yallourn North, Neerim South, Neerim, Neerim Junction, (lunch at Powelltown), Yarra Junction, Launching Place, Healesville, Kinglake, (a cold drink and ice cream at Strath Creek), & returned via Yea, Glenburn, Yarra Glen, into the burbs down the Mountain Highway to Glen Waverly (for a well-earned cold shower, meal and sleep)then off to zig zag through the Dandenong Ranges (lunch at Olinda – yum) and again back through Powelltown, (a cold drink at Noojee), Hill End, Willowgrove, Yallourn North, Tyers and home.

After seeing that a Vietnam Veterans Commemorative Walk had been officially opened on Saturday and having all the servicing done we decided to ‘get out of dodge’ and climbed on the bikes on Sunday and headed for Seymour.

We were very impressed with the Memorial. It was tastefully done and in the time we were there (late in the day) there was a constant stream of people coming quietly through.



Vietnam Veterans Commemorative Walk (double sided) amongst a planting of several hundred Rubber trees which will one day form a dense leafy canopy which will be reminiscent of the jungle no doubt.

To say the weather was brutally hot would be a gross understatement. The ride along the river valley to Powelltown was a welcome break of comfortable to deliciously cool moist air and our lunch at the Powelly Pub (Powelltown) delicious as always. A good spot this, warm welcome, great coffee spot, lovely veranda amongst magnificent ferns and really generous and yummy pub meals as well as snacks. Definitely worth a look.

The only photos I have taken were at the Memorial as it was just way too hot to consider stopping and spending time we didn’t have to but I will definitely come this way again in cooler weather to take some pics of what the areas we passed through have to offer.



The Listing of those who didn’t return

We were well and truly overheated by the time we got to the Novotel Hotel at Glen Waverly which is one of our homes away from home. They are undergoing a big refurbishment program and we had one of the new rooms which was lovely. The food is always good and the bed magnificent ….. until 12.20am when the fire alarm went off. Bottom line we didn’t have to evacuate, there was a Wedding on and this was reminiscent of another occasion a lot of years ago when the same thing happened. That time a party reveller had broken a fire alarm box, don’t know this time. Happy to report we both slept well when we got to return to bed.



A Plaque which is self-explanatory.

Tips to remember for the roads we covered:

The roads we travelled on were in good condition and very little traffic (on all the roads we were on) we assume the rising cost of fuel is biting into people’s budgets. The road surface, camber and alignment was overall good and roads well signed where there was anything out of the ordinary. A nice comfortable ride all round.

Services available:

Large towns:
Fuel: Multiple choices including Premium Unleaded, most BH but also some 24hr
Accommodation: Hotel, Motel, B&B and Caravan Park and Camping options and maybe some Serviced Apartments
Food: Multiple choices from small cafes to bistro’s bars and fine restaurants
General Store / Supermarket: Multiple choices, small to large

Small towns:
Fuel: Limited and often BH only if any at all
Accommodation: Limited Hotel, B&B and Caravan Park and Camping options
Food and General Store / Supermarket: Limited and not necessarily open on weekends

Small isolated Localities:
Fuel: Not likely
Accommodation: If you’re lucky and have done your research
Food and General Store / Supermarket: Unlikely so bring your own