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Mawson Trail Options

A couple of Short Trips - Great Rides: September 2016

By David Hume

September 13^th, 2016

You don't have to go all the way

So - "Mawson Trail" might mean 900 km from Adelaide to Blinman, but it doesn't have to be all or nothing. Remember it's just a collection of existing roads and trails, and some are better than others. I'd say don't get too hung up on it. Just aim to ride the bits you can. I was hoping to do the whole thing solo in Sept 2016 but family stuff happened. I still managed to enjoy myself with a couple of sensational shorter trips.

Wilpena - you're OK by me

The shot below shows what you can be doing in the arvo if you leave Adelaide in the morning. It's a bit over five hours' drive, or you can get the Genesis bus each Wednesday (correct at early 2017). Blinman, to be frank, is a bit of a hole. It lags in terms of resupply, water, phone coverage and camping options. You can get to Blinmnan by catching the Stateliner bus to Parachilna then getting an additional private transfer from a station owner, but I'm not busting myself to get back there. I'll be basing my next excursions from Wilpena.

Day Rides North of Wilpena are ACE

So - once in Wilpena you can scope out the roads. If you look at the map, you'll see there's about 70km of dirt north of Wilpena before you hit the bitumen east of Blinman. This is some of the best and most spectacular riding you'll find on the Mawson, and it's easy to do loops.

Loops give you options

What might happen up there is water. Brachina gorge might be full of water, or there may be mud. I'd suggest a couple of options going north from Wilpena and then looping back either via Bunyeroo Rd (dirt, west) or the Flinders Ranges way (sealed, east). This gives you the option of going as far as you like up the dirt towards Blinmnan, and you can leave your gear at Wilpena.

It's worth seeing

The climb to the Razorbook lookout is pretty iconic methinks. And see how light my bike looks with the gear left at Wilpena and just a day's water on board!

If Not Wilpena, Try Melrose to Adelaide

This was the second of my little excursions. I caught the Stateliner bus with my bike from Adelaide up to Pt Germein and rode through the Germein gorge to pick up the Mawson, and made it south to Adelaide in four days. There was big rain forecast so I squeezed a day out of what I originally planned. This way I got to ride the best bits in super weather.

North of Laura is Mawson Gold

There are some bits of the Mawson I like to call Gold. The bit just north of Laura where it kicks off to the northeast from the main road is one of them. Get there when the light's good and it's even better.

lush green sometimes comes with water

Random thoughts while coming across yet another wet bit:

1: sometimes it's quicker and a lot cleaner just to walk through the middle than it is to push around the edges.

2: Keen sandals with cleats look dorky, but they're warm in winter, cool in summer, and the water comes out through the holes.

Laura to burra ain't too bad Neither

I took the Mawson to Spalding, getting lost a few times because I thought I knew it and didn't look at my map. This is where I decided to compact my ride because more rain was forecast later in the week, so I slipped down the bitumen from Spalding to Burra, which essentially takes a day out of the equation.

Into and out of Burra - yes

Don't miss the last 10 km or so to Burra back on the Mawson. That’s an ace section.

burra to Kapunda

Up and down the hill (the first 25 or so km out of Burra) is pure Mawson Gold. A couple of times I've left Burra at first light going south. The light is magic up and over. Try it!

And down the other side.

And Home...

Once you hit Clare, it's basically a commute down the Riesling Trail and Rattler Trail to Riverton. Quiet and no cars of course, but it's a rail trail; nothing speccy.

Riverton to Kapunda has another Gold section though. First you climb on some nice gentle dirt out of Riverton, and then you get an ace section as seen below.

And that was pretty much it for me. I made it in to Kapunda, and as forecast, the rains came in the next morning.

My views on mud are no secret, so I skipped down the bitumen to Tanunda, rode the Bobridge to Gawler and caught the train back to Adelaide.

Footnotes

Nikon Coolpix A. Q: Would I use Nik Colour Efex again today? A: No, but there you go. I was young and crazy back then - just a good-looking rebel living by his own rules.

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FootNotes

Nikon Coolpix A. Q: Would I use Nik Colour Efex again today? A: No, but there you go. I was young and crazy back then - just a good-looking rebel living by his own rules.

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