According to Live traffic website the Oxley is now re-opened after the bushfires had it closed for the last 2 months.
https://www.livetraffic.com/desktop.html
That said - there is escorted traffic only between Gingers Ck Cafe and the Ralfes Trail road at Mount Seaview - which is only going one direction at a time. So if you are coming from Port Macquarie to Gingers Ck, there will be a wait to get through to Gingers Ck.
I'll be going to a ride there tomorrow with my wife and also to spend some dollars at the Cafe. Those guys would be hurting from having no patronage to their business for several months along with the fires also burning down the accommodation part of their business, with only the Cafe surviving, from what I have learned. I think there is a Go-Fund-Me page for them if anyone is interested.
Its a great place to stop and a lot of riders do stop there as the halfway point through the mountain range.
I'll try and make some stops along the way and take some photos to upload here.
My wife and I rode through there when Mount Seaview was on fire. We were stopped at the road block outside of Walcha but told them we were just going to Gingers Ck for a picnic lunch, so they let us through and said we would be stopped again when the road changed back to the 100kph zone before the curves started at the mountain range. We were stopped there as well, but again they let us through to the cafe.
Was an eerily feeling ride through there as no one else - and I mean absolutely no one else was on the road, with smoke everywhere and very light ash falling as well. Choppers flying over head water bombing the fire at Mount Seaview. Also stopped a few times to remove large branches off the road. Like something out of a aplocolypse movie..
The cafe was closed when we got there. so we just stopped and had our light packed lunch at the time and then headed back to Tamworth.
After that the road was closed and has been for several months.
Will be interesting to see what it is like now.
Good onya BD :onya: It will be a sad sight riding through there for a while though.
Hi BlueDragon
I got a few mates up Tamworth way most of them VJMC members, I'm sure you have seen their displays in town.
Usually do an trip there once or twice a year up Thunderbolts and through the Port Stephen's Cutting, love that road.
Go to the bowlo at the top of town with Megsy and Burgo for a few schooners.
Port Stephens cutting isn't too bad. The only bit I don't like is the really steep area going up the mountain after the bridge. The locals around there are a bunch of nut cases. Twice I went up through there and some locals came around the blind corners on the wrong side of the road. Didn't miss me and the Mrs by much. Its like they have taken their brains out when they get in the landcruisers up there. Haven't been through that way since then.
from my place I tend to go through Daruka and then take the back roads to Moonbi, then up the Moonbi ranges to Bendemeer. Then its a nice road to Walcha with the only dead straight bit coming into Walcha which is only about 15klms. Then its onto Gingers Ck. I find its a safer way to Walcha rather than going from Tamworth to Ogunbil - Port Stephens Cutting and then take the turn off to Walcha. Especially that Turn off to Walcha is too much dead straight boring.
Hard to miss the straight bits, Top Dale Road to Walcha is boring but so is Walcha to Yarrowitch, you have to use them sometimes to get to the twisties.
Pain of a start to the day. Planned to take the 1400 out for a run and as I was checking tyre pressures, I noticed a shiny point on the back tyre. Reaching for the pliers - yep - I picked up a small nail on the last ride and as soon as I removed it - the rest of the air came out of the tyre. Whilst I do have a repair kit, I didn't feel like fixing it this morning before a ride, so loaded up the VFR instead. The Mrs prefers the 1400 as she reckons the passenger seat is like sitting in a armchair.
Left Tamworth this morning, nice ride to Walcha, via Daruka and then the back road to Moonbi, up the Moonbi Ranges and on to the Bendemeer turn off and through to Walcha. Topped up with fuel at the Mobil and headed out to Gingers Ck.
Note - Apsley Falls is closed off with temporary barrier fencing, so no stopping there. But Tia Falls road is open if you want to go and take a look there - but for those who may not want to take their road bikes on some rather suspect dirt roads with large rocks - you might want to give that a miss as the first road is pretty long and arduous. Ok if you have an adventure bike or the like.
Its 50klms from the Mobil to where the twisties start and that is also where the first bit of fire damage can be seen as well.
Not long after that, we stopped off and took some photos below.
Its pretty much like that all the way to Gingers Ck.
They have reduced the speed from 80kph down to 60kph.
Whilst I did not see any damage to the road surface, there is a lot of dirt in some places, leaves and sticks scattered around. Also in one spot there was a tree blocking one lane, which is now removed. The leaves/dirt is mostly in the middle of the road. Looks like any dangerous trees - burnt from the fire have been removed.
The road escort starts right at the entry to the Gingers Ck Cafe. Love being on a bike in this case as there was quite a line up when we got there. But there was enough space on the left shoulder of the road that I was able to go up the left side and ride straight into the Cafe car park.
Took these photos from the carpark.
Stopped at the Cafe for a feed. Gotta say that their plain Burger is really good. Just a personal thing, I like burgers that have the bread bun as a light bread and not a heavy bread. The cafe had a nice light airy-bread and it was a great burger as well. Their Go-Fund me page is still in operation, so if you want to donate to them to help them stay open, you can. Not saying you have to... I just gave them a big tip for the meal.. LOL as my wife commented and laughed at me when I told them to keep the change when I gave them $60 for a bottle of coke.. But I figure they offer a great service to travelers and us that ride the Oxley and they are struggling with the damage the fire caused with the on-site accommodation being burnt down and only the cafe surviving.. but as you can see by the pics - the fire got to just across the road and also in the next lot of pics from the back verandah - it was on their back door step as well by the looks of it.. At least I can try to help them along by making a donation/tip, which the owner very much appreciated.
Leaving the cafe and heading back towards Walcha. I stopped at the little picnic spot just down the road.. Sometimes my wife and I stop here to have a packed picnic lunch. As she is a Coeliac and also suffers from IBS, she tends to want to pack her own food to make sure she has something to eat. But speaking to the young lady at the cafe, they are able to make something for my wife to eat now, which is good to know.
The photos are from the picnic spot just before Gingers Ck.
I'm not sure what the road is like from the Wauchope side and if you travel from that side, you will need to wait at the Ralfes Trail turn off at Mt Seaview for the escort vehicle to bring you through to Gingers Ck.
But from the Walcha side, the road is fine - just a lot of bushfire damage, as you can see by the photos. Just a heads up, though the speed limit is reduced to 60kph, from the normal 80kph. Each to their own with what speed you do through that road, but may I suggest to just enjoy the ride , as I mentioned the road surface is OK, but there is a covering of dirt in some places, along with leaves and small debris (sticks/branches). So take the blind corners with some caution.
I know the cafe owner would appreciate the patronage, with having to close for several months, after having a chat with him and the young lady there today, they miss having all the bike riders coming through on the weekends.
The ride back home was "interesting".. with the wind picking up and it actually started to rain in some spots between Gingers Ck and Walcha. With the covering of dirt on the road, I took it easy as with the rain, it was going to quickly turn into a thin layer of mud in some spots. But the Pirelli's held on nicely, so no little surprises at all. A bit of light rain between Walcha and the Bendemeer turn-off and then got hit with the heat again as we came down the Moonbi ranges and then back home.
All in all a fun ride, that my wife and I usually do every saturday, weather permitting.. great to be able to get back out there again in the corners. Hopefully they will finish cleaning up the area that the escort vehicle goes through soon and we will be able to do our normal ride through to Ellenborough Reserve each weekend. With the odd ride right through to Port Macquarie for a fish and chips lunch, then heading back through again - home to Tamworth.
Brilliant write up & pics.
I have done a couple of loops on the back roads from Tamworth to Nundle another good spot to stop for lunch.
Nice write up. It is good to see there is still some greenery around & it is not totally blackened everywhere.
Excellent write up and nice pics BD. Your missus must be a real trooper too :onya: :onya: :onya:
Thanks BlueDragon - great write up and photos.
I'd really like to see more such trip report things on the ORG.... hint hint to the rest of you (and me) ! :D
Quote from: VladTepes on Wednesday, 22 January 2020, 10:19 AM
Thanks BlueDragon - great write up and photos.
I'd really like to see more such trip report things on the ORG.... hint hint to the rest of you (and me) ! :D
Problem is, I don't like to stop to take photos. Unless you like pictures of service stations.
Agreed.
I don't mind taking photos.. I used to do landscape photography when I was living in Nowra and the National Parks and Wildlife had access to my photos as I had to be registered with them as my photos sold in several galleries.
My wife and I usually ride the Oxley each weekend (weather permitting) and whilst I don't mind taking photos, there have been several times we have gotten held up behind slow traffic like caravans and once we got around them, I didn't want to stop - as I would have been passed by the slow traffic again while taking photos. No fun doing 20kph behind a caravan through the Oxley, all those bends going to waste at such a low speed.. :)
But when we start touring around. I'll try to do lots of write-ups of the trips we do.
Hopefully the storms won't hit on saturday and and we take the 1400 out to Gingers Ck. Depending on how the weather looks we might go through to Ellenborough reserve and let you all know what the Wauchope side of the Oxley is like. Will see what happens and how much traffic there is. Being the long weekend, I tend to be more cautious with so many drivers out there in a rush to get to their destination, I don't need to be another road statistic because of someone else's stupidity.
But a friend of mine went right through the Oxley not long after I did this write-up. he said the road was in a pretty bad state with a lot of damage to the road surface, melted and buckled road signs and melted guard rails. Along with a lot of rubbish still on the road and repairs being done by the road crews. Hence the escort vehicle to take you through in single file.
Quick Update..
Went for another ride out to Gingers Ck Cafe today.
Haven't gone out the past few weekends due to predicted high winds and thunderstorms.
But with the rain we have had, Apsley Falls outside of Walcha is now flowing again..
Went on the ride by myself today, as unfortunately my wife had to go to the chiropractor this morning with a twisted C1 vertebrae and was not allowed to ride after being adjusted.
The rain has also made a difference to the area with everything starting to turn green again with the undergrowth starting to grow back and the trees along the road to Gingers Ck, all looking "fuzzy" with new branches and leaves sprouting out of the blackened stumps.
Unfortunately my camera on the iPhone doesn't show just how "green" everything is starting to become again. But hopefully you get the idea.
Arriving at the cafe at lunch time, there was no one there, which was surprising.
But - also, no more line-up for the escort vehicle to take you through. The Cafe owner confirmed that they are all finished and the road is now open with no escort vehicle.
After lunch, I rode for a few kays on the road towards Wauchope to see what it was like.
Lots of new armco. Still lots of fire damage and masses of trees removed. There is a hairpin bend after Gingers Ck (Wauchope side) and before, there was a small area (half a car width) where you could pull over. But now - its like a large packing lot. I took a panoramic photo of the corner. Looks a little distorted naturally, but this is a 40/45kph hairpin bend.
The speed zone for the whole road is still at 60kph.
Make of that what you will. Some areas before Gingers Ck (Walcha side) are no different to what they were before, so don't quite understand why its been left at 60, instead of the usual 80kph.
But after Gingers Ck - travelling towards Wauchope, still be careful as there are large patches of clay/dirt/stones strewn across the road and in the worst spots on corners. So don't go cranking it right over on some of those bends, you might get caught out and throw yourself the the bike down the road.
There were also some large pot holes in the road that still need to be repaired as well.
I'll be glad when they get the road fixed properly and get the line marking vehicle through there to mark the centre line.
Don't know if it was just "be an idiot day" but for a little while I had to follow 2 large 4wd's - driven by someone who obviously got their licence out of a Twisties chip packet. Driving on the wrong side of the road around corners and even along some straights. I got around them when I could and left them behind.
At least the trip back home to Tamworth was uneventful. Though very hot once I was down the Tamworth side of the Moonbi ranges. Around Walcha it was around 25 degrees. But once down the Moonbi Ranges and through Moonbi it was up around 37 degrees.
Days like this, I have to admit I like the fairing of the VFR as it guides the engine heat around the legs. Unlike when I'm on the 1400, I get the hot blast from the engine and oil cooler right on the legs. Though, I found that wearing long woolen riding socks (ones I bought from the Aldi sale) seem to alleviate some of the heat issue and makes it more bearable on hot summer day rides with the 1400.