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I’m happy to help with questions when I can… I don’t often have up to date information on conditions, but sometimes I hear from people who have just ridden bits and pieces, so it’s worth leaving a question or comment.
If you have just ridden a section and can leave some useful info, please do. If you use Instie, just #mawsontrail and it will show up on the feed.
I’m grateful for any comments or suggestions. Feel free to leave a comment, or just say Hi. I enjoy hearing from people who’ve gotten something out of this site. What’s more fun is meeting them out riding the trail!
Cheers, David
Hello Dave, thank you for your site!
I’m headed off to do the Mawson next week — I’ll be bush camping, but I’m deciding between my tent and my hammock. From your experience, is there usually enough coverage to find good hanging spots / would there be a few stretches where you would believe a hammock to be pretty unfeasible?
Cheers.
Hi Emily.
I’d have to say, camping, I’d be taking a tent. Hoping I’m not making you carry stuff unnecessarily, and I’m not a hammock guy myself, but trees or other supports can be pretty thin on the ground (Pun intended.) Hope you have a great trip, and drop us a note to let me know how it goes. Should be lovely up there about now.
Hi David,
I am interested in bringing my family to SA to cycle next year and was hoping you could provide some advice.
I have a young family. The kids will be 5 and 8 when we come so we plan to ride with them attached to our mountain bikes with a tail gator. We have done this successfully when they were much younger on the East Gippsland Rail Trail in Victoria. It was pretty cruisy though. We did 100km over three days and we’re fully supported.
We are looking to do something similar in SA. Probably 100km over three days again or more kms if it’s easy riding.
I have looked at the Reisling and Rattler trails which is about 54km all up. I was thinking I could add part of the Mawson trail to make up more distance. I was thinking Kapunda to Riverton may be an option (is this around 35km??)
Are there are any other 100km sections you would recommend?? I absolutely loved the Flinders Ranges as a kid but wasn’t sure if it would be too rugged up there with the gators.
Common sense tells me to do the rail trails but if there are other more scenic options to consider I am all for it.
I notice on the map I have of SA trails it shows the Mawson Trail running parallel to the Rattler Trail. I had assumed only one track would cover this section. How do they compare in terms of track and scenery?
Any tips would be greatly appreciated.
Regards
Marita
Hi Marita – apologies for the delay in replying; I am currently in WA (have spent a bit of time on the Munda Biddi!)
I think Rattler/Reiesling would be ideal. I can’t really think of any other spots where the gators would be good. I’d take the rattler rather than the Mawson proper from Riverton- scenery is equivalent; it’s just that the Rattler was not built when the Mawson official was laid out.
Kapunda to Riverton has some nice bits, but there is also some on bitumen. There is one bit that certainly would not be doable, but there is a detour right next to it…
Another option might be to do some little side excursions from the Riesling to the various wineries and restaurants. There is a network of a couple of other trails off to the east. They generally involve hills, but given that you’ll be coming from the valley you can always turn back!
Hope this helps
David
Hi David,
I just came across your website this morning – lovely site, beautiful art, great/amusing info, thank you!
You may or may not be able to help with this but I’m wondering if you think the Surly Cross Check would be up to the task of the the Mawson, or whether the Long Haul Trucker would be significantly more suitable? I’m currently looking at these options on Gumtree…
Many thanks for your time,
Rosie
Hi Rosie
Thanks for your kind comments.
I reckon a Cross Check would be fine. In fact it has the advantage of brifters over bar-end shifters which makes changing gears easier as you can keep your hands on the drops on rough roads. I think that cross/adventure bikes will be used by people more and more on the trail – they’re ideal for a quicker. lighter-loaded style of riding.
In looking at a Cross Check vs a Trucker:
Tyres: The Trucker will be able to go a bit wider (perhaps) but the Cross Check will take at least 40mm so that’s fine (might pay to see if you can check max size on the surly site – but 40 is fine I’d say).
Load: Well, the trucker might be nicer if you’re super loaded down, but I’d say try to avoid that anyway.
Gears: The Cross Check might be a bit lacking in really low gears (stock is 36 x 32 which is not great – OK but not great.) As I said though, the brifters are a plus.
I’d be happy with a Cross Check for a light tour, but I might lower the gears a bit.
Best,
David
Dave, did you ride there and back?? What travel options exist to get from Adeliade to the north end? I want to ride North to south
Hey Ashley. Riding north to south is good. There are options to get from Adelaide by bus to Blinman or Wilpena by Genesis Coach Services. Google them for current timetables and have a great trip!
Dave
Thanks, i contacted them today. Looks like thursday i the day to go north. How many days did you take to ride back to Adelaide? Looks like we are of similar ability. I have a history of riding 50-70km single trail in a day. Overall averageing only 45km over longer peroids. Though have had some days up to 130km on big open road. All on Mountain bike
Hi Ashley
Back down I’ve only done in segments, not one hit, but I think you’ll find the segments as described pretty OK. Weather and the track conditions will be the biggest factor. If you have the luxury of a allowing a couple of extra days even better. Starting up north means you get the magic Flinders stuff first up, so it’s good not to rush that. When you get further south if the weather gets shitty you have more options of sneaking down the bitumen if you need to. But if you had a spare day and an MTB in Melrose there would be lots to keep you amused. Enjoy the ride.
Hey David,
Great info. I’m working my way over that way. I’m currently in Melbourne and I’ll follow the Murray River to Adelaide and pick up the Mawson. At least that’s my “plan”. Is the GPX file current? I was just on the Tasmanian Trail and tried using an open source GPX because I was too cheap to get it from the association. I learned my lesson there! Working on my blog post now entitled, Can I Get An Ass Whoopin’ With A Side of Humble Pie?
Anyway, just wondering about the GPX accuracy.
Thanks
Hi Robin.
Yes – the GPX file is pretty good; I don’t think it will get you in to any strife. Anyway, there is no official file AFAIK (one of the reasons I made the site) and I think it’s as good as you’ll get. In any case, it will be fine up north where the roads don’t change. The only spots that might change are in the forests (Wirabra, Mt Crawford) if there are fires/logging activity, or in crossing private land. Just keep an eye out in those areas. I did notice last week that in Mt Crawford there are two different paths both signed, but that would be a minor detour not an issue.
BTW – going up the Murray, from the coast to Albury/Wodonga is on my list for 2018. Would like to follow dirt all the way if possible, so if that’s the sort of route you’re planning please flick it my way! (And/or point me towards your blog so I can follow)
Good luck
David
Hi Dave!
First of all, thank you very much for sharing all this information, it is just really handy.
My girlfriend and I are thinking about doing Claro to Adelaide in Easter, and we are taking camping gear with us. This is my first bike trip in Australia, so I am wondering how easy (or hard) it is to find a camp ground on the track (just a place to put the tent, not necessarily a camp site). Also, we are arriving a bit late to Clare on Thursday, do you know a good spot or camp site to put the tent over there?
Cheers!
Alejandro
Hi Alejandro
I think Clare is a bit close to Adelaide for bush camping – what I’d suggest is pitching your tent at the Clare caravan park. There are some nice grassy spaces under trees, and you should be able to find a nice quiet spot away from people using the powered sites for their vans. Riverton also has a similar place, and I think Nuriootpa or Tanunda does too.
Cheers
David
Hi,
How wet is the trail during August? Is it too wet to ride between end of July and start of August?
How many kms do you ride a day in general?
Just trying to scope it out a little
Cheers,
Tom
Hiya Tom
August is a good time to ride, but you never know what you’re going to get weather-wise! You need to be prepared to modify your plans if there’s heavy rain.
As for distances – this covered in detail on the site and depends on many factors. Check it out on the “segments” page and then you can check those against where you sit on the “objective levels of fitness” criteria.
Cheers
Hi David. I’m on schedule to start the trail on the 23rd Nth to Sth – can you tell me if there are any March flies on the track? We get them this time of year in Western Australia and they are extremely bad.
thanks again for your great site and information that you provide. Invaluable.
Dave M
Hi Dave – I’m not aware of March flies being an issue – but then I have not been up in March. Sorry not to be more use. Certainly I’d expect ordinary flies, and quite a few of them. Drop a note when you’re done and let me know how it goes. I’m trying for a N-S in the second week of April if the weather’s OK so I’d be keen to hear. It’s been a crazy summer weather-wise. I think all bets are off knowing what to expect, but it could very well be lovely!
Cheers
Dave
Hi Dave. Just finished the Mawson on 4th April over a 9 day ride. I was taken by surprise with the sudden heat wave on departure as it was in the low 40’s C. Not long after in Burra it was 1 degree C in the morning. No March flies to report of however I did get the occasional bite from a large fly type which I suspect were locals (?) I had one day of rain which didn’t effect the track at all. I found the track markers were at times very difficult to find when travelling Nth to Sth. Especially at Bunyeroo gorge. Took me ages to find the turnoff.
Cheers Dave M.
Hi Dave – hope you enjoyed the experience – thanks for the feedback!
I just wanted to write a short note to you about your clear and concise descriptions of trail segments on the Mawson. I am travelling from interstate and just looking for maybe an overnighter kind of length and I found it on your notes as Wilpena. The photos look great and I’ll have a look at your art when I’m next at a PC with a nice screen to enjoy them. It will also be great to view them in light of riding the same segments. Once again, thank you for providing this resource to the traveller! Dave
No worries Dave – Up around Wilpena is magic. Just make sure it’s not too hot. The good thing about Wilpena is you can use it as a base for a couple of rides and hide there/hang out at the chalet if the weather goes bad.
Cheers
Great website! Very useful. Thanks for taking the time and effort to put it all together.
My pleasure Kathryn – glad it was useful!
Cheers
Hi David, I am planning to do the Mawson in the new year (March / April 17). I am travelling from Perth W.A. – can you tell me how I get my bike to the start point at Blinman?
Dave M.
Hi Dave – Yes, try Genesis Coach Services to Parachilna and then enquire at the Pairie Hotel about a local station owner who will take you to Blinman.
Or here’s another idea – Just get the Genesis Coach to Wilpena. Set up at Wilpena for a couple of days, leave your gear there and ride up to Blinman and back. I reckon that’s what I’d do. I was planning to try it in September but things got in the way.
Cheers
Nice site David, and a useful resource.
I’d already nabbed what was probably your route from RidewithGPS, so now I can say thanks! It was helpful to hear about updates such as the completed Wilmington rail trail, and your pref to take the Rattler as well.
Bike SA maps are fine an’ all, but not up to date with that stuff.
Thanks!
Cheers Don – no worries, and I hope you enjoy the trail. I was chatting to a mate this morning wistfully thinking about getting back up north, but I think it will be a bit hot now. But off to have my first look at NZ next week, so can’t complain!
Doing the ride from Blinman to Adelaide starting about the 20th October 2016
thanks for the info been very helpful
I hope you have a great trip Robin. It should still be lovely up there after all the rain. I did notice that the flies were starting to appear up north late Sept. (I’d be taking a net for the face!)
yeah good idea, by the way I road the Tassie Trail 2 years ago if you get the chance give it a go , great ride
Hi David
My wife and I plan to ride the Mawson trail in September-October next year (2017). We are wondering how you went on your trip and any advice appreciated. We plan to take all our own gear so we have flexibility to camp. How was the water situation? What is the furtherest we would need to travel without reliable water supply? Would earlier September be better to ride rather than early to mid October?
Thanks to David for a great site.
With thanks
Tony
Hi Tony: good questions which need a bit of an involved answer, so let me think about it. I might even make a new section to deal with some of the things you raise.
Short answer re Sept/Oct. I’d take which ever suits you better – you never know what the weather will be doing round that time. You could be lucky or unlucky either way.
Re water – I reckon there’s a balance between carrying minimum for safety and more for convenience. i.e – carry more water = more options for where you might stay, but as I say, let me think and I’ll write a bit more later.
Cheers
Thanks David. Appreciate your time and effort. Keen to hear about water situation as we carried and went through 30 litres in just less than three days in the Kimberley this year riding the Gibb River Road.
Cheers and thanks
Tony
Hi Tony – if it were me, at that time of year, I’d be carrying just water for the day – you should be right for water at any of the end points as mentioned at the segments. I’d be taking 4 litres/person for riding during the day, with the idea that I’d stock up in the towns. I don’t know about Blinman – (sorry) you might have to buy water there, but Wilpena, Hawker are OK with taps.
If you’re going sth-nth I’d really consider leaving your heavy gear in Wilpena and doing up and back (but only to the bitumen) towards Blinman from there. It’s easier to get picked up from Wilpena, and the resources are better there. Plus you get to ride one of the great sections twice, and if it’s impassable due to mud etc you get to turn back.
Hope this helps! Happy to answer further. I’m hoping to do it again in April, and I would use Wilpena as the base if I did that.
Great site. Content is really helpful as well as being really well written and presented. Weather permitting I’m a week away from doing this N-S. Ted, Genesis bus told me a local station owner will take you and bike from Parachilna to start of the Mawson trail for $70. I’ll probably take that option.
Thank you Ian! Yes – I’ve heard this too, but not used it. The Farghers who run the Prairie Hotel at Parachilna told me about it. I think there are a few different accomm. options in Parachilna too, (dongas, community campsite etc)
Hello! I think I left a question but it was not answed? Is ther a train to the North of the site for riding from Blinmnan, or if we ride to Blinman is ther a train or bus to go back to the south, for arriving and leaving from Adelaide? Thank you!
Howdy – Sorry; yes, I had a comment section a while ago but during a theme update they all got trashed, so sorry about that. Your best option for Blinman is Genesis Bus Tours. They go to Parachilna, and I think you can get a private transfer to Blinman. One of the stations does, it; you might have to do a bit of digging (try ringing the Prarie Hotel in Parachilna) But the ride across to Blinman is not too bad. 40 km or so on a dirt road. I haven’t ridden it, but I’ve driven it. Cheers.
Hi Dave! My mate and I bumped in to you at Wilpena? I think. Love your site and it was great to say “gidday” Ha. All the best, Mike.
Was that May? It was pissing with rain if you’re the guys Im thinking of – bad luck about that, and I hope you made it down safely.
Cheers, Dave