The Mawson Trail is a South Australian cycling trail that utilizes country roads and tracks as it winds its way north over 900 kilometres from Adelaide to Blinman in the Flinders Ranges. Being an intermediate cyclist, I needed to break the trail down into 30 kilometre sections, rather than ride 80 kilometres per day as many advanced cyclists do. Cycling with friends, and sometimes solo with my husband’s support, I completed the trail in thirteen trips over four years.
It was our second day on the Mawson Trail from our base at Rawnsley Park. On the first day Rhonda, Brian and I had completed the section between Blinman and Brachina Gorge Road. Today our support driver, Renate, took us to where we had finished our ride on the previous day. Our plan was to meet her at Wilpena at the end of our ride.
We said goodbye to Renate and headed south on the Yanyanna Track. It was May and the weather was perfect – dry, not too hot, and not too windy.
We had the track to ourselves as we passed the remains of old stockyards.
This hut looked like a place you might stay the night, but it was locked.
We crossed Elatina Creek and its tributaries a number of times.
Razorback Lookout
After ten kilometres on the Yanyanna Track we came to Bunyeroo Road. We followed it west and saw this view from Razorback Lookout towards the Heysen Range.
There were quite a few tourists in cars enjoying the view. From the lookout there was a very steep descent. We passed a couple of cyclists coming up the other way. They looked like they were working hard.
Wilcolo Track
After five kilometres on Bunyeroo Road, the Mawson Trail turned south onto the Wilcolo Track which would take us most of the way into Wilpena. This track is also followed by the Heysen Trail. We passed a few walkers as we headed towards the rocky outcrops of the northern side of Wilpena Pound.
We had been climbing since we had left Bunyeroo Road. About four kilometres out from Wilpena we turned off the Wilcolo Track and wound our way through a casuarina forest.
After all the climbing I had a feeling of accomplishment as we rolled into Wilpena. Soon we were catching up with Renate on the verandah of the cafe. We had cycled 32 kilometres and climbed a total of 411 metres.
The following day we would complete the section between Wilpena and Rawnsley Park. Other adventures in the Flinders Ranges on the Mawson Trail have been between Wilmington and Quorn, Merna Mora Station and Rawnsley Park and Mount Little and Hawker.
Closer to home are the sections between Clare and Burra, Nuriootpa and Kapunda and High Eden Road and Jacob’s Creek. Recently, Kerri has ridden between Tanunda and Kapunda.
The Munda Biddi Trail in Western Australia is a similar off-road cycling trail.
