We were in Albany, the southern terminus of the Munda Biddi Trail and I was making a fresh start, cycling the trail between Torbay and Albany.
My first day on the Munda Biddi Trail near Dwellingup had been discouraging and my second day cycling from Dwellingup to Nanga Mill had also had its difficulties. The main problem was the trail surface, which was often sandy or thick with the very slippery pea gravel of the area.
I had since read and heard that the southern sections of the Munda Biddi between Collie and Albany were somewhat easier, so this was my opportunity to test that out.
My wonderful husband and support driver, Derek, dropped me at my start point at the Torbay Hall. He would be busy for the next few hours with his “man jobs” and after that would collect me when I arrived in the town centre of Albany.
Torbay Rail Trail (8 kms)
The first 8 kms of the Munda Biddi Trail today were on the Torbay Rail Trail. For the first kilometre, I found myself getting quite grumpy. The surface was very sandy, and I was starting to think that I was “over” the Munda Biddi Trail. At a minimum I would need much fatter tyres if this were to continue.
Fortunately, as I progressed, the surfaces improved as well. I have found that often trails which are used by horses become very chopped up and sandy, and the Torbay Rail Trail seemed to be following this pattern.
Some effort was made to separate the horses from the cyclists and walkers
Then it joined Wilgie Road.
When Wilgie Road finished at Lower Denmark Road, the Torbay Rail Trail continued a few metres in from the road, swapping from single track
to double track – horses on the left, cyclists and walkers to the right.
There were sections where you could see the old railway cuttings.
Some of the wildflowers were foreign to my South Australian eyes. There was a lovely orange banksia and a yellowish kangaroo paw.
The Torbay Rail Trail finished at the small town of Elleker. (Further west, the Denmark Nornalup Rail Trail follows the western section of the same former railway as the Torbay Rail Trail.)
Old School Road and Lower Denmark Road (7 kms)
After Elleker, the next few kilometres were on Old School Road.
Then the Munda Biddi Trail joined the reasonably busy Lower Denmark Road for almost five kilometres. Just after I turned onto the bitumen, a huge B-Triple Truck came thundering up behind me. I wasn’t taking any chances, so pulled off to the side of the road. The truckie gave an appreciative beep, and then I noticed a cyclist behind me had also pulled off.
We started chatting. Bill was 82 and was cycling faster than me, even though he had Parkinsons Disease.
He offered to take the front so we cycled along in single file until it was time for me to turn off onto Robinson Road. Thanks Bill! Your presence was very reassuring.
Robinson Road (6 kms)
The next six kilometres along Robinson Road were a really pleasant surprise. Although the surface was bitumen, there was almost no traffic.
All was going well until I came upon this “Road Closed” sign.
Having been lost on the Munda Biddi Trail before, I felt quite nervous. Fortunately at this point, six female cyclists rode towards me. Obviously the road was open for riders at least!
A little further on, I came to a black stump. In front of it, there was a plaque attached to a rock.
It was a Registered Aboriginal Burial Site.
I sat on a bench opposite enjoying the peace of this beautiful place while I ate my morning tea.
After my break, I followed Robinson Road to its end. There the Munda Biddi Trail joins the Frenchman Bay bicycle path for a short distance.
Riding into Albany (6 kms)
After crossing the main railway line, the Munda Biddi Trail begins a long climb up Carlisle Street. Unfortunately it is quite narrow and busy. I was almost run off the road by a truck, so after that I opted to walk up the narrow grassed verge. There were glimpses of Princess Royal Harbour over the tops of the houses.
Finally the Munda Biddi turns right and heads down to Stirling Terrace. I took a short detour to see the Albany Old Gaol, built by convicts in the 1850s. Nearby there is also a full size replica of the Brig Amity, which arrived in Princess Royal Harbour in 1826.
The military party and convicts on board established the colony of Albany several years before Perth was founded in 1829.
You could go on board the ship.
I pulled myself away from this interesting attraction and rode up to Stirling Terrace to finish my ride.
Unfortunately the access to the Southern Terminus of the Munda Biddi Trail was blocked by a building renovation. I could have gone around, but as I had not completed the full 1,000 kilometres of the trail from Mundaring near Perth, I was not unduly concerned. Instead, I settled for finishing at Kate’s Place, where I had a lovely early lunch.
I had cycled 27 kilometres and climbed 265 metres. Best of all, my faith in the Munda Biddi Trail had been restored. Riding the Munda Biddi Trail between Torbay and Albany had been a great experience and I was looking forward to doing the next section from Youngs Siding to Torbay tomorrow.
Other Short Sections on the Munda Biddi Trail
During my time in Western Australia, I also completed these short sections on the Munda Biddi:
- Youngs Siding to Torbay (24 km one way)
- Youngs Siding to Denmark (26 km one way)
- Greens Pool to Denmark (25 km one way)
- Peppermint Grove Road to Manjimup (18 km one way)
- Deanmill to One Tree Bridge (22 km one way)
- Manjimup to Deanmill (15 km return)
- Jarrahwood to Nannup (Sidings Rail Trail) (28 km one way)
- St David’s Church Worsley to Collie (28 km one way)
- Dwellingup to Nanga Mill (19 km one way)
- Alcoa Conveyer belt to Dwellingup (21 km one way)
Other great West Australian cycling adventures are the Old Timberline Trail near Nannup, the Perth Coastal Ride and the Great Ocean Trail in Esperance.
The Munda Biddi Trail is an off-road forest cycling trail which extends 1,000 kilometres from Mundaring near Perth to Albany in the south-west corner of Western Australia. The South Australian equivalent is the Mawson Trail.
