I travelled Australia Using eMountain Bike

The Bike

It is a Cube Acid Hybrid One 400. This eBike is German made and is available in major bike shop around the world, also available online, Check its specs here or watch the Video.

Beginning of the Trip, I need to take the ferry.

I started the trip from Nelson Bay NSW, I took the 3 o'clock ferry instead of the 9 o'clock one. The captain of the ferry put my bike on the roof of the ferry with my pannier on.

My Backpack, Pannier, and my Sleeping Bag

The sun just got down when I arrived in Tea Garden. I was hesitant to keep on going because I am not sure of what is waiting for me in the dark along the way.  Because of that, 

I decided to stay in one of the hotels in the area just to build my courage. 

I had my dinner in one of the Chinese restaurants near the hotel, I also bought additional stuff in case I need to do some camping.

First Long Bike Ride

I checked out early from the hotel, the reception is not open yet and I just leave the key on their box. I drive the long narrow road seeing mostly the trees around it. I was really thankful that I didn't go on last night because there is a ferry/bridge that needed to go through the other side that operates only in the daytime.
I keep on going and had the dirt road ride.

A Good Aussie Guy Offered me to Stay in His House

I avoid the Bulahdelah expressway and took the Lakes way going to my next stop. I was not aware that this road mostly is ascending and really need to use the electric of my bike. I run out of battery on the last two hills that I took and needed to push my bike going up. I was really tired of this part of my travel. It was raining too.

It was around 4:00 o'clock I was googling for a place to stay in the area, and that was the time a car stopped and an Aussie guy offered me a place to stay. We went to a club that night. The next day I load my bike to his car and he brought me to Blueys Beach.

I Reached The Town of Forster and Tuncurry.

Forster is the first legit town that I reached, they have a shopping center and many establishments. Beaches are walkable within the city. I stayed in one of the motels in Tuncurry, Tuncurry is the twin town of Forster that is just across the river, right after the bridge. Forster is beautiful.

I choose a hotel that will allow me to place my bike inside the room

Taree, Where are the people?

Pacific Highway is the expressway or freeway that connects the major cities and towns in Australia. taking this road straight will bring you to Brisbane or Sydney. This long road has a rest area complete with a toilet, picnic table, and information boards.

I reached this place called Taree, they have many shopping malls and government service establishment. Another thing I notice is the electrical system they have is underground, similar to the modern city of Dubai. It is maybe a holiday, didn't see much people here.

Camping for the very first time.

Originally I don't have a tent and I just bought the cheapest one from BigW in Taree. This is my very first time to do camping.  When I was a kid most of my classmates are a member of Boy Scout and usually do some school camping, I never experienced that.  

This place us beautiful, this camping is really a great experience because I did not have a good sleep. The water from the ocean is so loud. The moist from outside is getting in, and the soil is very hard because I do not have a sleeping mat.

Dedicated Bike Lane, Port Macquarie.

Most of the road in Australia has a dedicated bike lane, even the busy Pacific Highway has a bike lane. And of course, there are also roads without bike land and you really need to be careful sharing with those fast and heavy different cars. There are also dirt road, a road that is not concrete and purely sand and soil that is dusty.

Port Macquarie is an elevated town with beautiful scenery of the hills and beaches. here I've seen many Camels and other animals.

Bike Puncture in the middle of the highway.

I always sing I don't just ride. This time I got my tire punctured by a big piece of broken glass.  If I accept the offer of the lady to help me, I am sure the next story will be different. In this place, I had a conversation with locals who also have a bike. His e-bike has a fat tire and a side gear for the surfboard. This place is called Crescent Head a surfers haven.

Broken glasses along the Australian road.

I am now very conscious of getting puncture again, noticeably there are so many broken glasses, brittles of glasses in the road. This place coming from Kempsey is a flat land having many cow farm along the road. It is beautiful the road being able to see the environment, the road without the trees covering the scenery. 

This time I decided to stay in a cabin that cost me 115 dollars because I arrived in this place dark in the night and it was rainy.

Enjoy the same place differently.

 I needed to get to South West Rocks because it was late already and I needed to charges my bike.  There is no other option but to get through the same road that I took last night for me to get to the main road. It feels like a waste of time but it is okay because I manage to make it enjoyable.

Uncaptured struggle.

Rainy dark night when I arrived in this hilly place called Nambucca. I was able to get to a caravan park and stay in one of the expensive cabins. It was a rainy day and I lost the Phone that made me decide to book again another hotel stay and find it.  I needed to buy another phone to find my iPhone. I succeed, a lady found my phone and gave it back to me. Australian are amazing.

This is how this e-Bike work to get to the next stop.

This e-bike can reach up to a hundred kilometer on Eco Mode and around 50 kilometers in Turbo Mode, other options in between are Sports Mode and Tour Mode.

There are always people who are curious about my e-Bike and I always let them have a go because it feels so much different from the ordinary pushbikes. 

I reach Coffs Harbour and surprise my Sydney friend who moves here years ago.

Coffs Harbour is Beautiful too.

I was able to get around the city of Coffs Harbour, it is massive, modern with many establishments, places to see and fun activity to do. I meet some fellow Filipinos here.

Pacific Highway gets through Coffs Harbour that is why there is no way to avoid those scary heavy longs trucks of this highway. There is nothing much to see along the Pacific Highway because they are mostly covered by trees.

It was a little scary. Wrong time in the wrong place.

I went to the Grafton Train Station hoping to have a ride to get to Casino or Byron Bay to avoid the busy pacific Highway. I wasn't able to take the train because they are requiring me to collapse my bike and put it in the box they are provided. 

I decided to keep on going with my bike until my bike tire got flat at the wrong place at the wrong time. Good thing I have a flashlight. It was a little scary.

The Bike Tire Exploded

Stayed in a hotel in Casino and drive heading to the next destination. The trip from Casino is one of my favourites because here you can drive where you can see the beautiful flatland with plants, and crops and animals, hills and valleys around it and it is really beautiful. One thing that is not good is there is no dedicated bike lane.

My bike tire exploded.

Beautiful Town, Beautiful Hills and Valley Bike Ride.

I reached this place called Lismore, in here I was able to eat Filipino food because there is one Filipino restaurant in this town. All the way here from Casino is just a beautiful scenery flat land, then able to climb the hills relax and easy with my electric bike seeing this luxurious expensive upland town. The last hills show the beautiful water of Byron bay.

The city, the bay and the valley life.

I like Byron Bay having the city vibe yet so close to a more laidback valley life. A short drive away and you are on the beach or in the town or in the hills or in any scene you want to be. Shops and restaurant here are still on even a little late. 

Meeting a French Bikepacker

I was greeted by a tattooed guy who notices me being a bike traveler.  We had a conversation and learned that he is also traveling just using a normal pushbike. He started his trip from Darwin, now in Manly doing some work and will keep on going around Australia.

We shared our social media, I've seen his bike setup, his body transformation, his dedication. It was amazing meeting people with such positivity. I am a fan.

Charging my e-Bike Battery in the restaurant

As much as possible I am using the electric of the bike when it is going uphill for me to maximize the battery life of the bike. There are times that I needed to stop in the restaurant and ask a favor to charge the battery of my bike. Of course, I also buy something and I even give a little tip. It was a long ride.

The fourth time the bike tire got flat. 

Some people are not aware that bike is allowed in the Pacific highway, I really wanna thank you this guy as he showed so much concern for my safety. Thank you mate.  The highway is really dangerous, especially at night. I reached the border of New South Wales called Tweed Head and the Coolangatta of Queensland.

Here I got my bike tire flat again. Basically, there are no other punctures but the same holes losing the patches that I put previously. 

The Gold Coast Australia.

Coolangatta is where the Gold Coast airport is located, it is an hour or less drive to the Gold Coast city proper. From Coolangatta to Gold Coast is basically expensive luxury beachfront property and it is beautiful. 

I stayed in one of the hotels here and did some walking around the beaches and shopping mall.

My e-Mountain Bike on a Brisbane Train.

I decided to just take the train from Gold Coast going to Brisbane because it looks complicated to take the very busy highways between these two Queensland City.

Stay in the house of my friend, we travel around, we brought rice at the KFC. Meal is so much more satisfying with Rice.

I have friends in Australia.

My friends in Dubai are also my friends in Australia. We all dreamed of coming to Australia and it actually happened and it so good. 

Heading Back Home.

I had a wonderful time with my friends and it is now time to go back home. I took the train going to Brisbane city proper. Here in Australia, all toilet is still free to use and are really clean looking, compared to the rest of the world where mostly you need to pay to be able to use the toilet, same in Belgium.

Whole Day Walking in the City of Brisbane

I've been to Brisbane before and seen most of the spot. But the experiences are very different when you are walking and that is the reason that is why I decided to stay more nights in Brisbane for me to be able to explore the city by walking around.  I would say that Brisbane is a vibrant modern city of Australia.

Chucking my e-bike in the bus heading back home.

It is really time to go home now but I still manage to see more places here. I don't wanna drive my bike back to get home and my option is to take the train going to Newcastle/Sydney or take the bus. In the end, I decided to take the Greyhound Bus just because of my situation and timings. 

As it is, they just chuck my bike in the underneath storage of the bus together with other passengers' luggage. It was an overnight trip.

I got back home safe through prayers. 

It is so much colder in NSW than Queensland. I finally arrived in Newcastle where I needed again the thick sweater,jacket that I have, I need to cover my face against the harsh cold wind. Thank you very much, It was amazing and I wanna do it again.

Life is good, Time is Gold...Enjoy it.