The scars of burnt trees on this route are a reminder of the ferocity of the bushfires that devastated Australia int he summer of 2019/20. The cleared undergrowth has opened up the views and we are pleased to see the trees have begun to recover.
This route follows the Valla Rd, crossing the upper reaches of the North Arm of the Nambucca River at the entrance to Bowraville, then onto dirt on Williams Hill Rd. A brief run on the tar on Boat Harbour Rd, before turning back onto dirt at Kosekai Rd, climbing Whip Mountain to a high point in Mistake State Forest.
From here, we turn down an exciting dirt track, popping out onto Taylors Arm Rd at the Pub with No Beer, made famous by the country-singer Slim Dusty. We stop for lunch here, at the large cedar log. There is beer – but we stick to soft drinks while we are riding.
After lunch its a curvy cruise through pretty pastoral lands along the Taylors Arm river into Macksville and on to Nambucca Heads for coffee.
