Day 3: Braidwood to Cooma (147km, 2,717m)
I met another bikepacker, Taylor, who was riding the Sydney-to-Summit route. We rode together into Cooma, stopping at Captains Flat for coffee and pastries—our only resupply for the day. The heat hit 35°C, and my water filter failed, but thankfully, Taylor had a backup.
Day 4: Cooma to Suggan Buggan (156km, 2,587m)
An early start took me up Kosciuszko Road toward Jindabyne. After refueling, I hit some of the most spectacular gravel of the trip—winding through Kosciuszko National Park, descending to the Snowy River, and continuing along Barry Way into Victoria’s Alpine National Park. I camped at Suggan Buggan, surrounded by wilderness.
Day 5: Suggan Buggan to Bairnsdale (158km, 2,447m)
The day started with a 600m climb straight out of camp. I had pre-arranged sandwiches at a remote service station—fueling up on a beef roll, a curried egg roll, snacks, and iced coffee. Mist and rain followed me into Bairnsdale, where I stayed with a generous Warmshowers host.
Day 6: Bairnsdale to Drouin (200km, 1,281m)
Fueled by two portions of spaghetti bolognese and sticky date pudding, I tackled a big day linking Gippsland’s rail trails. Some rogue sections included grass up to my shoulders and steep hike-a-bike stretches, but they connected to some of the quieter, more scenic gravel roads.