Reuthers
Best Of / Australia
Self Drive Motorcycle Tour

Welcome to Melbourne - the Sunshine City.

Right after breakfast, you pick up your Harley-Davidson rental motorcycle and head for Torquay, the gateway to the Great Ocean Road. This legendary coast road was built by home-coming soldiers in memory of their companions. More highlights on the road this first day are Bells Beach, the red and white lighthouse, Airey's Inlet and of course the Twelve Apostles.

The whole day is devoted to the Great Ocean Road. First stop will be Warnabool, and at Logan Beach, depending on the season, whale watching.

Leaving the coast road, you cruise inland and pass through an endless variety of landscapes. Early afternoon you reach Ballarat and spend the rest of the day at Sovereign Hill, a suburb where time stands still. The old gold mining town invites you to prospect for gold and in different houses you will learn more about life in "the good old days" in the Australian "Wild West".

Beautiful landscapes, endless avenues and the breath of the country show just how big a continent Australia is. Your destination today is Echuca and for a special reason.

Before riding again, you board the paddle steamer Emmylou for an unforgettable boat tour on the Murray, Australia's longest river. You continue your trip on the Murray Valley Highway with a photo stop at Lake Mulwala and visit the famous Routherglen wine region. For dinner you spend the evening at the Commercial Club with a "Gambling Licence".

Although everybody knows about Sydney and Melbourne, the capital of Australia is actually Canberra. Today's highlight is a visit to the Australian parliament buildings and the new government house.

You are leaving the interior country by freeway and head for the Pacific, to Sydney. In the evening you undertake a harbour cruise with dinner on board the Captain Cook.

A relaxing day. Our tip: the Opera House Tour in the morning. Here you will get a good look behind the scenes of the Sydney Opera House, one of the three best opera houses in the world.

From Sydney you head south, alternating coast roads and the Princess Highway 1. A must in the loneliness of the Benandarah State Forest is the Bewong Road House, a popular truck stop.

Passing the yacht harbour in Bateman's Bay, your coastal road leads you to the Muruya River and Princess Highway 1 to Tathra. At the Wharf Restaurant you learn more about seafood specialities.

Princess Highway 1 becomes more and more the Princess Freeway and so you have a fast run into Melbourne. Souvenir-hunters should visit the Harley-Davidson representative, before starting your overnight crossing on the Spirit of Tasmania over the rough seas of Bass Strait from Melbourne to Devonport in Tasmania.

By sun up, the 7th state of Australia, Tasmania, is in view. A beautiful sight for those up early, and you land at the small harbour of Devonport. Riding along the coastal Bass Highway and exploring the Tasman rain forest, you arrive in Strahan. At the visitor's center you'll find an exhibition about the biggest environmental protests in Australia. Or you can take a ride on the rain forest train or a Gordon River Cruise visiting the Wild Rivers National Park. There are many activities in Strahan - something for everyone!

The day begins with impressive photographic opportunities for motorcycle enthusiasts and nature lovers. Passing glassy clear lakes with beautifully coloured mirror images, you reach Glen Clyde House for lunch. Besides an excellent cuisine, you will find beautiful Tasmanian art and handcraft. In the afternoon you arrive in Hobart, the second oldest city in Australia and the capital of Tasmania. Your hotel is located in the centre.

Today you relax on an excursion to Tahune Forest and its Air Walk through the pure air and the wonders of nature of this Tasmanian park. From the Air Walk there is a beautiful view in all directions.

A real highlight of Tasmania is the former penal colony, Port Arthur, so you take a guided tour and a cruise to the prison islands. Along the Tasman Highway you stop at a Tasman Devil Park and stay overnight in Swansea.

Your last day on the road. From Swansea, after a stop at Richardson's Harley-Davidson in Launceston, you return to Devonport along the Bass Highway. You re-cross Bass Strait from Devonport to Melbourne by overnight ferry, the Spirit of Tasmania.

Arriving in Melbourne in the morning, you drop off your Harley-Davidson motorcycle and check into our hotel. Melbourne, with its Crown World of Entertainment, including shopping centers, casinos and a lot more attractions, is waiting.