[Touring Report in Australia]


Ver.1.01 13th Aug 2001
Ver.4.01 25th Nov 2001
Ver.5.01 2nd Jul 2004
Ver.6.01 29th Jul 2005
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1, Date               4th(Sat) to 6th(Mon) Aug 2001
2, Main View Point    Fillip Island, Great Ocean Road, Lorne
3, Start point        Melbourne City Australia

4, High Lights
[1st Day] Melbourne City We can see some view point in Melbourne City. [2nd Day] Penguin Watching at Fillip Island We can see penguins coming to shore from Ocean. [3rd Day] Great Ocean Road We can see beautiful views of Great Ocean Road. Lorne We can see beutifull harbour and Pier in Lorne Town

[Melbourne is Red Area] Wait a morment,Please

5, Members
GP(Global Person) : KAWASAKI Vulcan 1500 SM(Snow Man) : BMW R1100-RT

6, Schedule

The Tour Root Map Û
Wait a morment,Please

Course [1st Day]
Arrived at
Melbourne Air Port

11:00~~30
-->
-->
-->
-->

Changed wears
at his Apartment

Walking at
Elizabeth St.
Victoria Market
12:10~~12:50
13:00~~
13:10~~
0km
Food Centre
Too many people
-->
Rental Shop of Mortorcycle
-->
Coffee Break
at Melbourne
-->
Beacon Co-op
Pass
-->
13:20~~
13:30~~14:00
14:30~~15:00
~~
km
St. Guilder Pier
Yacht Houbour
15:10~~40
-->
km
-->
km
-->
km

Albert Park
Couse of F1 Race

Loyal Botanical Garden
Arrived at
his Apartment
15:50~~16:00
16:30~~17:00
17:40


Course [2nd Day]
0km
Departure
Melbourne
8:00
-->
28km
-->
62km
-->
87km
-->

Mentoone

Mornington
Gas Station
9L/A$8.8
9:20~~25
9:45~~10:30
107km
110km
178km
258km
Point Nepean
-->
Coffe Break
-->
Sorrento
(Lunch)
-->
Gas Station
9L/A$8.5
-->
11:20~~
11:45~~12:40
13:00~~55
16:15~~25
310km
Tiket Countre
Penguin Centre
17:00~~
-->
320km
-->
429km
-->
480km

Penguin Watching
Pillip Island

Gas Station
9L/A$8.3
Arrived at
Melbourne
17:20~~19:00
20:15~~20
21:00


Course [3rd Day]
0km
Departure
Melbourne
9:10
-->
52km
-->
108km
-->
124km
-->

Parking Area
Taking rest

Crossing Kangaroo
View Point
in Anglesea
9:50
10:50~~
11:15~~25
132km
145km
160km
167km
Great Ocean Road
Taking Photos
-->
Lorne
(Lunch)
-->
Toropical Forest
Cafe Falls
-->
Gas Station
10L/A$10.6
-->
11:30~~45
12:00~~13:00
13:15~~25
13:40~~50
168km
Lorne Piar
Coffee Break
13:15~~25
-->
244km
-->
324km
-->
325km

Gearone
Coffee Break

Gas Station
8L/A$7.0
Arrived at
Melbourne
15:55~~14:10
17:20~~30
17:40


7, Mileage Traveled

The 1st Day The 2nd Day The 3rd Day Total
Mileage Traveled 45 km 480 km 325 km 850 km
Fuel Consumption 3.0 L 27.0 L 15.0 L 45.0 L
Mileage 15.0 Km/L 17.8 Km/L 21.7 Km/L 18.9 Km/L
Elapsed Time 4.0 H 13.0 H 8.5 H 25.5 H

(Cf.) Fuel Consumption & Mileage are coversion value.
(The end of day was not equal with the final fuel. Ë

8, The Reports
Written by Yukio Fukushima
Translated by Snowman Happyisland
Edited by Nadia McKeknie

This year is the 1st year of 21st century. I planned and went on an overseas tour to Australia as a 21st Anniversary Event, because our touring club's name is ST-21 (Super Touring in the 21st Century).
I was Lucky, because my friend Mr. GP (Global Person) lives in Melbourne Australia because of his business. So he had a lot of information about this area and this country's circumstances. He made our touring plan and reserved our hotel and rental motorcycles.

I asked an our motorcycle friends to go to Australia. But none of then could go, because they had another plans, problemswith the cost or distance. So only Mr. GP and I were able to go.

(1)Before job
I asked Mr. GP about everything. But I worried a lot before my trip.

1. I would use credit cards most of the time, but how much cash would I need?
2. It would be winter in Australia, but how cold would it be, what shuld I wear?
3. How much would a motorcycle cost to hire, and what kinds of motorcycle would the shop have?
4. How would I pack my motorcycle helmet, razor pants, padded jacket, boots and raincoat?
5. Where would I get an international driver's license for Australia?
6. How would I get the ETAS (Electronic Travel Authority System) visa that need to enter Australia by my self for my experiment?
7. How would I change my clothes from summer to winter in the airplane? It was the middle of summer in Japan.

I had many problems due to different Japanese circumstances.
But I could let go of my anxiety, because I got a lot of information about Australia by email from Mr. GP.

(2)Waiting for a cancellation ticket
I only just got my ticket for Australia, because I ordered it too late.
I was told that ther ware many tickets available for Melbourne Australia in early June. But when I ordered my ticket on 20th June, the agency had no cheap tickets left for JAL Gokoo tour, I had to wait for a cancellation ticket. So I asked HIS tourist, and I was able to reserve a ticket for Melbourne via Sydney on Quantas Air Line.
I thought that I wouldn't be able to get a JAL Gokoo ticket, because it was very popular and many people wanted one. But by some miracle I was able to get one so I canceled the Quantas's ticket.

I am a member of JAL Global Club. So I can get a lot of benefits.

1. I can get JAL mileage point about 70% by JAL Gokoo Package.
2. I can get some drinks by free in JAL Sakura raunge.
3. I can send my baggage to the airport by LAL free service.
4. I can check in at the first class passengers counter, then I don't have almost waiting time.
5. I can get my baggage faster than economy class passengers at arrived airport.
6. I can get oversea insurer automatically by JAL. (Max. \50,000,000)

I choose JAL by their reasons.

(3) From mid-summer to mid-winter
It was very hot days since leaving Japan. I had my jeans and short sleeves shirt. I drank some bears at JAL Sakura Range. After getting dinner.

The people from Australia are sitting on the next seat, and it addressed from my way. It was asked to the travel purpose etc., and when it was said [ "touring / motorbike" ] that it was, it was very much surprised. Although it was the Japanese version, when it was said that there was my homepage and went back, it was said that he wanted to see instantly.

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Arrived at Melbourne Air Port Cancellation Signature(Down)
Reentry at Melbourne(Upper)
Highway in Melbourne City

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Melbourne City New Port in Melbourne At a Cafe in New Port

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Harbour in Williams Town St.Kilda Bridge Albert Park(F1 Race Road)
KAWASAKI Vulcan 1500

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Harbour in Williams Town (180 deg. Panorama)

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Royal Botanical Garden Cockscomb Coral-tree Like Shinjuku-gyoen in Tokyo


[2nd Day]

Shunapper's Cafe in Mornington
Wait a morment,Please (1)It was cloudy and dark.
2nd day, we had a long tour from Melbourne to Phillip Island. It was cloudy with some patchs of blue sky, but the cloud increased more and more.
After one hour we took a coffee break at Shunapper's Cafe in Mornington Port.
It was am 9:50, so the shop was closed. After Mr. GP knocked the door of the shop, the manager of the shop opened the shop.
So we were able to have a coffee break.

(2)The Point Nepean
After that, We run to the Point Nepean in a short time. We asked about the Point Nepean at the visitor center. We had to pay the entrance fee because to hold nature. We bought two medals like coin. After we put a medal in gate machine, the gate opened for us. We saw a parking area at the half to the top of the Point Nepean. so we had to go to the top of the Point Nepean on foot because to hold nature.
We came to the hill that we could see a sea after 2 kms on foot. There were some vestiges of cannon and a old fort to keep Austraria. So we could see a lot of warning plates painted a skull to tell a lot of duds in this hill.

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The view from Point Nepean Mr. G.P. at Point Nepean Fortifications from the past

We could see a 360 degrees panorama seen the Antarctic Ocean at the top of the hill. I took a lot of photos for a panorama photo by the digital camera. I made a panorama photo by the PC softwear like this.

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Ocean View (360 deg. Panorama)

(3) We went to Phillip Island directly.
We ran a straight to Phillip Island, and we arrived at just 17:00.
After 2 hours, it became very rainy.
Melbourne's weather is like England, so it is occasionally rainy and the clears up. We weren't wear in raincoats, but it began to rain cats and dogs so we had to put on our raincoats. When we ware standing by our motorcycles, it was raining cats and dogs. A car stopped near our motorcycles, and a man asked us "What's happened? ". We answered "No problem".
I thought that Australian people were very kindly.

(4) We arrived at Penguin Watching Centre on schedule.
We arrived at Penguin Watching Centre at 5:30 pm. It was dark. We asked to pm 5:45 entry course.
We could not enter another time for holding nature. And we could not take any photos because of the rules.

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Penguin Watching Centre
(It was dark after sunset)
Wearing rain coat
(Cold weather; warm coat)
The small penguins copied by the pamphlet.

(5) Landing of penguins.
This area's penguins are very small (About 30cm). So their enemies attack them easily.
We could not see the penguins in the daytime. At 5:50 a loudspeaker said that the penguins were 2 Km away.
Suddenly we saw some penguins at 6:00 pm. They landed in a group. Their walking style was comic and lovely.
Their stomachs are fat because they eat a lot of fishes for their babies.
I wanted to take some photos but I could not.
Australian people keep rules.

We could see a lot of penguins, but we could not take any photos because of a rule.

Wait a morment,Please
It was dark after sunset,the penguin was waiting another.
Ê Copied from the pamphlet of QUANTAS Air Line. Ë

(6) We came back to Melbourne.
We rode with our raincoats on in case of sudden rain on the dark road. We ran on a road in the country with no lamp.
When I rode on the north side. I saw a shooting star in the dark sky. On the north side.
It broke after shineing brightly in a long line.
It felt like the moon travels from west to east because we were on the north side of the earth.


[3rd Day]
(1)We rode through meadows.
On the 3rd day we made a long trip. We rode to west from the Melbourne side of the Ocean. We were soon in open countryside. We saw almost no big trees, but we saw some trees between fields.
We rode on a straight road through flat meadows. The freeway has no SA (Service Area) like Japanese. There were PA (Parking Areas) with toilets.
(When I went from London to Brighton in English few yers ago, there were some little shops in the PA in British freeway.)

(2)Great Ocean Road
We finially saw the sea after a long ride. I took some photos from a nice viewpoint. When we arrived at the entrance of the Great Ocean Road, I took some photos. We rode a nice long road to some good sights.
When we took a break at the seashore, we saw a sign it said "Please take your litter home". So that seashore was very beautiful.
I took a photo of many kind of stecker for sale in a shop.

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Kangaroo Crossing At View Point in Apple sea Entrance of Great Ocean Road

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Please take your Litter Home Ocean & Mr.G.P. Many Yellow Caution Stecker

(3)Rorne Town
We arrived at Rorne Town. We visited the Information Centre and asked about the tourist attractions. After that, we had lunch in an Italian restaurant. I noticed that almost on the restaurant workers were Italian. There are many Italian restaurants in the world. I thought that many Italians worked in many Italian restaurants in the world.

(4)Tropical Forest
We went to the Tropical Forest to see the Cafe Falls it took 15 minutes by motorcycle (4km). We stopped our motorcycles in a parking area in the Tropical Forest down a hill. We didn't go to see the Cafe Falls because it was a 15 minute walk and we had no time.
It was very humid in the forest; we saw a Harley Davidson motorcycle. Then there were 3 big motorcycles (Harley Davidson, BMW, & Kawasaki).

Wait a morment,Please
The Cafe Falls in Toropical Forest (3 Big Motorcycles: Harley Davidson, BMW, KAWASAKI)

{Next day}
We drove to Portland. When we were having a rest in a cafe, we saw a Harley Davidson motorcycle. The man who owned the motorcycle said "I saw you in the Tropical Forest yesterday. We remembered the Harley Davidson. But we were surprised that he knew that we had been to the Tropical Forest because we were dressed differently both days.

(5)Geelong Town
This town was very beautiful, and we could see the harbour. After taking some photos, we took a coffee break at Buchanan Cafe on Cunningham Pier.

Wait a morment,Please
Harbour, Houses, & I

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Geelong Bay & Mr.G.P. Houses in Geelong Town & I Cunningham Piar
Buccanan Cafe

(6)Silent Winter Harbor
It was very quiet in winter. We didn't see any other travelers. The souvenir shops and cafes were empty.
We left this shop after a coffee break.
Next we returned home. None of the cars drove fast the maximum speed was 110 km/h.

(7)There were some signs and roundabouts on the free ways.
When we drove on a free way in a country area, all the cars slowed down to 40 km/h after seeing a 40 km/h sign. After we came off a roundabouts, all cars speeded up 100 km/h.
When I saw a 80 km/h sign, I saw a town far away. Then the sign changed from 80 km/h to 60 km/h, 40 km/h. When we saw the panel a 40 km/h sign, we had arrived in a town.

(8)The rule for driving on to a roundabout.
here are rules for entering a roundabout. If we see any other cars in the roundabout before we enter it, we wait . Australian people kept tis rule. There are the licensed society in Australia, Europe and USA. Then To hold the rule is usual, because the license is to hold the rule.
Australian people say that Japanese people break the rules.
It is very interesting that a roundabout onto a big road has 2 ways to enter the roundabout.


9, The Cost

Cost(A$=\70) The 1st Day The 2nd Day The 3rd Day Sub Total
Rental for Mortorcycle 220 220 220 660
Fuel --- 25.6 17.6 43.2
Food and Soft Drinks 44.6 33.1 53.0 130.7
Entrance Fee --- 13.0 --- 13.0
Total 264.6 291.7 290.6 846.9


Wait a morment,Please Wait a morment,Please
Casino in the CROWN building The night view from restaurant
(Flinders street station and Yara river)
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Main gate of Flinders street station We can see
the NEC's neon sign.
There are Japanese Restrant
in China Town

I had a very nice trip with no trouble.

That's all


[ Please show the under report after.]

[2] Driving Report in Austlaria (Great Ocean Road, Portland & Halls Gap)
[3] Sightseeing in Sydney (Crume Bridge & Lunch Cruise In Sydney Bay)



Go to Japanese Version "Motorcycle Touring in Australia"
Go to Japanese Version "Driving Report in Australia"
Go to Japanese Version "Sightseeing in Sydney, Australia"
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