For this mountain biking adventure we were going to tackle Thomson Gorge from Matakanui to the Boundary Gate below Thomsons Saddle riding East to West return. We parked near the creek by Tinkers Diggings.
The weather was overcast with low clouds. The start of the ride is very steep, approximately a 5km uphill climb as you head into the hills. The road is rough with rocks, deep ruts and plenty of sheep poo.
There are a number of gates along the way to be opened and then closed. As you drop down into the valley you will see a large wool shed and yards. Crazy to think of stock trucks tackling this route.
As we continued on, the road actually takes you through the stream. We managed to cycle through no problem, just keep on peddling and don’t stop!
It is worth checking out the old stone musterer’s hut built in 1908, which was used by drovers and travellers as they moved through the hills between the goldfields.
To the side of the main track you can see evidence of the gold mining past with piles of old tailings.
It had now started to rain and was quite cold. We rode out of the valley to the boundary gate just below the Thomsons Saddle at 910m where we decided to turn around and head back. We will ride from Bendigo into this same point sometime in the future. We ended up riding 25.5kms with a total elevation gain of 824 metres. It was great to be able to have a hot shower back at the caravan and wash off all the sheep poo.
Later that afternoon we stretched out our legs and followed Thomsons Creek to the Matakanui Water Race Take.
We found some feral goats and could hear wild pigs in the bush. Alfie was so overwhelmed with all the rabbits he didn’t know which ones to chase first.
Definitely not an easy ride but we enjoyed the challenge, stunning views and the beautiful scenery. As with all our rides we carry a first aid kit, spare food, water and an emergency locator beacon.
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