We’re all excited to be on the way now but please be patient while the logistical requirements are dealt with by the Rotary volunteers. Read about what to expect in the “at the start” section of our Preparation page.

The morning’s ride is straight forward – leaving Hornsby with only a couple directional changes, we follow the main road all the way to morning tea. It’s mostly rolling country with some hills. There’s a fast descent to the Hawkesbury River and then a solid climb up Mt White to morning tea.

After morning tea, you’ll roll through Peats Ridge and Somersby areas before descending towards the Central Coast. Just after crossing the motorway, there’s a steep descent  which will require care from all riders. We’ll stop for lunch at a park just through Wyong township.

The afternoon session will see us cruising through the beautiful Central Coast before passing Munmorah  State Conservation Area and Lake Macquarie into Blacksmiths Beach at Swansea.

Dinner tonight and breakfast tomorrow will be at Belmont Golf Club (801A Pacific Highway Marks Point).

So that’s one day down, only 6 to go!

After breakfast, we’ll take the cycleway to cross the bridge over Swansea Channel before linking back up with our support vehicle. The ride takes us around the beautiful foreshore of Lake Macquarie and then through the suburbs of Newcastle. It’s mostly flat but we travel through built up areas and can expect lots of traffic through to morning tea at Hexham.

We loop east through Kooragang and Williamtown before rejoining the highway at Raymond Terrace. Its then a pretty fast run with good dual carriageway to our lunch stop on the banks of the Karuah River.

After lunch, we ride on in to camp at Bulahdelah.

Dinner tonight and breakfast tomorrow morning will be at Bulahdelah Bowling Club (Jackson Street Bulahdelah).

As a result of restrictions placed on the ride, we are unable to ride our usual Day 3 route in 2023. Riders and their gear will be transferred to North Haven by bus with a morning tea stop in Nabiac.

Dinner tonight and breakfast on Day 4 will be at North Haven Bowling Club (1 Woodford Rd, North Haven).

It may be hump day but that doesn’t mean its all down hill from here. You’ve had your rest day and now there’s no more time to relax.

After breakfast, we follow Ocean Drive out of North Haven with the South Pacific Ocean crashing onto the beach on your right shoulder. We’ll have morning tea at Telegraph Point on the way to lunch at Kempsey on the Macleay River.

The afternoon session takes us through more rolling countryside to Macksville and then we follow the Nambucca River out to the coast at Nambucca Heads.

Dinner tonight and breakfast tomorrow will be at Nambucca RSL (3 Nelson St Nambucca Heads).

Welcome to day 5 – another great day on the bike and arguably some of the best scenery of the tour!

After breakfast, its just a few kilometres before we join the by-ways for what should be a great ride through undulating terrain. At Coffs Harbour we make our way to morning tea at the Big Banana and then turn left for the climb into the Coffs Coast hinterland. The climb up to Bruxner Gap has a reputation worse than its bite; there’s a stunning view over the coast to take your mind off what your legs might be saying and you’ll be rewarded with a fast downhill through beautiful rainforest. Then its rolling hills through Nana Glen to lunch at Glenreagh.

The afternoon session to Grafton is not everyone’s favourite ride – expect a hard grind over rolling hills on ordinary country roads.

On a positive note, we finish at the Crown Hotel in Grafton overlooking the mighty Clarence River where you might like to share a cold beverage with your cycling mates and reflect on the ride so far.

Dinner tonight and breakfast on day six will be at the Grafton District Services Club (105-107 Mary St Grafton)

You want more? Today is another big day and includes another challenging climb.

This morning, we take the Summerland Way out of Grafton. Its delightful, undulating countryside all the way to morning tea at Whiporie and then on to lunch in Casino.

After lunch, the Bruxner Highway offers more of the same until Lismore when we hit a short, sharp climb up Bruxner Pass at Goonellabah. Over the top, there’s a long downhill into the busy seaside centre of Ballina.

Dinner and breakfast on our final day will be at Ballina RSL Club (River Street, Ballina).

You thought you’d never make it, but here you are, ready for the final day’s ride into Sea World.

Leaving Ballina, we head inland to climb a few final hills before we head back out to the coast for morning tea at Brunswick Heads.

The remainder of the day is fairly flat as we take the old highway north before following the Tweed Coast road from Wooyung to lunch on Terranora Creek at Tweed Heads.

After seven days in the saddle you’ve earned the right to be there in the final mass peloton as the Sydney to Surfers Robbo’s Ride rolls into Surfers Paradise. Be sure you know what toe expect by reading the “at the end” section on our Your Preparation page.