Cycle-touring from Armidale to Brisbane, 1983

Buoyed by the enjoyment of day trips away from Melbourne, we decided to do a tour from Armidale to Brisbane. We left on the overnight train to Sydney on Christmas Day, spent a day in Sydney, and then caught the overnight mail train to Armidale on the New England plateau in New South Wales. We went from Armidale, via Dorrigo to Coffs Harbour and then up the Pacific Highway and it was a wonderful trip which took us 13 days including a number of days relaxing on the beaches along the way. We were very amateur in terms of cycle touring gear and knowledge, riding in cut-off tracky daks, CIG safety helmets, road workers reflective vests and with all our gear draped over our bikes however it would fit. What we lacked in knowledge, we made up for in fitness and the arrogance of youth and we didn't make too much effort to travel light.