Join Janet! Riding home from Canberra to Melbourne
Recently retired Senator Janet Rice will be leaving Canberra on her bike on Tuesday 14 May at 12.30pm (after seeing her successor Steph Hodgins-May sworn in); a book-end to her Ride to Canberra ten years ago!
Janet plans to travel through Cooma and Bombala, down the Bonang Highway through Goongerah to Orbost, along rail trails and back roads through Gippsland, arriving in Melbourne on Thursday 30 May
You can join Janet the whole way, for a day or two, or just for the afternoon of the first day.
Note that all people joining the Ride need to be self-sufficient, including in basic bike maintenance, food and accommodation. This is not a supported ride.
Joining the Ride for the first afternoon
We will be departing Parliament House Canberra at 12.30pm on 14 May. There will be a group of people who will ride with us to Queanbeyan then return to Canberra. This is approximately a 25 km round trip.
Joining the ride for a few days
We encourage people to join the ride for short segments along the way, however transporting yourself and your bike is going to be a bit of a juggle. Sadly coaches are replacing trains on the Gippsland line during the time of the ride. So transport for you -or more particularly your bike- to join will be by car (or bike if you live close enough!) or suburban train for the last two days. We are expecting to be able to organise some carpooling and car shuffles. Transport can be organised in East Gippsland by Snowy River Cycles for a fee.
Outline of the Ride
Most days will be 60-80 km. The first week from Canberra to Goongerah involves quite a bit of climbing, (over the Snowy Mountains and the Monaro Tablelands!) but it’s largely downhill after that!
Janet plans to be staying in towns along the way – and is still open to offers of accommodation
People joining the ride will need to organise their own accommodation – there may be possibilities depending on the numbers to organise it together but this cannot be guaranteed.
We expect that there may be quite a few people interested in joining us for the first day as we leave Canberra and for the last couple of days as we head into Melbourne.
But other than that, we expect the group will be fairly small – maybe 4-6 – let’s see!
Trek Australia have offered some support for the ride including some emergency bike maintenance support along the way and through providing bikes to borrow if you would like to join but don’t have a suitable bike. Janet’s bike is an 18 year old Trek road bike so yay Trek! Thanks for the support.
How to join the Ride
To join the ride for any distance, please fill out the form here.
This form asks for the dates you intend to join – you can revise these later but this will give us an idea of who is interested for what parts of the ride.
If you would like to borrow a bike you can indicate this on the form.
You will need to sign that you agree with the Terms and Conditions which includes an indemnity waiver.
There is no cost to take part, though you and your friends and contacts are welcome to donate to fundraising accompanying the Ride that is raising money for Palestine, Tibet, West Papua and Melbourne City Mission. Details to come.
Not riding but would like to help?
If you are interested in helping with transport, other logistics or with accommodation please fill out the form here
Other questions?
Please email Janet on janeterice@gmail.com
Janet’s Ride Home from Canberra is organised by Janet Rice, co-hosted with the Greens Victoria.
Route as planned (current as of 19 April). Subject to change
You will be provided the links to the maps of the route when you register
