birthday boy Harley tour – Filipe 06.04.25

The birthday boy Harley tour was a gift from his girlfriend. We emailed a Gift Voucher so he could use it whenever it suited him. Our vouchers are valid for 3 years! Our rider picked Filipe up from his home in Ryde.

Ryde

On the 3rd January 1792, the first land in the Ryde area was granted to eight marines, along the northern bank of the river between Sydney and Parramatta. The area was named by Governor Phillip the ‘Field of Mars’, Mars being the ancient God of war, named to reflect the military association with these new settlers.

Pymble and Wahroonga

Firstly, they rode through the northwestern suburbs of Sydney, including Pymble, Turramurra, Wahroonga, Hornsby and Berowra.

The Old Pacific Highway Pt 1

The Old Pacific Highway was the main route for heading North before the construction of the M1. It winds through the hills instead of cutting through them and offers a delightful ride through three distinct sections. Information from Moto Rides Australia website.

The first section starts at Cowan, passes Pie in the Sky and through to Hawkesbury River Bridge. This is usually pretty busy on a weekend with many riders, varying in talent but all out to enjoy the road. Pie in the Sky is the usual meeting place and unsurprisingly, has good pies!

Cowan

There is so much history int the areas along the Old Pacific hwy. Besides the English botanist George Caley, who explored the area in 1805, the first Europeans to visit the area were timber-getters. The timber from Cowan was used for coach building, one of the first industries in the area. Already, the birthday boy Harley tour was fun and an interesting experience.

Pie in the Sky

Next, it was time for a refreshment and a stretch. So they stopped at this famous cafe. Perched on a hill top by the side of the old Pacific Highway north of Cowan is the legendary Pie in the Sky. No matter what day you choose or what time it is, there is always a surprising collection of bikes, exotic-looking trikes or perhaps even a bright red vintage truck. Cyclists call in, the police stop by, a helicopter pilot calls ahead to make sure there are no cars parking on his helipad, and the Ulysses Club get together after a hard day on the road.

It started out as a railway canteen for the fettlers as they worked on the northern train line. Then it became the site of a Mobil petrol station and fell victim to the opening of the F3 in 1968, which diverted passing traffic away. Finally it became a pie shop. Initially, it was not a huge success. and was sold to a Mr. Tom Ransom and later to his son who both built it into the thriving business it is today. See their website for interesting stories.

Mooney Mooney Bridge

Further north, the Mooney Mooney Bridge, officially the Mooney Mooney Creek Bridge is a twin cantilever bridge that carries the Pacific Motorway (M1) across Mooney Mooney Creek, located near Mooney Mooney. It was opened in 1986. The original 1930 two-lane steel truss bridge carried the Old Pacific Highway across Mooney Mooney Creek. This bridge remains in concurrent use and is located downstream of the existing Mooney Mooney Bridge.

The Old Pacific Highway Pt 2

The second section takes you from the bridge up to Mount White, where the Old Road Warriors Cafe, AKA the Old Road Cafe is another good meeting place and a good bite to eat.

Mount White

Then it was through the “hidden” area in the Hinterland, the village of Mount White. It is a gateway to the Central Coast Hinterland. Located in the Southern part of the Central Coast just an hour from Sydney, the area around Mount White has been a crossroads for thousands of years. The country here has a number of sites significant to the Darug and Darkinjung peoples.

While the road here was once a major artery for traffic heading from Sydney to Newcastle, after the opening of the F3 Pacific Motorway in the 1980s the area became a backroad portal to the Central Coast: a pathway for motorcyclists, a paradise for horse riders and a bush oasis untouched by time. Central Coast website.

The Old Pacific Highway Pt 3

The third section starts from Mount White and heads north. The third section is longer and far less busy but a little more challenging and certainly further into the wilderness. The surface is rougher and you have to watch for mossy patches in winter. The actual Old Pacific Hwy finishes in Brisbane, but we have divided it for the Sydney to Central Coast NSW leg.

Gosford

However, this was the end of the line for our tour. Gosford is a waterfront city at the northern end of Brisbane Water on the Central Coast. It is the main commercial hub and gateway of the Central Coast. It is situated approximately 77 km north of Sydney.

Gosford itself was explored by State Governor Arthur Phillip between 1788 and 1789. The area was difficult to access and settlement began around 1823. By the late 19th century the agriculture in the region was diversifying, with market gardens and citrus orchards occupying the rich soil left after the timber harvest. As late as 1850, the road between Hawkesbury (near Pittwater) and Brisbane Water was a cart wheel track.

Typical of early Colonial settlement, convicts lived and worked in the Gosford area. In 1825, Gosford’s population reached 100, of whom 50% were convicts.

The rider turned around and rode back via the Old Pacific Hwy. Lots of curves make this a fab road for motorcyclists. The 3 hour ride was just about over so our Harley rider dropped Filipe back at his home. In conclusion, the birthday boy Harley tour was a great success! After the ride he emailed, “I really loved the bike ride with Pat – he was wonderful!”.

Feel the Freedom!

or just email trevor@trolltours.com.au and tell us what you would like to do.