Nundle Cycling the Things to do A scenic detour off the Thunderbolts Way will bring The Climbing Cyclist you to the old Goldmining town of Nundle. Founded The online blog ‘Climbing Cyclist’ grades the Thunder- in 1885 this historic little town marks the beginning bolts Way as the 12th steepest climb in , Thunderbolts of The Fossicker’s Way. A stay in Nundle is a step and had this to say about the ride. “The climb from back in time and prepare to be treated with real Bretti up the to Walcha is very Gloucester to Uralla country hospitality and be ready for a yarn. tough due to its length. With a long, flat section to Way Approximate Driving Times contend with it’s hard to find a rhythm for this entire ascent. With more than 1,200m of elevation gain only Thunderbolts Way is one of the most scenic stretch- Gloucester - Gloryvale reserve 25 min a few climbs in Australia see you gain more altitude”. es of road in NSW. It takes you through the rolling Gloucester - Bretti 30 min foothills of the Barrington Tops just north of Gloucester - Carson’s Lookout 1 hr Gloucester, and up along the steep ridges to the Gloucester - Nowendoc 1.5 hr plateau above. Well worth a day trip. Gloucester - Topdale Road turn off 1.75 hr Gloucester - Walcha 2 hr Construction began on the Thunderbolts Way back in Gloucester - Uralla 2.5 hr 1958 with the primary purpose of enabling logs from Gloucester - Armidale 3 hr the Giro State Forest to be transported to the Graph courtesy of Strava - depicts the ride from Bridge to Gloucester timber mill. By 1961 the 21km route had Topdale Road Junction at Walcha. Picnic Spots & Toilets g been traversed by a 6.5 metre wide road. The work You’ll find riverside picnic spots dotted all along the Strava was arduous and dangerous, the road having to be Thunderbolts Way. Make sure you pack a picnic bas- The Strava community of cyclists track their rides with carved out of steep, rugged country. By re-routing ket. other cycling enthusiasts, where they compare various the road to the north, the builders avoided the noto- details about the ride. Track your rides and runs via rious Hungry Hill, a one in three grade. The hill had Gloryvale Reserve your iPhone, Android or GPS device, analyze your per- long been considered a serious obstacle to any road. On the banks of the Little you’ll find formance, and compare with friends. The first logs reached Gloucester in September 1961, the natural beauty of Gloryvale Reserve, a rustic pic- www.strava.com across a new bridge over the Barnard River. nic area with camping, caravan sites and long drop toilets. Eric Carson and his sons, Max and Terry, were re- sponsible for the construction of this first road across Bretti Reserve the Divide to Nowendoc. Eric, the son of Frederick Shortly after crossing the Little Manning River for the Gloucester Carson, who founded a timber mill near Gloucester third time over a narrow causeway, an entry will be Visitor Information Centre in 1934, for many years sought to convince the au- seen on the right, to the Bretti Reserve located at thorities of the benefits of such a road. With the 27 Denison Street Gloucester 2422 the junction of the Barnard and Little Manning Rivers strong support of Doug Rye, proprietor of the (picnic & toilet facilities). AUSTRALIA Gloucester Advocate, and other Gloucester citizens, official backing was eventually gained. Nowendoc

Take a short 3km diversion into the outpost village of 02 6538 5252 [email protected] The road traverses country where the bushranger Nowendoc where you will find toilets in the reserve www.gloucestertourism.com.au Thunderbolt, was active and although there was alongside the community hall. some objection to using this name it was finally adopted. Thunderbolt’s Way is the name Walcha given to the road which links at Where wild rivers run! At 1,000 metres above Gloucester to the New England at sea level Walcha is known as one of the best Uralla. Upgrading and sealing of the final fine wool growing regions in the world. The sections was completed in 1999. natural beauty of the region is quite breath- taking. Carson’s Pioneer Lookout The Shire is home to the magnificent Macleay Carson’s lookout is located on the Thunder- Gorges and boasts some 205,000 hectares of bolt’s Way approximately 45km north of dedicated national parks, wilderness and Gloucester. Named after Gloucester resident state forest. Parts of our Werrikimbe National Eric Carson (1913-1999). Eric was a member Park are World Heritage listed. The Shire is of the team who built the first road up the also a well known trout fishing mecca, mountain back in 1961, the original road was boasting some 1,500 km of trout streams only 32kms long. Gloucester Rotary Club con- which are a home to Rainbow and Brown structed the lookout to commemorate the trout. achievements of the men who blazed this More information | www.walchansw.com.au route up the mountain. Carson’s lookout offers the viewer a pano- Uralla ramic western view over Giro, State Forests The name "Uralla" was taken by European and the Barrington Tops World Heritage area. settlers from the dialect of the local Anaiwan A perfect spot to enjoy the view and take a people, and means "meeting place". Uralla is well-earned break from driving, Carson’s look- located at the junction of the Thunderbolts out also offers parking, picnic facilities and Way and the . toilets While in Uralla don't miss these Captain Thun- ELEVATION | 936 metres derbolt related sites: GPS-DD | Latitude: -31.655875

Longitude: 151 809275 McCrossin's Mill Museum - Contains arte- ACCESS | Via car facts used by during DISTANCE FROM GLOUCESTER | 45km his daring escapades. Thunderbolt’s Grave - Located in Uralla’s Pio- After the steep climb, the Thunderbolts Way neer Cemetery, this headstone was erected now traverses open undulation cattle and by residents of Uralla as a memorial to Cap- sheep properties. About 30km on from Now- tain Thunderbolt. endoc, Topdale road to Tamworth is on the Thunderbolt's Rock - Originally known as Split left. This was the route used in the early Rock, this huge cluster of granite boulders is years to bring stock and produce down from located 6km south of Uralla on the New Eng- the highland to Port Stephens on the coast. land Highway. The rocks were infamously The AA company developed the section of - Sealed Road - Sealed Road - section of road used by Captain Thunderbolt as a vantage road known as Port Stephens Cutting to make named Port Stephens Cutting point for detecting approaching mail coaches. a shorter route between Peel estates and Port - Location point Courtesy of Google Maps More information | www.uralla.com Stephens.