By Brendan Rees
Pedalling 6000 kilometres through Australia’s central desert may not seem like the perfect holiday for some but for tourist couple Annick and Bruno Versoliatto it was “amazing”.
Carrying little more than eight litres of water each, some luggage and a tent strapped to the back of their recumbent bikes, the French husband and wife team set out on their journey from Darwin, reaching Port Augusta some three months later.
“We are in good condition. If we are to do again, we will do again. It’s good if you want to lose your fat,” Annick said.
Mainly staying at campsites, Annick, 60 and Bruno, 68 met Cranbourne South couple, Rex and Asta Sutherland while camping at Kakadu National Park.
“They were our neighbour and began to joke with us. Rex told us ‘Oh if you reach Melbourne you will come in my home’. I told him ‘Be careful because we will come’. Now we are here. Very friendly people,” Annick said.
Annick and Bruno, who are from a little village named Thoiry in eastern France, shipped their recumbent bikes to Australia in August before undertaking their gruelling challenge.
Annick said their cycle along the Stuart Highway was “amazing,” adding the road trains were “very friendly”, allowing them plenty of room when passing.
“Everybody told us it’s a very boring road but didn’t think it was boring at all. We like it very much. You put your tent everywhere in the bush and there’s lots of birds everywhere,” she said.
“At the beginning we carried 10 litres each but after we understand we don’t need so much, so we reduced to eight litres each. Yes, it was heavy but it was flat so no problem.”
“We visited Litchfield and Kakadu (National Parks) then Katherine, the city of Cadel Evans, Alice Springs, Ayres Rock and Kings Canyon, Coober Pedy, then we arrive in Port Augusta.”
Annick said they didn’t experience any hiccups in their trek apart from the weight of their luggage causing the spokes on their wheels to break.
“They break because we were too heavy. Now we are OK because we lose a lot of weight.”
She said they didn’t hit much bad weather except after visiting the 12 Apostles where they were forced to change their route.
“It was too windy on Great Ocean Road to Geelong so we went into Colac.”
Annick and Bruno eventually held Rex to his word, and they stayed with the couple at their home in Cranbourne South for five days.
Rex said: “It’s something I wouldn’t do. For them they’re very active. They love the outback. They do this all around the world. I admire them for it.”
