Ride Details

Page last edited 21/10/07

Club Day Ride Details (All subject to change on the day!). See Disclaimer

Below are some details of rides we may do. See What's On for the Calendar of Club Events, or make a suggestion and round up some Ducatis for a ride, it's not hard to do if the sun's shining! We usually meet 9:30am at Freemans Waterhole Oaks for 10am departure (unless rain prevents), but check the calendar detail as the time changes for some events to fit in with other needs. Whatever it is you can be sure you will be going somewhere nice and in the company of friendly like minded people who love to ride their Ducatis, or they want to one day if they don't have one yet.

All are welcome and there is no club charge. We mostly adopt a ride practice of waiting at turns - this gives the faster riders a bit of a rest, and allows others to catch up at their own pace with no worries. We may sometimes use corner markers and / or tail riders depending on group size / destination / whatever, but the main thing is to ensure that everybody has a good time riding and in the company of others.

Please also note that the club accepts no liability whatsoever for your actions / losses, regardless of the cause - see disclaimer below

Bulahdelah: via East Gresford, Dungog, Stroud and Booral, sighting run to Wootton first, repeat run for many before lunch in Bulahdelah.

Catho Pub: via Broke, Wollombi Tavern, Laguna, Kulnura, Bumble Hill, Yarramalong Valley, back road to Doyalson and lunch at the famed Wallarah Hotel.

Chichester Dam: via East Gresford, Dungog and some lovely sweeping well sealed roads to the dam, back to Dungog for lunch, return via Clarencetown & Seaham. 146km out, 74km back to Newc.

Denman: via Millfield, Wollombi Tavern, Broke, travel about 2 km and turn left, which brings us to the Putty Rd, a quick right and left onto the Golden Highway, Jerrys Plains where we head west and take the scenic route to Denman pub for lunch, but we will do a lap of the winery first if we have time.

Putty Rd Half Way House: via Broke, Milbrodale & Howes Valley. A nice relatively short day out in the sunshine to do that magic top ten miles, and after the sighting run is done and a short break at the top bbq turnaround area the keen ones will go back for another loop! Lunch via Singleton pub and the back way to Lochinvar home. 188km out (+30km if keen), 81km back to Newc.

Lostock Dam: via Buchanan, Hinton, Martins Ck and East Gresford, return to Gresford Pub for lunch.

Nabiac National Motorcycle Museum: via Buchanan, Hinton, Clarence Town, Booral, Bulahdelah, Wootton and Nabiac for lunch.

Old Rd (Pacific Hwy): via Broke, Wollombi Tavern, Laguna, Yallambie, Bucketty, Kulnura, Central Mangrove, Peats Ridge and on to the Old Pacific Highway Mt White Cafe for lunch.

Patonga: Down through the lovely Yarramalong Valley and up Bumble Hill. Heading along the Old Pacific Highway towards Peats Ridge and Calga. Call in to Mangrove Ck Dam if we need to kill some time and want some more corners. Then into the Central Coast via Kariong, Umina Beach, past the Pearl Beach turn off and down to Patonga. 150km via Mangrove Ck Dam, 109km back to Newc

Putty: via Broke, Milbrodale, Howes Valley, Putty Rd Half Way House, Wollombi Tavern for lunch, Laguna, Freemans Waterhole home. Alternately, lunch via Singleton pub and the back way to Lochinvar and home.

Smiths Lake: via East Gresford, Dungog, Stroud, Booral, Bulahdelah and Bungwahl, lunch in Smiths Lake. Return via Booral & Raymond Terrace. 215km out, 133km back to Newc

"The Circuit": via Broke, Milbrodale, Howes Valley, Putty Rd Half Way House, Colo Heights for Lunch, Windsor, Lower Portland, Stanley Point, Wilberforce, Box Hill, Dural, Galston Gorge, Hornsby and Old Pacific Highway to Mt White Cafe for lunch, unless we feel the need for food earlier! 306km out, 100km back to Newc.

Thunderbolts Lookout: via East Gresford, Dungog and Stroud Rd, return to Gloucester for lunch. 210km out, 176km back to Newc. (120km from Gloucester).

Wingham: via Buchanan, Paterson, Dungog, Gloucester, Krambach, Burrell Creek and Wingham for lunch.

Wisemans Ferry: via Broke, Putty Rd Half Way House, Colo, Wisemans for lunch, return via Yarramalong Valley. 242km out, 120km return.

Wollombi Tavern: South route via Yaramalong Valley, Mangrove Ck Dam, Bucketty and Laguna is 125km. Or North route is via Sandy Ck Rd, Pokolbin and Broke which is all of 93km. Either are a beautiful ride through the country side with enough twisties and plenty of time to make any Ducati rider happy.

Weekend Away Rides (alphabetical order, click on name for info)

Gingers Creek: via East Gresford, Dungog, Stroud Rd, Gloucester, Wingham, Taree, Lansdowne and Wauchope, return Thunderbolts Way.

Murrurundi: via Dungog, Gloucester, Walcha (via Wauchope?), Bendemeer and Fossickers Way, return New England with tourist stops along the way.

Tamworth Powerhouse Motorcycling Museum: via East Gresford, Dungog and Stroud Rd, Gloucester, Walcha and Bendemeer, return Fossickers Way.

Uralla / Bendemeer: via East Gresford, Dungog, Stroud Rd, Gloucester, Wingham, Taree, Wauchope and Walcha, return Thunderbolts Way.

Special Event Rides (date order, click on name for info)

Eastern Ck races/track days: Run throughout the year. See here for more info.

Thredbo Blues Festival: mid January.

Ducati Turismo: Whenever it's organised, usually in autumn.

Henry Lawson Festival of Arts: Queens birthday long weekend in June

NDR (National Ducati Rally): Whenever it's organised, usually in spring.

Triumph Pt Macquarie Rally (good for a stir and nice folk to boot): Early Sept. You've gotta go via Thunderbolts and The Oxley again, tough life eh?

Motori D'Italia (Lansvale, Sydney): Concourse de Eleganza by NSWDOC, Usually in September.

Narooma Blues Festival: October Long Weekend and it is the best annual event of its type, they have good bunk style accommodation.

NSWDOC Thunder Rally (Nundle): Usually in October

Moto GP at Phillip Island: Typically in October

Merriwa River Rally: 4th weekend in October.

Grafton Jacaranda festival: Starts last Sat in Oct but first Sat in Nov is the main parade.

Sydney Bike Show: Around November at Sydney Olympic Park.

Snowie Ride: Last weekend in November.

Toy runs: Newcastle is departing 10am usually first w/e in December from Sandgate Markets, we would need to arrive before 9:30am to get a club group happening, its a great spectacle and well worth doing. Find a kid to chuck on the back and you'll make a life-long impression on them.

Please add to these suggestions and feel free to stir your fellow club members into going for a ride, it's all good as there's no bad days with a Ducati in your life!

Disclaimer: While we will try to take all care in organising these rides / events, we are just a group of friends going out for a ride. We accept no responsibility for your throttle twisting, faring scraping or possible road rash on the day whether caused by yourself, others, or environmental factors. It is up to you to ride within your capabilities and safe limits at all times. The Organisers, Office Bearers and Members of the Hunter Ducati Owners Group NSW Incorporated do not accept any responsibility for accidents, injuries to riders, pillions, drivers, passengers, possessions and vehicles at, or while travelling to and from Club events, or any consequences arising from the same.

You are totally responsible for your own choices and actions. This includes being aware of your skill level and ensuring you stay within safe limits appropriate to your knowledge and skills or lack thereof, regardless of the actions of others that may suggest otherwise.

Should unexpected hazards / situations arise these are solely up to you to deal with, including any consequences thereof to yourself, pillion, your property and that of others, in accordance with the laws of the land as applicable to a private citizen. The club cannot and will not provide or be expected to provide assistance beyond that which individual private persons are prepared to personally provide with good intent, but no warranty as to the fitness or suitability of any assistance provided is given or to be assumed.