Croaking frogs sang down the rain and once again we stayed warm and dry in our Muttha Hubba tent overnight in Swansea.

The Swansea Backpackers was a good place to camp. It’s out the back of a bakery too, where unfortunately this morning I lost one of my cycling gloves. Despite the friendly staff doing everything they could to help, mysteriously my glove couldn’t be found!

Heading north towards Bicheno, we made the decision to turn left where the wild things are, in the Eastern Forests country. It was 30 kilometres of gradual climbing to reach the 700 meter peak at Lake Leake, cycling through wild forest, home to wombats, native quolls and birds I heard more than saw. Rugged and beautiful with very little traffic.

Stopping for a nature break at the top of the climb, I discovered my lost glove wedged down in my bicycling shorts. Come to think of it I had felt a little lumpy riding! We had a good laugh and continued on, down through this ancient landscape stopping on occasion just to listen to the quiet and the symphony of bird song.

The last 10 kilometers was a spectacular run down off the range into Campbell Town, Dodging dead wildlife and one moment breathing deeply the beautiful eucalyptus, the next holding your breath because of the smell of decaying animals.

Free camping tonight, we have set up our camp under a a big willow tree on the banks of the gently flowing Elizabeth River near the 1838 convict built Red Bridge.

Back roads north west tomorrow.