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Captain's log
Based on the spreadsheet I used to plan daily kilometres, the key points we would need to hit, and occasional notes about where we stayed overnight. The overnight column now shows the confirmed place where we have checked it against the day articles, with the old schedule wording noted underneath when it differs. The attention to detail got a little looser as things went on, and the distance totals became a working log rather than a clean Strava-style accumulation.
How to read the kilometres
The daily kilometre column is the day-by-day activity distance. Cumulative total is a straight accumulation of those daily figures, with no reset at sheet boundaries.
Workbook total is the cumulative figure from the original schedule spreadsheet. It is useful source context, but it has manual re-anchors, including a visible jump on Day 67. I did not spot these differences until working on this website in 2026. Any original reason is lost in the mists of time; it is possible the early differences involved map-distance adjustments, and there is recorded evidence that those distance issues were part of the thinking at the time.
| Day | Date | Schedule detail | Overnight | Daily km1 | Cumulative total2 | Workbook total3 | Links |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day1 | Sat | Starting at Canning River parkrun. Run CR parkrun first, bit of a going away party with running buddies etc. Head out on parkrun course to Greenfield St, turn left - Nicholson, follow river to Roe Hwy. Welshpool Rd, Hale Rd. Pick up railway reserves trail to Chidlow | Helena Valley, at Mike's placeOriginal schedule: Chidlow | 50.8 | 50.8 | 50.8 | |
| Day2 | Sun | Nice early start, railway reserves and Kep track to Northam. Bakers Hill bakery looking likely for late lunch :) | Northam | 56.3 | 107.1 | 107.1 | |
| Day3 | Mon | Aim for a big day of 60km which will take us through Meckering and on to Cunderdin | Cunderdin | 50 | 157.1 | 157.1 | |
| Day4 | Tue | Easier day with approx 47km to Kellerberrin | Kellerberrin | 55.1 | 212.2 | 212.2 | |
| Day5 | Wed | Bigger day again - 58km all the way to Merredin | Merredin | 56.4 | 268.6 | 268.6 | |
| Day6 | Thu | REST and catchup KMs | Merredin | 13.9 | 282.5 | 282.5 | |
| Day7 | Fri | Big day of 60km all the way to Bodallin - not quite, just 49 in the end | Bodallin Pioneers Park | 48.9 | 331.4 | 331.4 | |
| Day8 | Sat | 50km - Southern Cross | Southern Cross | 48.6 | 380 | 380 | |
| Day9 | Sun | REST - with catch-up KMs | Southern Cross | 17.4 | 397.4 | 397.4 | |
| Day10 | Mon | 45km - About 10km past Yellowdine | Yellowdine Roadhouse | 48.6 | 446 | 446 | |
| Day11 | Tue | 45km - Boorabin National park | Boorabin Rest Area | 60.3 | 506.3 | 506.3 | |
| Day12 | Wed | 45 to 50km - towards Coolgardie | Coolgardie campsiteOriginal schedule: Bullabulling | 49.9 | 556.2 | 556.2 | |
| Day13 | Thu | 45 to 50km - Coolgardie | Coolgardie | 51.5 | 607.7 | 607.7 | |
| Day14 | Fri | 40km - Kalgoorlie | Kalgoorlie | 31.6 | 639.3 | 639.3 | |
| Day15 | Sat | REST (parkrun) | Kalgoorlie | 0 | 639.3 | 639.3 | |
| Day16 | Sun | REST | Kalgoorlie | 0 | 639.3 | 639.3 | |
| Day17 | Mon | 55km Kambalda | Kambalda Hotel | 55.3 | 694.6 | 694.6 | |
| Day18 | Tue | 55km - a bit past Widgiemooltha Roadhouse | Widgiemooltha Roadhouse | 54.7 | 749.3 | 749.3 | |
| Day19 | Wed | About 55km - finishing about 21km before Norseman | Norseman | 58.3 | 807.6 | 807.6 | |
| Day20 | Thu | 21km to Norseman | Norseman | 22.3 | 829.9 | 829.9 | |
| Day21 | Fri | REST | Norseman | 0 | 829.9 | 829.9 | |
| Day22 | Sat | Head Out On Eyre Hwy | Rest Area - Fraser Range | 47.9 | 877.8 | 814.9 | |
| Day23 | Sun | About 10km short of Fraser Range Station | Fraser Range Station | 46.1 | 923.9 | 861 | |
| Day24 | Mon | Eyre Hwy | Cundeelee (rest area) | 51.2 | 975.1 | 912.2 | |
| Day25 | Tue | Eyre Hwy just short of Balladonia Roadhouse | Balladonia Roadhouse | 51.9 | 1,027 | 964.1 | |
| Day26 | Wed | Start 90 Mile Straight | Rest area | 44.3 | 1,071.3 | 1,008.4 | |
| Day27 | Thu | 90 Mile Straight | Rest area | 44.9 | 1,116.2 | 1,053.3 | |
| Day28 | Fri | 90 Mile Straight | Rest area | 56.6 | 1,172.8 | 1,109.9 | |
| Day29 | Sat | End 90 Mile Straight | Caiguna | 40.5 | 1,213.3 | 1,150.4 | |
| Day30 | Sun | Eyre Hwy just short of Cocklebiddy | Cocklebiddy | 46.2 | 1,259.5 | 1,196.6 | |
| Day31 | Mon | Half day rest | Cocklebiddy | 20.9 | 1,280.4 | 1,217.5 | |
| Day32 | Tue | Eyre Hwy | Moonera Tank (rest area) | 44.4 | 1,324.8 | 1,261.9 | |
| Day33 | Wed | Eyre Hwy | Madura | 48.3 | 1,373.1 | 1,310.2 | |
| Day34 | Thu | Eyre Hwy | Carlabeencaba Rockhole (rest area) | 52.5 | 1,425.6 | 1,362.7 | |
| Day35 | Fri | Eyre Hwy 24k short of Mundrabilla | Mundrabilla | 42.4 | 1,468 | 1,405.1 | |
| Day36 | Sat | Eyre Hwy 21k after Mundrabilla | Mundrabilla | 45.5 | 1,513.5 | 1,450.6 | |
| Day37 | Sun | Eyre Hwy to Eucla | Eucla | 45.6 | 1,559.1 | 1,496.2 | |
| Day38 | Mon | Eyre Hwy about 25k past Border Village | Border Village | 39.6 | 1,598.7 | 1,535.8 | |
| Day39 | Tue | Eyre Hwy | Lookout 2 (rest area) | 50.1 | 1,648.8 | 1,585.9 | |
| Day40 | Wed | Eyre Hwy | Bunda Cliff Rest Area | 49.9 | 1,698.7 | 1,635.8 | |
| Day41 | Thu | Eyre Hwy 15k short of Nullarbor RH | Nullarbor Roadhouse | 45.3 | 1,744 | 1,681.1 | |
| Day42 | Fri | Eyre Hwy | 30k east of NRH | 54.4 | 1,798.4 | 1,735.5 | |
| Day43 | Sat | Eyre Hwy | Eyre Hwy 25k short of Nundroo RH | 56 | 1,854.4 | 1,791.5 | |
| Day44 | Sun | Eyre Hwy | Nundroo | 53.5 | 1,907.9 | 1,845 | |
| Day45 | Mon | Eyre Hwy | Eyre Hwy 29k short of Penong | 50 | 1,957.9 | 1,895 | |
| Day46 | Tue | Eyre Hwy | Koonibba rest area | 55.5 | 2,013.4 | 1,950.5 | |
| Day47 | Wed | Eyre Hwy | Ceduna | 47.1 | 2,060.5 | 1,997.6 | |
| Day48 | Thu | REST | Ceduna | — | 2,060.5 | 1,997.6 | |
| Day49 | Fri | Eyre Hwy | Puntabie Rest Area | 55.5 | 2,116 | 2,007.5 | |
| Day50 | Sat | Eyre Hwy | Rest Area | 57.2 | 2,173.2 | 2,064.7 | |
| Day51 | Sun | Eyre Hwy about 8km short of Minnipa | Minnipa Caravan Park | 56.3 | 2,229.5 | 2,121 | |
| Day52 | Mon | Eyre Hwy to Gawler Ranges CP | Gawler Ranges Caravan Park | 48.5 | 2,278 | 2,169.5 | |
| Day53 | Tue | Eyre Hwy | Rest area just east of Koongawa | 58.7 | 2,336.7 | 2,228.2 | |
| Day54 | Wed | Eyre Hwy about 9km past Kimba | Kimba Caravan park | 57.9 | 2,394.6 | 2,286.1 | |
| Day55 | Thu | Eyre Hwy | Rest area west of Iron Knob | 56.8 | 2,451.4 | 2,342.9 | |
| Day56 | Fri | Eyre Hwy to Nuttbush Retreat | Nuttbush Retreat CP | 51.7 | 2,503.1 | 2,394.6 | |
| Day57 | Sat | Eyre Hwy to Pt Augusta | Shoreline Caravan Park | 38.4 | 2,541.5 | 2,433 | |
| Day58 | Sun | Augusta Hwy | Baroota (rest area) | 56 | 2,597.5 | 2,489 | |
| Day59 | Mon | Augusta Hwy | Crystal Brook | 55.6 | 2,653.1 | 2,544.6 | |
| Day60 | Tue | Snowtown | Snowtown | 54.3 | 2,707.4 | 2,598.9 | |
| Day61 | Wed | Pt Wakefield | Pt Wakefield | 41.6 | 2,749 | 2,640.5 | |
| Day62 | Thu | 2km before Two Wells | Virginia Gadens | 56.8 | 2,805.8 | 2,697.3 | |
| Day63 | Fri | Torrens Weir | Adelaide | 43.6 | 2,849.4 | 2,740.9 | |
| Day64 | Sat | No detail recorded in this workbook row. | Adelaide - parkrun | — | — | — | |
| Day65 | Sun | No detail recorded in this workbook row. | Adelaide | — | — | — | |
| Day66 | Mon | Highway One to Dawesley | Drive back to Mount Barker CP | 50.2 | 2,899.6 | 2,782.2 | |
| Day67 | Tue | Old Princes Hwy to Westbrook Park | Westbrook Park | 53.2 | 2,952.8 | 2,952.8 | |
| Day68 | Wed | No detail recorded in this workbook row. | Kiki | 56.7 | 3,009.5 | 3,009.5 | |
| Day69 | Thu | 3km or so after rest area | Rest area tintinara | 56.3 | 3,065.8 | 3,065.8 | |
| Day70 | Fri | 16km short of Bordertown | Drive forward to Bordertown | 57.6 | 3,123.4 | 3,123.4 | |
| Day71 | Sat | No detail recorded in this workbook row. | Kaniva | 50.2 | 3,173.6 | 3,173.6 | |
| Day72 | Sun | No detail recorded in this workbook row. | Nhill | 57 | 3,230.6 | 3,230.6 | |
| Day73 | Mon | 7k short of Horsham | Horsham | 56.1 | 3,286.7 | 3,286.7 | |
| Day74 | Tue | Grampians Edge | Grampians Edge | 53.2 | 3,339.9 | 3,339.9 | |
| Day75 | Wed | Short of Ararat - 6km? | Ararat | 54 | 3,393.9 | 3,393.9 | |
| Day76 | Thu | Beaufort - 4km past | Drove back to Beaufort CP | 55.7 | 3,449.6 | 3,449.6 | |
| Day77 | Fri | Ballarat parkrun Vic Park | Hobsons Bay Caravan Park, WilliamstownOriginal schedule: stop 100 km from Melbourne, drive in | 42.4 | 3,492 | 3,492 | |
| Day78 | Sat | rest | St KildaOriginal schedule: Melbourne parkrun | 0 | 3,492 | 3,492 | |
| Day79 | Sun | rest | BIG4 Ballarat GoldfieldsOriginal schedule: rest | 0 | 3,492 | 3,492 | |
| Day80 | Mon | Resume Ballarat | Bacchus Marsh | 58.4 | 3,550.4 | 3,544.4 | |
| Day81 | Tue | No detail recorded in this workbook row. | Big 4 Braybrook | 54.1 | 3,604.5 | 3,604.5 | |
| Day82 | Wed | Diamond Creek | Jo's Friends in Eltham | 36.6 | 3,641.1 | 3,641.1 | |
| Day83 | Thu | Cross Country - HazeldeneAll went horribly wrong at the end | Yea | 56.3 | 3,697.4 | 3,697.4 | |
| Day84 | Fri | No detail recorded in this workbook row. | Kanumbra | 63.2 | 3,760.6 | 3,760.6 | |
| Day85 | Sat | No detail recorded in this workbook row. | Lima South | 65.4 | 3,826 | 3,826 | |
| Day86 | Sun | No detail recorded in this workbook row. | Glenrowan Tourist and Caravan ParkOriginal schedule: Wangaratta | 56.9 | 3,882.9 | 3,882.9 | |
| Day87 | Mon | No detail recorded in this workbook row. | Wodonga | 55.2 | 3,938.1 | 3,948.1 | |
| Day88 | Tue | No detail recorded in this workbook row.felt ill | Hotel Albury | 38.8 | 3,976.9 | 3,986.9 | |
| Day89 | Wed | No detail recorded in this workbook row. | Holbrook Motor Village | 64 | 4,040.9 | 4,050.9 | |
| Day90 | Thu | No detail recorded in this workbook row. | Not recorded | 54 | 4,094.9 | 4,104.9 | |
| Day91 | Fri | No detail recorded in this workbook row. | Not recorded | 42.5 | 4,137.4 | 4,147.4 | |
| Day92 | Sat | No detail recorded in this workbook row. | parkrun | 0 | 4,137.4 | 4,147.4 | |
| Day93 | Sun | No detail recorded in this workbook row. | rest | 0 | 4,137.4 | 4,147.4 | |
| Day94 | Mon | No detail recorded in this workbook row.Albury / 436 | Not recorded | 54.2 | 4,191.6 | 4,201.6 | |
| Day95 | Tue | No detail recorded in this workbook row.Gungahlin / 772 / 336 | Not recorded | 56.3 | 4,247.9 | 4,257.9 | |
| Day96 | Wed | No detail recorded in this workbook row.St Peters / 1125 / 353 | Not recorded | 54.6 | 4,302.5 | 4,312.5 | |
| Day97 | Thu | No detail recorded in this workbook row.Newcastle / 1275 / 150 | Not recorded | 57 | 4,359.5 | 4,369.5 | |
| Day98 | Fri | No detail recorded in this workbook row.Port Macquare / 1545 / 270 | Not recorded | 67.9 | 4,427.4 | 4,437.4 | |
| Day99 | Sat | No detail recorded in this workbook row.Coffs Harbour / 1705 / 160 | Not recorded | 45.9 | 4,473.3 | 4,483.3 | |
| Day100 | Sun | No detail recorded in this workbook row.Lismore / 1906 / 201 | Not recorded | 59.4 | 4,532.7 | 4,542.7 | |
| Day101 | Mon | No detail recorded in this workbook row. | Not recorded | 59.3 | 4,592 | 4,602 | |
| Day102 | Tue | No detail recorded in this workbook row. | Not recorded | 55.3 | 4,647.3 | 4,657.3 | |
| Day103 | Wed | No detail recorded in this workbook row. | Not recorded | 40.1 | 4,687.4 | 4,697.4 | |
| Day104 | Thu | sydney 14.7 weeks | Not recorded | 53.6 | 4,741 | 4,751 | |
| Day105 | Fri | No detail recorded in this workbook row. | Not recorded | 42.5 | 4,783.5 | 4,793.5 | |
| Day106 | Sat | parkrun | St Peters | 0 | 4,783.5 | 4,793.5 | |
| Day107 | Sun | rest | Not recorded | 0 | 4,783.5 | 4,793.5 | |
| Day108 | Mon | No detail recorded in this workbook row. | Not recorded | 58.8 | 4,842.3 | 4,852.3 | |
| Day109 | Tue | No detail recorded in this workbook row. | Not recorded | 59.1 | 4,901.4 | 4,911.4 | |
| Day110 | Wed | No detail recorded in this workbook row. | Not recorded | 58.7 | 4,960.1 | 4,970.1 | |
| Day111 | Thu | port macquarie 16 weeks | Not recorded | 57.9 | 5,018 | 5,028 | |
| Day112 | Fri | No detail recorded in this workbook row. | Not recorded | 55.8 | 5,073.8 | 5,083.8 | |
| Day113 | Sat | No detail recorded in this workbook row. | Coffs | 45.5 | 5,119.3 | 5,129.3 | |
| Day114 | Sun | No detail recorded in this workbook row. | Coffs | 21.5 | 5,140.8 | 5,150.8 | |
| Day115 | Mon | coffs harbour 16.6 weeks | Not recorded | 51.6 | 5,192.4 | 5,202.4 | |
| Day116 | Tue | No detail recorded in this workbook row. | Not recorded | 58.5 | 5,250.9 | 5,260.9 | |
| Day117 | Wed | No detail recorded in this workbook row. | Not recorded | 50.9 | 5,301.8 | 5,311.8 | |
| Day118 | Thu | No detail recorded in this workbook row. | Ballina | 51.5 | 5,353.3 | 5,363.3 | |
| Day119 | Fri | No detail recorded in this workbook row. | Byron Bay | 35.7 | 5,389 | 5,399 | |
| Day120 | Sat | No detail recorded in this workbook row. | Pottsville | 37.6 | 5,426.6 | 5,436.6 | |
| Day121 | Sun | No detail recorded in this workbook row. | Kirra | 32.1 | 5,458.7 | 5,468.7 | |
| Day122 | Mon | coolangatta 17.5 weeks | Southport | 32.3 | 5,491 | 5,501 | |
| Day123 | Tue | southport 17.7 weeks | Oxenford | 15.3 | 5,506.3 | 5,516.3 | |
| Day124 | Wed | No detail recorded in this workbook row. | Springwood | 43 | 5,549.3 | 5,559.3 | |
| Day125 | Thu | Brisbane 18 weeks | South Bank | 23.9 | 5,573.2 | 5,583.2 |
- Daily kilometres are the day-by-day activity distance used in the working log. Some days have split sessions, bad GPS fragments, manually entered activities, or route corrections that are explained in the individual article.
- Cumulative total is a straight accumulation of the daily kilometre column. It is the activity-ledger total used on journey articles.
- Later workbook sheets do not simply carry forward the previous sheet's final total. They restart the local sheet total and add hard-coded cumulative offsets: 767.0 km from Day 22, 6 June 2015; 1,952.0 km from Day 49, 3 July 2015; 2,732.0 km from Day 66, 20 July 2015; 2,849.4 km from Day 67, 21 July 2015; 3,486.0 km from Day 80, 3 Aug 2015. Treat the workbook total as schedule context with manual re-anchors, not as a clean formula chain or adjusted real-distance tracker.
Distance note
The reconstructed Garmin course is 5,398.41 km. The accumulated daily recorded total is 5,573.2 km. That 174.79 km gap is why this page treats route/course distance, workbook progress, and Strava activity totals as related but separate records.
- Distance
- 5,398.41km
- Ascent
- 44,008m
- Descent
- 44,011m
