BLACK SPUR

Length (km): 30 Corner Ratio: 80% Corner Speeds: 60-120kph Legal Speed Limit: 100kph Traffic (cars/min): 2-5 Bumpiness: Smooth Bitumen Grip: Very grippy Special Notes: Rainforest means often damp and bark on road in winter

Location: The Black Spur

is located about 60 km ENE from Melbourne on the Maroondah Hwy between Healesville and Marysville.

Getting there

Travel along the Eastern Arterial to the end. Turn right at Springvale Road and then left onto the Maroondah Hwy (Whitehorse Road) and follow until you arrive at Healesville. Alternatively travel through Cardinia Reservoir - Emerald - Yarra Junction - Warburton. The road surface is excellent bordering on brilliant after the recent (as of August 2006) resurfacing with smooth hot-mix and recent (as of 2006) widening. It is twisty with series of "ess" bends punctuated by short straights. A few corners are prone to dampness due to the ferny rainforest surroundings. Scenery is beautiful tall trees and ferns typical of temperate rainforest. Because it is a major highway heading north, a rider can often spend more time `chomping at the bit' passing car after car rather than enjoying the run. Hence, try to do this road during weekdays if possible. Sunday afternoons city bound are a disaster, the road choked with caravans and boats. The petrol station (next door to `The Black Spur Motel') about 4km before the Marysville turnoff (travelling from Healesville) has a large bird seed tray that attracts dozens of rainbow lorrikeets, crimson rosellas, and king parrots.

please note some references to Marysville places , are no longer with us since the '09 fires , and sadly the map above is pre black saturday. We leave it here so that we can remember fondly the great times we all had there , the fantastic local people we met and miss.