Victoria's newest sealed road a ripper

When it comes to riding in Victoria, or indeed in any state, there are few roads left that remain largely unknown to committed motorcyclists. Sure we all have our favourites, and there are many stretches of blacktop we don't mind visiting more than once. But seldom does a 'new' road arrive for us to appraise and enjoy... until quite recently.

I say 'new' in this instance because the road in question has actually been around for a very long time. In fact, the Omeo Highway (C543) was Victoria's first gazetted highway back in 1925, and while it has been altered and upgraded several times since, it was not until March of 2014 that it was finally sealed from end to end.

As the name might suggest, the road begins (or ends) in Omeo, then tracking 157km north through Angler's Rest and Mitta Mitta to Lake Hume on the Victorian / New South Wales border. It's another option when crossing between states, and one I found particularly enjoyable.

Given the road's location, the topography provides the expected corners and climbs with superb scenery to match. The road departs Omeo via older sealed sections (evident by their greyish brown surface) and maintains a speed limit of 80km/h in parts – a limit which, I might add, was heavily policed during our visit.

Beyond Angler's Rest, however, the newly sealed road begins, and as it leaves the cliff road flanking the Mitta Mitta River the fun begins in earnest. A 100km/h speed limit offers more opportunity to enjoy the serpentine stretch of fresh black asphalt in its full glory, and with clean, well defined cambers the going is brisk and flowing most of the way through Glen Valley to the top of Mount Willis.

With zero phone reception and little passing traffic (besides plenty of bikes), it's reassuring to find a lonely emergency telephone atop the mountain, though it's here, too, that the smooth swept surface becomes more frenetic.

The grade from Mount Willis is reasonably steep but it's the gravel pulled on to the corners from log trucks and lazy caravan drivers that is more the issue. You need to keep your wits about you as the road courses quickly from left to right, the tight bundle of ribbon hugging close to the Lake Dartmouth side of the road leaving little room for error.

At Mitta Mitta, the friendly Mitta Pub (previously the Laurel Hotel) offers the chance for a great meal and a cold beer before heading on via Tallandoon through Lockhart's Gap and on to Lake Hume. We decided to continue our ride back through the Victorian side of the border to Harrietville, and instead of trekking on to Tallangatta, swung briefly west toward Tangambalanga before heading south via Gundowing to Tawonga and over the top of Tawonga Gap to our overnight stay in Harrietville (which I might add was a great base for a series of day rides over Falls Creek, Mount Hotham and the Great Alpine Road).

It's a great part of the world to ride, and with so many options available at either end the Omeo Highway is one road I'm certain will become a staple favourite of motorcyclists far and wide.