Well despite the rain, we decided to visit Rin Project – a bicycle shop near Inaricho station. We might have made a few purchases… and then decided to walk to the Edo Museum. We came across a coffee roaster and shop we had visited years ago and decided to have a bite to eat.
It’s nice to take a slower pace today, as we pack for the visit to Seoul tomorrow.
Overnight stay in Shinagawa so we could cycle to Suidobashi. Using Japan bike we have a route to get us there.. but after 4km we stopped at Roar Coffee
Oh…!! So tasty!
It was 5:30pm on a Sunday… and a coffee shop was open. Yes… I said Sunday… we must be in Tokyo. It was delightful, and just what we wanted.
| Location | Stomping Ground 9 Cochranes Rd, Moorabbin VIC 3189 Public transport options the route goes past Ormond, McKinnon, Bentleigh, Patterson and Moorabbin Stations on the Frankston Line. Public transport is a good idea as the parking is a bit counter intuitive at the brewery. I’d recommend reading the FAQs if you plan to drive. |
| Route | 20km (more if you go around the velodrome a few times) circular route, 106m elevation gain Moorabbin, Bentleigh East, Ormond, McKinnon, Bentleigh. |
| Coffee Stop | Murrumbeena Pantry 227 Murrumbeena Rd, Murrumbeena VIC 3163 |
| Mary’s Rating | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🥑 (although I’d remove half an avocado for the counter intuitive parking at the brewery) |
| GPX/Strava | Strava: https://www.strava.com/routes/3471032172950387824 GPX: https://hmkdt.id.au/GPXroutes/Moorabbin – Beer and Burbs.gpx |
| Date ridden | 24 March 2026 If you have ridden these route and have any updates that need to be made, then leave a comment on this post. |
It is pretty hard to find a microbrewery that is open on a Monday or a Tuesday. However, the custom filtering by opening time on Google Maps was certainly our friend in this case. I added the complexity of wanting to ride in a part of Melbourne that I have never ridden in. This is getting harder – my heatmap is glowing a hotter version of red in Melbroune. These two criteria were satisfactorily filled by Stomping Ground in Moorabbin.
Stomping Ground is located in Morris Moor. A business and entertainment precinct located on the site of that was originally the Philip Morris factory, this collection of buildings once formed the industrial centre of Moorabbin. One of the largest employers in the area, the factory had around 800 employees at the height of production. Their commitment to a strong work ethic, the spirit of community, and a sense of possibility, like the original structure, remains at the heart of Morris Moor – contemporary and cool, emanating the industrious, hopeful feel of its past. Or so says the advertorial spiel. Stomping Ground moved in during the COVID years in 2021.
The route starts at Stomping Ground, which isn’t very convenient to the rail system. The route, however, passes a number of stations along the Frankston Line which would make for good starting points. Otherwise you can drive there – although beware parking maybe a little hard to get – it seems like most of the parks are reserved near Stomping Ground and nearby on road parks are limited to 2 hours. The first part of the ride is on a busy “minor” road – its o.k. but you need to be traffic aware. It’s not long until it gives way to some pleasant green spaces. If you’re lucky you’ll spot the local remote controlled boat club on the water!
Fortunately from Karkarook Park there is an underpass under the six lane Dingley Bypass. But nonetheless, you’ll be able to admire the suburban main road vibe and scene when you cross Warrigal Road and start heading into the residential suburbs that wrap around a golf course or two. If you choose your day right you’ll be able to visit the Bentleigh Farmers Market (4th Saturday of the Month).
We continued our exploration through suburbia towards a rest spot at the Murrumbeena Pantry. To get there you have to cross North Road which is fairly busy. The route has you crossing it where there is space in the median strip and a right hand turn lane. But if you prefer, you can head further down to the traffic light controller intersection Murrumbeena Road. Murrumbeena Road is a fairly busy but it does have a reasonable bike lane.
After reenergising with an ice-cream or a coffee, you can head towards Packer Park Velodrome for some practice for the Brompton World Championship. It was certainly fun to hoon around the velodrome the local kids seem to be enjoying themselves. Don’t worry my Brompton is faster!
After sprinting round the track we wiggled our way through the backstreets towards the bike route next to the Frankston Line. This is a combination of paths and quiet back streets. It feels mostly downhill – or maybe the wind was beneath our wings. Anyway we made some good time. We made a few diversions through the local parks and headed back to the car. We were rewarded with a good beer and sandwich lunchtime special. I had a reuben and Mary had a mushroom special!
The route is shown below.
| Location | Golden Hills Brewing 25 Station St, Diamond Creek VIC 3089 Closest public transport – Diamond Creek Railway Station |
| Route | 18km circular route, 155m elevation gain Diamond Creek, Eltham, Research |
| Coffee Stop | Merika Unit 3/1425 Main Rd, Eltham VIC 3095 |
| Mary’s Rating | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (original route with accidental stairs and some single track that disappears) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🥑 (revised route that this post is based on – removing stairs and disappearing tracks) |
| GPX/Strava | Strava: https://www.strava.com/routes/3469245554336660770 GPX: https://hmkdt.id.au/GPXroutes/Diamond Creek – Golden Hills.gpx |
| Date ridden | 19 March 2026 If you have ridden these route and have any updates that need to be made, then leave a comment on this post. |
This is the first Melbourne Urban Adventure for 2026! Fitting in with the traditional style for Adelaide Bromptoneering we looked for a microbrewery that we haven’t visited before! With a little bit of of Googling we came across Golden Hills Brewery in Diamond Creek. With a bit clever bit of additional Googling we found the Diamond Creek – Research Trail – Aqueduct Trail loop ride on Melbourne Cycle Loops. We downloaded the original 10.4km loop and added an additional 8km to get to and from the Brewery.
The route starts at Golden Hills Brewery which is conveniently opposite Diamond Creek Railway Station. A short ride on relatively quiet road gets us to the Diamond Creek Trail. A pleasant and popular trail along the creek with a range of recreational and community facilities.
We turned on to Research Trail, which is a bicycle path that runs alongside a fairly busy road. It is, however, a good way to get to one of the “local delicacies” Hungarian Chimney Cakes at Merika Cafe. If it’s, hot, they have cone variant of the cake which is filled with ice cream. But today wasn’t hot – we stuck with Aromatika – cinnamon and sugar! Freshly made so allow 10 to 15 minutes. YUM! After that yummy stop we continued along Research Trail towards the trail highlight of the day – the Aqueduct Trail.
AI tells me that ‘built between 1886 and 1891, the Maroondah Aqueduct was a 66-kilometer engineering feat designed to transport water via gravity from the Watts River (Healesville) to Preston Reservoir, servicing Melbourne’s growing population. It featured concrete-lined channels, 11 tunnels, and inverted siphons, largely being replaced by the Maroondah Dam later, with sections decommissioned in the 1980s.”
If you have a spare million dollars in your pocket and you want a windmill with a bonus house – I have found the property for you. But, we got there we tried to follow a path that is marked on a map – but is little more than a wishful dirt track that disappears into grass. After the windmill was a bit of climbing and a very steep descent – it should have triggered my brain last night – because it was such a gradient that it had to be stairs right!? Anyway fear not, I’ve removed those nasty bits from the route linked from this page. If you want the extra excitement leave me a comment and I’ll send you the special route.
I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food we had and the excellent beer. Highly Recommended. The revised route is shown below.
Our ride in Chiba’s country side continued as we winded our away country paths between farms and adjacent to rivers. Our next stop was the Sakura Lavenderland.
While it wasn’t the season for lavender’s to flower – in the adjacent fields there certainly were some pretty flowers to be seen. Asako-san told us that:
In Japan the lavender fields of Furano in Hokkaido are famous. Therefore, at Sakura Lavenderland soil improvement was carried out to help lavender adapt to the hot and humid climate of Chiba Pretecture, and planting began in spring of 2003. Currently, the 13,600-square-meter farm cultivates tour varieties totaling 13,600 lavender plants.
Our next stop on a Chiba Cycling tour was the former Sakura City Shizu Elementary School (Aosuge Branch). It was designated a tangible cultural property in 2020. Asako-san told us that:
Aosuge Branch School is a single story wooden schoolhouse with a tile roof, built in 1955. (twas preserved even after ceasing to function as a branch school, retaining much of its original appearance.
This small wooden school building features a staff room beside the entrance, with just two classrooms arranged along a single corridor. Despite being a post World War II structure, it incorporates design elements from prewar wooden school building such as clapboard siding and wooden fittings.
We rounded out this part of the ride with a delightful afternoon tea spot at Cafe Hiyori.
Those of you who have followed this blog for while would know that Helen loves to visit a library or two. This visit was no different. Asako-san was prepared to show us the local Yachiyo City Public Library. Fortunately, there is a no photos policy in the library, you only get to see a small number of photos of the outside of the library. Asako-san told us that:
Yachiyo Public Library has over 350 seats. This includes private rooms and study rooms, providing a comfortable environment for studying. Located along the Shinkawa river, it was built as a lifelong learning hub, designed around the concept of “a place for learning, relaxation, gathering, and information.” Its bright space incorporates abundant natural light. Children’s books are placed near the entrance, with general and reference books arranged further inside, creating a layout suited to different age groups.
We would like to thank Asako-san and the kind people in Chiba Prefecture we met on this ride. It was truly an informative and magical experience.
It’s been a busy few days. I haven’t kept up with my blogging duties as well as Helen has. This one is a little bit out of order. We rode Chiba with our friend Asako-san on the Friday before we left for Kyoto and Nara.
We met Asako-san at Funabashi-Nichidai-Mae Station and rode about 27km the long way around to the Murakami Station. I know my Strava says I rode more – but that’s because the algorithm between Beeline and Strava is a little bit faulty. The route is shown below.
Chiba is a prefecture to the east of Tokyo. It has a population of over 6 million. With its location and population size, you’d be forgiven for thinking that it is an overwhelming urban environment. Our starting point was densely populated area with relatively recent developments – the station opened in 1996. It did not take long before we were riding small roads in a bucolic landscape alongside rivers and fields.
Our first stop involved visiting a friendly Kiso horse called Hii-chan. We were fortunate enough to be allowed to feed Hii-chan some lovely persimmon. It is that season after all. Hii-chan can’t have too many because of the tannin in persimmon. Asako-san told us that:
The kiso horse is the only native bred of Honshu and was used a samurai horse from Heian period through Edo period. [The] Current Population is about 100! With a history of being used for farm and transport, it is characterized by its sturdy build and gentle temperament.
Mr Ohmiya [Hii-chan’s owner] a horsing racing jockey, and was in the racing industry for over Forty years. He [now] wants to contribute to society through horses. Horse therapy is one of rehabilitation that promotes the improvement or physical and mental function of people with disabilities.
After the delightful stop we continued along the river towards a coffee and lunch stop at a Asako’s local farmer’s market – the Yachiyo Agricultural Exchange Centre. We started off with a coffee from a local coffee roaster – Hira Coffee, strolled through the market (admiring the big daikon and buying some souvenirs for us) and finishing with lunch at “Yachiyo Roadside Station Restaurant” the utilitarian title doesn’t really do justice to the good value food provided to locals by this place.
Just in case you didn’t know… Chiba Peanuts are famous!
What you definitely didn’t know was there Chiba had a coffee plantation. Asako-san told us that:
Japan has traditionally been considered unsuitable for coffee cultivation as it lies outside the coffee belt. However, recent advances in greenhouse cultivation technology have made domestic coffee production possible.
Yachifornia Farm is the first domestic coffee farm in Kanto region, located in Yachiyo City, Chiba Prefecture. Yachifornia is aiming to popularise domestic coffee and create a community for coffee enthusiasts.
Visitors can engage with coffee in various ways, including a sapling ownership program, harvest and roasting experiences with the farm, and purchasing products made from coffee cherry and coffee leaves.
Helen and I were very impressed by the focus and dedication towards making a successful coffee plantation in Chiba. I was equally surprised by the offering of a “tea” made from coffee leaves. I’d love to go back for one of the hands on experiences.
End of part 1.
We walked to breakfast at Chami, in Nara.
| Location | Footscray Station |
| Route | 35km one-way route to Southern Cross Station Footscray, Maidstone, Maribyrnong, Essendon, Parkville, Brunswick East, Carlton North, Carlton and Melbourne. |
| Food Stop | Gordon Street Bakery 142 Gordon St, Footscray VIC 3011 Keeper Brewing 122 Weston St, Brunswick East VIC 3057 Madeleine du Proust 253 Lygon St, Carlton VIC 3053 |
| Make a day of it | Nearby recommendations Pipemakers Park Melbourne Zoo Take a deviation up the Upfield Line Brompton Junction Royal Exhibition Building Hill of Content Bookshop |
| Helen’s Rating | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🥑 |
| GPX/Strava | https://www.strava.com/routes/3397720026295237112 |
| Date ridden | 6 September 2025 If you have ridden these route and have any updates that need to be made, then leave a comment on this post. |
Helen and Diane were joining us for the this Saturday ride. Helen had flown in the night before. Diane was going to meet us at Footscray Station on Saturday morning and return home from Southern Cross Station on Saturday night. It’s only a 6km ride between the to. But that’s way too direct for an Adelaide Bromptoneering Ride. Instead, we opted for a 34km route.
We took the train to Footscray Station – our meeting point. Helen was in desperate need for a fresh pastry. Our first stop was designed to meet that desire. Gordon Street Bakery had two shop fronts with nearly all of its space dedicated as a kitchen. It had a limited but very high quality range of options. My chocolate and almond croissant was still warm. It was irresistible.
Shortly after Gordon Street Bakery we came across a memorial to the Korean War and some fine views of the city. I just hope that by the time you arrive the temporary fencing is removed.
We rejoined the Maribynong River Trail for a few kilometres. I had plotted a route on the side of the river that I hadn’t ridden before. Unfortunately, it was a very busy Saturday morning with a bonus rowing regatta and sausage sizzle. Fortunately for you, I have adjusted the route to the quieter side of the river taking advantage of the cycling bridge instead of the road bridge.
To get to where we needed to be, we had to leave the river trail and climb up out of the valley. This is done on Afton Street. I am pretty sure you’ll be hiking the bike. At its maximum the gradient is 16%! After that, there is a pleasant ride through the suburbs of Aberfeldie and Essendon.
We then joined the Moonee Ponds Trail. It certainly gives a different perspective of the Melbourne entry statements that most Adelaideans see when they drive into Melbourne. It was a lot of fun!
At the intersection of the Capital City Trail and the Moonee Ponds Trail we took the Capital City Trail towards Brompton Junction. Just before Brompton Junction we took a few Brunswick back streets to get to our lunch destination, Keeper Brewing. They had a flatbread special on Saturday. We took them up on their offer.
We travelled through the delightful cycling streets of Carlton North to our desert stop. I first discovered Madeleine du Proust on my 2024 pastry tour. I go back whenever I can.
We had some spare time. So, we didn’t take the direct route back via Little Collins Street. Instead we hiked our bikes through the Botanic Gardens. While the Strava route doesn’t show it, it is pretty easy to get there by following the continuation of Exhibition Street. We said farewell to Diane and her Brompton at Southern Cross Station. She took the V-Line back to Castlemaine where her car was waiting. A truly multi modal day.
The route taken is shown below.
