This ride begins from the banks of the Avon River in Toodyay, another historic town settled in 1837, about a year after Northam. The name Toodyay is believed to be derived from an Aboriginal word 'Duidgee' which means 'place of plenty', referring to the richness and fertility of the area and the reliability of the Avon River. I ride along the main street, lined with many heritage buildings and then pick up the Northam-Toodyay Road.
The route follows the Avon River with picturesque rolling hills either side of the valley. Just outside Northam, I take a diversion through Avon Yard, a huge grain receival point. The artwork, commissioned a few years ago on the wheat silos, is a real feature. The grain sheds are at least 400 metres long and the external grain stores were all full at the height of a prosperous harvest.