“The first glimpse over the tops of the sand dunes 50kms out was overwhelming; showing itself and retreating as if taunting me as we cycled closer. Five and a half months it has taken and some 4000kms.”
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What Singleton’s Bobbie Bayley is describing is the moment she caught sight of Uluru, the very core of her architectural odyssey across Australia’s 25th latitude and a sign that she has made it half way. As a part of the Byera Hadley Travelling Scholarship, Bobbie has cycled halfway across the country. Countless kilometres, seemingly endless rides and continuous nomadism have shaped her journey so far.
“Uluru is the arbiter for the route we're meandering along to cross the continent,” Bobbie says. “It's the metaphorical and cultural heart of our country and the research project, so to cycle all the way here feels like a momentous achievement.”
The purpose of Bobbie’s mentally and physically demanding journey is to research Australia’s diverse architectural scene.
“The richest architecture I have experienced is the vernacular architecture in remote areas,” Bobbie says.
“Buildings and habitation which exists particular to the place, responding directly and generally is incredibly innovative.”
For Bobbie, the Grand Section has been a hard yet enriching way to learn. Through dictating her own learning, she has been able to listen, ask and observe at her own pace.
“The immense learning which is taking place and the paring back of all materialistic desires to function only out of necessity is very rewarding,” she says.
“I believe the knowledge I have absorbed over the past months is almost comparable to years of university.”
Having made it to the halfway point of her 360 day pilgrimage, Bobbie will continue riding west.
“The past five months have disappeared, yet thinking about the experiences I've had and how far I've cycled, I cannot fathom it has all happened in such a short amount of time,” Bobbie says.
“In contrast I cannot foresee the next five months, nor what they entails.”
