General News
18 March, 2026
Armando rolls through Dimmy
A 79-year-old world traveller, Armando Basile, rolled into Dimboola on March 2, continuing a remarkable bike journey that has taken him across Australia and around the world while carrying all his possessions.
Mr Basile said he had travelled “nine times from Melbourne to Darwin or Darwin to Melbourne” and planned his route depending on where he was coming from.
“When coming from the USA, I go from Melbourne to Darwin,” he said.
“When coming from Asia, I go from Darwin to Melbourne.”
Along the way, he keeps life simple, stopping wherever he can for the night.
“I stop at a rest area, a servo, or a bush,” he said.
“I sleep in my tent.”
Mr Basile stayed at the Victoria Hotel, where he enjoyed a local meal.
“I met a lady from Germany,” he said.
“I eat schnitzel, chicken and chips with Coca-Cola, and I loved eating it.”
Mr Basile said he had carefully recorded his life on the road, keeping a written account of each day’s journey.
“I have 50 diaries at home, and I wrote every day’s journey in it,” he said.
“And also note down my kilometres in it.”