When Andrew Darwood was looking for a friend to join him on what would have been a long, lonely motorcycle ride home from Tasmania to Western Australia, he set his heart on finding a canine companion.
When he met a little caramel-coated puppy with a white stripe running down her nose at the Dogs' Home of Tasmania, he knew he'd found his travelling mate.
Since adopting Tassie — which he affectionately named her — in 2017, the duo have clocked up more than 20,000 kilometres together, with further trips planned.
Wearing goggles and in a secured carrier, Tassie is always eager for another road trip and feels at home on the bike, Mr Darwood says.
Finding a companion
As soon as he saw Tassie at the Dogs' Home of Tasmania, Mr Darwood knew he had found his ideal mate for the roughly 4,000-kilometre trek back to Western Australia.
Mr Darwood had recently helped a friend move from WA to Tasmania, and the prospect of making the trip alone held little appeal.
"I had thought about having a dog as a companion for quite a while," Mr Darwood said.
"I thought to go and rescue a dog would be a good idea."
After two or three visits to the dogs' home, Mr Darwood met six-month-old Tassie, believed to be a Jack Russell mixed breed.
"The first time I saw her I thought, 'She's perfect'," he said.
"A friendly and protective dog."
Unfortunately, Tassie had been claimed by another potential owner, but when a hopeful Mr Darwood called two weeks later, he discovered that person had decided to not proceed with the adoption.
"I pretty much went straight away and got her," Mr Darwood said.
Tales from the road
Riding a motorbike comes with ease for Tassie, who quickly overcame some early nerves when she first mounted one.
Mr Darwood says Tassie now runs to the bike when let outdoors. But initially, he introduced her to the bike slowly.
"I sat her on my lap and sat on the bike, then we sat there for a couple of minutes," he said.
"I started the bike up and she panicked a little bit, for maybe 30 seconds, then just settled down and hooked right into it."
Mr Darwood says Tassie will now poke her head out of her carrier as he rides, wearing goggles to protect her eyes from insects and debris.
"She's chewed a couple of pairs of goggles," Mr Darwood said.
"She had a little helmet, but she chewed through that as well."
In six years, Mr Darwood and Tassie have travelled to six states and two territories, with more trips planned.
Journeys include Australia's longest straight road along the Eyre Highway in Western Australia, a visit to Broken Hill in New South Wales, and seeing the Big Winch in Coober Pedy.
The two have travelled as far west as Broome and Derby in Western Australia.
Mr Darwood hopes to get to Queensland next and Tassie will be along for the ride.
"I don't mind going for rides by myself, but to have a dog, it does make it a little bit more interesting," he said.
