THE BIKE TOURING ARCHIVE

EASY RAMBLES

THE GLASSHOUSE MOUNTAINS

A fun and eventful weekend bike tour can be had around the Glasshouse Mountains without panniers and expensive gear. The Glasshouse Mountains is an excellent training ground for beginners and subsequently was the destination for my first bike tour. It is always better to start off easy and test your strength, ability and equipment before you tackle long trips: like Brisbane to Sydney.

Itineraries can be varied over the two days; as there is a myriad of things to do, but the basic tour (the hard core challenge) starts from the Glasshouse Mountains train station and heads to Mt. Beerwah. Spend a few hours climbing and enjoying the national park then head back to the Caravan Park (if feeling really hard core try camping on one of the peaks- very extreme, probably illegal). Second day: mountain climbing is the order of the day, it comes right after getting over the hangover you got the night before, 15 cans of Carlton Mid can take its toll. Climb one of the smaller peaks I suggest Mt. Coochin, a particularly nice mountain that doesn't get as many visitors as the more famous mountains. Take caution though there is no graded track to the summit, so take map and compass and be proficient in the use of them. Then back to Brisbane via train (circa $7 single adult fare).

I've been to the Glass Houses a number of times and every time I go back there's always something new to see and a view to be photographed. Recommended riding for beginners.

SUNSHINE COAST SHAMBLES: LAKE BORUMBA

This was also one of my earlier trips. The idea of this trip is to get to Lake Borumba from Cooroy train station (circa $8 single adult fare). This trip was a major learning experience. Learning form mistakes. The worst way to learn, well they don't support it in Uni. Here I learnt the most important factors to consider where you are both the navigator and trip planner. Do not underestimate the terrain and yours and your travelling partners ability. Cause if you do then every thing starts to fall apart. Including bikes and mental stability.

Well we did eventually reach our goal Lake Borumba at 10:30 at night after riding from Cooroy train station. We made it back to Cooroy two days later after freeloading halfway at a community hall verandah.

MT. WARNING

From Nerang station follow the Numinbah Valley south and up and over the Scenic Rim. Keep going through Murwillumbah turn left (my left not yours) and head to the Mt. Warning caravan park. The next day I suggest waking up early, 2 am, And climb Mt. Warning to catch a glimpse of the first rays of sunlight on the Australian mainland. After exploring the area return back to Murwillumbah and follow the Currumbin Creek Road back to the Gold Coast. Where an air-conditioned City Train will be waiting for you, with free Carlton Mid thirty pack.

EXTENDED TRIPS

GOLD COAST TO BYRON BAY

Initially it follows the same route as the Mt. Warning trip- up through the Numinbah valley and down to Murwillumbah. Camp the night at Murwillumbah. Next day continue along the Pacific Hwy to Byron Bay. On the return leg it is good for a change of scenery to follow the coast road all the way back to the Gold Coast; as there is some excellent coast scenery and great swimming. Be extremely careful on the Pacific Hwy, as it is fucking dangerous. I believe that any truck with a trailer has been specifically designed to wipe out bike tourers. On the trip I had enough near misses to last a lifetime. Another word of caution: when you reach the Gold Coast just keep riding.

BRISBANE FOREST PARK AND LAKE WIVENHOE BIKE TOUR

It seemed that the Byron trip was the last straw for my original bike touring partner so I began touring with a couple of other friends Danny and Philip. This being their first trip I opted for a relatively easy ramble around the Mountains behind Brisbane (the DíAguilar range). Catching a train to ferny grove station follow the Mt. Nebo Rd (it turns into the Northbrook Parkway after Mt. Glorious) all the way up the D'aguilar range, don't miss out on the lookouts along the way. After a mind blowing 7km downhill ride another 40 or so kms to Lake Wivenhoe, camp at Captain Logan camp ground. Return to Brisbane via the Brisbane Valley Hwy, south to Ipswich and catch a train back.

COOLOOLA BIKE TOUR

This tour follows the sunshine coast north from Cooroy to Elanda Pt. and on to Rainbow Beach via the Cooloola Way. Catch a train to Cooroy Station and then to Elanda Point camping ground, there's a few hills here but nothing to worry about too much. After camping at Elanda Pt. follow the system of walking tracks north to access the Harrys Hut Rd. Once you reach the road you can either follow it to Harrys Hut Campground or go in the opposite direction and get on to the Cooloola Way.

From the Harrys Hut turnoff there is about 40km of gravel and sand roads, not to mention forestry trucks and heaps 4WD's. So take your time and pull over if trucks threaten your survival. Keep off the soft shoulders and don't ride too fast over corrugations, or you will end up losing control of the bike and steer into the soft shoulder resulting in a world class stack.

Rainbow Beach is another 40km from the Cooloola Way turnoff and thankfully is all along sealed roads.

NORTH STRADBROKE ISLAND

North Stradbroke Island is an excellent coastal area to biketour, very much on a par with Cooloola. catching a train to Cleveland you then catch at barge or water taxi out to Dunwich on the islands western side. Heading north, then east after about 20km you reach the seaside town of Point Lookout which offers various kinds of accommodation including three different campsites. theres much to see at Pt Lookout including a bakery, shop and the camping ground admin block, *jokes. One can swim, go bushwalking, fishing, surfing, relaxing, listen to 4BC on the radio - plenty to do for a few days. The trip then can move south along the eastern beach of the island where nice camping can be had behind the dunes of the ocean - camp south of the trans inland road as north of this road camping is prohibited. The hard beach sand can make for easy riding - except if you have headwinds! We did and our progress down the beach was slowed down to 5Km/hr.

I remember it was raining when daz and I camped on the dunes behind the beach, amongst the casuarinas with heavy storm clouds above and 4BC humming in the background. It was and still is a very vivid memory I have of the trip.

The trip then swings west to the township of Dunwich completing the loop. Along the way two perched lakes can be visited - blue lake, located within blue lake national park and brown lake, both worth a visit. Watch out tho, the sandy track to blue lake will slow your bike down to a crawl. The barge is then caught back to Australian mainland.

 

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