The Brisbane Valley Rail Trail has become well-known as a safe, off-road route with very few technical challenges for most riders. While thousands of riders tackle some or part of the rail trail every year, not everyone knows how many great bike rides exist that use part of the BVRT along with back roads, old stock routes and other trails. The northern end of the rail is brimming with opportunities for different rides and opens the door to longer, adventurous routes as well.

The Linville – Nanango loop is one such ride. It’s not technically demanding, but at 126.7km with 1790m of climbing – it is a ride suited to experienced gravel riders. Or better yet – those who want to do a rewarding 2 day route, and either camp or book a hotel in Nanango.

The ride

Starting from Linville, follow the BVRT towards Benarkin and then Blackbutt. The climbs has a few gullies but is mostly very consistent at a gentle gradient. Blackbutt is the last spot to top up on water or food before Nanango – so fill up! About 2km before the trail ends at Yarraman, take the right hand turn towards the Link Trail. This 2WD dirt road leads to a left hand turn on Din Din Road, with a bike sign for Nanango. This section is champagne gravel – but it is an open road so pay attention. The route does get more rugged as it becomes old Yarraman Road, descending to and crossing Yarraman Creek. Don’t attempt this route after heavy rain!

This road takes a steady climb out of the water crossing, through classic Queensland country. Follow this road towards Nanango, turning right onto Burnett St and left onto Drayton St to end up right in Nanango for food and drink – and lodgings if you’re staying the night.

The ride out of Nanango is straight forward, heading east on Drayton St and then left onto Mount Stanley Rd. This will be marked as the NAN1, one of three marked routes in the area thanks to David Kenny. Slowly but surely you gain elevation as you turn onto Bullcamp Rd, although in time the climbs become pinch climbs, on a narrow bitumen road that takes you to 530m – the ride’s high point.

A fast descent down River Rd links together narrow corners and high speeds, ending on a dirt road in the valley near the start of the Brisbane River. With just under 40km to go, you have nearly that many river crossings. With causeways to cross the river, recent rainfall will dictate how wet your feet get!

The dirt road becomes bitumen and while the kilometres tick by pretty well, you may note that as a one day ride the last stretch drags on. Despite running downhill to Linville, there are a couple of climbs that are cruel on tired legs to get into Linville, with a quick run towards the hotel to round of the ride.

This is a classic loop to ride in this area – perfect for a gravel bike, fine on a mountain bike (if not slow to finish) and totally unsuitable for a road bike. You are fairly isolated at times do it’s best done with friends, and with a few essentials like a first aid kit and essential spares.

Grab the Ride with GPS file here.

Rick Galbraith, a member of the Crows Nest Tourist and Progress Association has a vision for getting more people to visit his town. And it involves bikes!

Mountain Bike Mecca is the website that Rick has set up. It lists a series of signed routes on the abundant gravel roads around Crows Nest, the ‘High Country Hamlets’ region of the Darling Downs, just 43km north of Toowoomba.

The site lists seven rides, and we’ve linked three of them (Dahl Road, Gunters Hill, and Bald Hills Jaunt) together for this gravel loop.

On ‘Where to Ride’ we have reserved ‘mountain biking’ to mean singletrack, so we are classifying this one as a gravel ride. Our test rider rode his hardtail rigid mountain bike, so there is certainly a blurring of categories here. Experienced gravel riders will have no technical concerns on these great back roads.

Our route starts and finishes in Crows Nest, which is a bustling little town of about 2000, and multiple cafe and bakery choices.

We left town on a bright and clear November morning, heading out on Three Mile Road towards Crows Nest National Park, which has a campground, cascades swimming hole, a lookout and a waterfall to recommend it. On this occasion we skipped the delights of the National Park, but our test rider fondly remembers a bikepacking trip in 2014 that included a chilly night spent at the campground.

Soon after the National Park turnoff, Three Mile Road becomes gravel, but its a good surface and a wide enough road for two cars to easily pass each other. The next 6km is a steady climb to Three Mile Road and then Dahl Road, and then a return toward Crows Nest on Back Creek Road. There are some steep pinches on Dahl Road, which becomes a very minor road indeed in these sections. We suspect that more bikes use this road than cars, it is very quiet.

Just before arriving back in town we once again turn away, and gain some height again on the bitumen on Pierces Creek Road. A left onto Byers Road yields one of those classic viewpoints in farming country with the road encased in an avenue of trees as we look out over field cleared for grazing. Then the hardest hill of the whole loop as we struggle our way to the top of Gunters Hill. The surface is red dirt, and is definitely dry weather only.

Byers Road becomes Pit Rd, and we roll down past the Crows Nest Pistol Club, still enjoying the views on the way down.

We rejoin the bitumen for a few hundred metres on the New England Highway and then a quick left for the climb up Plainby Road.

At the top of Plainby Road we take a left on Bald Hills Road, and begin to admire the scenery visible on both sides of the road. This was our last and toughest challenge for the day, and most of the rest of the ride is downhill back to Crows Nest.

We arrived back in town ready to try out the pastries at My Little Blueberry. If you are in Crows Nest on the wrong day for My Little Blueberry, the Nest Cafe will look after you just fine too.

Check out the map on Ride With GPS.

Closer to heaven than where you come from

The Atherton Tablelands is pretty close to heaven for all types of bike riding.

There are great mountain bike trails (see elsewhere in this very guide), and there’s also plenty of good road cycling as well.

For most rides on the Tablelands it pays to be well prepared with climbing gears on your bike … there are plenty of hills. No local bike rider is going to agree with the idea that the Tablelands is flat.

But if you are looking for a flatter (not flat) ride, then a rail trail is always a good place to look.

The Atherton Tablelands Rail Trail at present runs officially from Walkamin to Atherton. We have listed the route from Mareeba, which doubles the length of the trail. This is section is informal only … you won’t get lost because a rail formation is pretty easy to follow, but there’s no signage or rail trail facilities.

Mareeba is 400 metres above sea level and Atherton is almost 800 metres. So plan your rides with this knowledge in mind. If you are doing this ride point-to-point we definitely recommend starting in Atherton.

But if this will be an out-and-back loop, make Atherton your halfway stop, and finish with the gentle downhill section back to your starting point.

Adventure awaits in the tropical savannah lands

Disused railway lines come in all shapes and sizes across Queensland. This point-to-point ride uses a line which was built by the Chillagoe Mining and Railway company in 1902, but was later taken over by Queensland Rail, and eventually closed in 1960. In the 60 years since it has been a public road, but obviously it is a road with the gentle gradients and remnant history that goes with its railway past.

Recent ride reports (from July 2021) note that the 8km trail section near Mt Garnet is rough and overgrown in places, before you reach Nymbool Road.

Although we have listed this ride starting in Mt Garnet, which is on the Kennedy Highway and easy to get to via road from Cairns, the railway formation was built as a spur off the Tablelands line at Lappa Lappa (now known as Lappa Junction).

According to the Rail Trails Australia page on this trail, you can expect outstanding savannah landscapes, panoramic views, impressive cuttings, stone bridges and culverts.

The 120 year-old “pub” at Lappa Junction is also a highlight, styling itself as Australia’s first BYO hotel (it doesn’t have a liquor licence). It does have a museum, however.

There are no services whatsoever between Mt Garnet and Lappa Junction, so being self-sufficient for food and water is important. And while this ride is “only” 52km, it would be a big day out to ride it both directions, so planning a shuttle with multiple cars, or having a support vehicle might be a good plan.

Trans North operates a bus from Cairns to Karumba that stops at Mt Garnet, see the Trans North website to book.

The Savannahlander private railway comes past Lappa Junction most days in a gleaming 1960s rail motor from either Cairns, Forsayth or Karumba, but it’s a tourist experience, not a standard railway service, so you can’t just jump on it back to Cairns.

The Great Northern Cycle Trail is a Facebook group which has put together a route which includes this ride as the western section of a 450km adventure cycling loop around the Atherton Tablelands. Lots of other great riding being highlighted around the Tablelands and Savannah country in that group!

Our photos for this article came from Sandra Butler who is part of the above-mentioned Great Northern Cycle Trail group. Of the Mt Garnet – Lappa Junction route she says: “It is a really beautiful ride!”

First instalment for a magnificent new rail trail

The Boyne Burnett Inland Rail Trail is a fascinating mix of Queensland history and current day interpretations of that history.

Barrimoon Tunnels to Builyan is the first section of the BBIRT to be open. It covers about 27-28 km. The best way to ride is down the Dawes Range, starting from Kalpowar. A short section of gravel road links Kalpowar to Barrimoon Siding, and off you go. There are toilets at Kalpowar (at the community hall), but once you set out on the rail trail there are no services until you get to the other end.

The Gayndah-Monto-Gladstone branch railway scribes a massive 270km arc away from the main coastal railway line through the North Burnett region. It left the main line at Mungar Junction, about 10km south of Maryborough, and rejoined at Byellee, just outside of Gladstone.

The section from Monto down into the Boyne Valley was the last section built, in the 1920 and 30s. Close to the top of the range are the six tunnels that make this such a spectacular ride.

From Barrimoon siding down to Golembil is the spectacular initial section of the new trail. And it is worth every last bit of the time, effort or money it takes to get you there.

Your writer of this guide has ridden plenty of rail trails in Australia. And this is (potentially) the best one. A little more work on the surface and it will be the best one.

There are six tunnels in the 5km from the top of the Dawes Range at Barrimoon. And the trails rolls through each of the tunnels, and in between there are views of the range all around. Just down the valley from here is a town called Many Peaks. And you can see why, as you cruise on the 11 km downhill to Golembil bridge.

From Golembil, the trail continues along the valley towards Many Peaks, and eventually Builyan, where there are toilets (at the community hall) and a shop (Kirsten’s Cottage, not always open, check before you ride).

The trail along here has plenty of rough and sandy sections. Wide tyres are a must, and this correspondent cannot help but think it would have been easier without our touring load.

The first stage of the Boyne Burnett Inland Rail Trail has opened up the possibility of linking up to other rail trails, for a truly epic adventure. See the Great Queensland Rail Trail Adventure website or Facebook page for more inspiration.