Not for the faint hearted!

This challenging ride has been a popular event in the Queensland cyclocross social calendar for a couple of years. The first half is all climbing, and the second half is all downhill.

Starting in the small Lockyer Valley town of Helidon (which has an IGA/cafe and a pub, so your choice of post-ride refuelling), the first few kilometres are pretty gentle as we roll through Lockyer Siding on our way towards Murphys Creek.

There’s a tough little pinch on Murphys Creek Rd on the bitumen, before we cross the railway line and head up into the hills.

We are climbing on gravel for the next 21 km, and there are Strava segments aplenty, so challenge yourself every time the road kicks up a bit, and you can find out later whether you’ve bested Queensland’s best cyclocrossers.

Close to the top there is a dry-weather only option on National Park Rd. This road becomes slimy red mud when it rains. Do not ask me how I know this because I’m trying to forget. The route we’ve supplied below takes the long way around on Esk-Hampton Road which is not nearly as much fun. Your choice on the day.

There is a nice little park at the turnaround point, with water and toilets.

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And then all the pain of the climbing is forgotten as we descend on Seventeen Mile Road. It is 26km of fun fun fun, although there are a couple of small climbs on the way down that will test those tired legs. Depending on recent weather conditions, Seventeen Mile Road can be a little corrugated in places, but mostly you will be having the time of your life on the way down. A couple of the early sections are steep, so take care. Closer to Helidon the road flattens, but the downhill lasts all the way into the township.

A couple of sharp turns as you enter the town, and then out-sprint your companions to the “finish line” at Soldiers Memorial Park on the main street. Congratulations, you have faced your Helidoom and come out the other side!

The Caboolture-Wamuran rail trail is just the beginning for this fun loop

The Caboolture-Wamuran rail trail is a concrete or bitumen path which provides a gentle 10km warm-up for this mixed surface ride.

Start from the Caboolture trailhead and roll past the Caboolture education precinct. You will then make your way through some low-density suburbia before skirting around the back of the Wamuran sawmill, and through a cutting to emerge in a nice park to complete the rail trail.

There are toilets at Wamuran (around the back of the community centre) before you launch into the next stage of the ride. After about 4km of minor road you make your way into a remnant natural forest and follow the Old Wamuran rail corridor. 6km of easy climbing pops you out onto Raen Rd. After another couple of km on the bitumen, we take a left turn into the pine plantations of the Beerburrum State Forest.

The literal high point of the ride comes after about 12km of forestry roads: the Glass House Mountains lookout. As you gaze around at the view, remember the dreamtime legend of Tibrogargan and Beerwah and their children, and see their tears flowing to the sea.

Back on the bike for a short but bumpy descent (or a short detour to the Glasshouse Mountains Lookout Cafe), and then a cruise along gravel roads towards Beerburrum township.

There are more coffee options at Beerburrum, and maybe you will need a snack as well, to power you along the bitumen sections back to Caboolture. After a few kilometres on Beerburrum Rd to Elimbah, you can dogleg onto Hamilton Rd and Dances Rd for a pretty quiet run back to the rail trail car park.

Look across to your right as you come into town and you will see the Caboolture Historical Village, with more than 70 buildings celebrating the pioneer days of the region.

Shades of our pioneer past

Nanango in the South Burnett is well placed to become a hotspot for gravel riding.

The Link Trail between the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail and the Kilkivan Kingaroy Rail Trail goes through Nanango. But there are also kilometres of interesting roads to explore using Nanango as a base. Local bike-riding advocate David Kenny has led efforts to encourage bike riders to visit the town. As a result there are now four signed ‘NAN’ loop rides from the centre of town.

The NAN1 loop only takes a couple of hours, but it takes in views of typical South Burnett region cattle-grazing countryside, and some rolling hills.

The ride starts on Mount Stanley Rd which is sealed for the first 7km from Nanango. Once on the dirt, you hit the only long climb of the ride, which takes you all the way to the corner of Mount Stanley Rd and Mylett Lane. That corner marks the high point of the ride, so although it’s not all downhill from here, at least the trend is in your favour.

Ride through the evocatively named locality of Bullcamp, and imagine the pioneer era as you roll along the tree-lined lane. There’s a couple of lumps and bumps as you head back towards your well-earned refreshments in Nanango. Your BQ writer has tried cheese and spinach rolls at bakeries all over this wide brown land, and the Nanango Bakehouse was a memorable highlight!