A Bit of Tar, A Bit of Gravel...
Want some classic back road riding? How about I throw in some outstanding country pubs? And a couple of the best pie shops you’re ever going to find? Oh and a collection of locals who ride themselves and who love hosting bikers? And it’s not just all a couple of hour of hours out of Brisbane, it also straddles one of the area’s major north-south arteries
Thought that might get your attention! The area around Cooyar/Yarraman/ Blackbutt isn’t just a great local playground for riders from Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast, but because it’s at the top end of the New England Highway, it gives some very enjoyable options to riders using this artery on longer north-south rides between NSW and more northern Queensland destinations.
BLACKBUTT
With the D’Aguilar Hwy as its main and pretty much only street, this is probably my favourite town in the area. The Woodfi red Bakery has been fi ring up since 1910 and its fare is way better than fair! Pies of the day are dependent on availability of fresh ingredients but grab a lamb and rosemary or a beef, mushroom and garlic if they are on! Harley rider Sean and his wife Sue are the new owners of the grand Radnor Hotel and you’ll get a hearty warm welcome from them and the locals in the bar. There’s even a pole dance pole if you want to make a complete fool of yourself! There is general store fuel just up from the pub. Radnor Hotel Blackbutt T: 07 4163 0203
COOYAR
There’s really only two things in this town: the pub and the general store. Karen runs the pub and will make you welcome as will the locals. Be aware that this is a total mobile phone black hole with no reception for any provider so if you need to stay in touch you should give your loved ones the pub’s number. There’s meals 7 nights a week with a $15.00 BBQ on Wednesdays and if you stay overnight, the rocking chair on the back balcony is an awesome way to ease into the morning. The general store sells 91 and 95 fuel and is run by the parents of race legend Garry McCoy who’s developing a motor sport park not far out of town and all the staff know the area and can give advice on roads, conditions and attractions… no hopeless backpacking staff here! Cooyar Hotel: T 07 4692 6185
HADEN
Not much in Haden ‘cept friendly locals and a quaint general store. Good place for a quick leg stretch.
QUINALOW
This town pretty much is the pub and the nearest general store (with 91 fuel) is up the road at Maclagen. Greg and Cheryl run the pub which they took (back) over last year. Greg told me he wants to make, ‘a pub the town can be proud of’ and he is well on the way. This is a pub with a beautiful soul in a town with a huge heart going by some of the stories of community help which I heard when there. Greg rides a Moto Guzzi but ask to see his special handmade bike with sidecar. You’ll always fi nd a local up for a game of darts if 180 signifi es something for you other than your recent speed! Quinalow Hotel: T 07 4692 1167
YARRAMAN
There’s a couple of decent cafes on the D’Aguilar but the bakery at the very end of the NEH seems the place to go and I’ve not been there without a bike or two outside, either celebrating reaching the end of the trip north or preparing for the ride south. There are no less than four local Ural rig owners who occasion by. The General Store with its fuel is not open on weekends whatsoever and closes erratically early some afternoons. The Yarraman Hotel will give you a good welcome whilst the Royal is the only pub I’ve been to where I’ve shared a beer with a horse. Can’t guarantee Mr Ed will be there when you are, but their Bundy pie is a constantly great spicy dish ! Yarraman Royal Hotel: T 07 4163 8219 Yarraman Hotel: 07 4163 8285
TOOGOOLAWAH
A very relaxing place off the highway. Somehow it supports three pubs, and the Star Health Café and massage studio in the middle of the quiet main street serves up brilliant smoothies and reasonable coffee. There is general store for fuel but if your tank’s low, the best bet is at the Harlin Roadhouse just 13 km up the Brisbane Valley Hwy.
BUNYA MOUNTAINS
On the hottest of days you’ll notice two things as you lean it over and climb the mountain: the decrease in the air temp and the increase in wallabies beside and on the road. Once you hit the T at the top and head to the village, you’ll see how unafraid the wallabies are and you’ll need to take it easy. A coupl of cafes and a general store at Bunya but if you take an outside table, don’t leave your food unattended else the currawongs will demolish it!
I’ve broken the options into three loops but this is a real mix and match smorgasbord of wonderful options. Your personal choice will depend on the time you have and the time of day you set out but whatever you decide, you’re in for a treat of back roads riding.
EASTERN LOOP (BLUE): BLACKBUTT/TOOGOOLAWAH/ CROWS NEST
Have a memorable pie at the Woodfi red Pie shop across from the stately Radnor Hotel before heading south down the side of the pub on Hart St. Just keep following this well sealed road as it winds south for just under 9km until you hit the fi rst unsealed section. This is a very friendly and not too corrugated 2.5km stretch of grey based gravel and in the dry no street bike is going to have any problem. You’ll then have a tick over 10 km of deserted country tar road, in good condition, fi rm surface and no HGV rutting. Just glorious. After 6km on the tar you’ll see the turn on the right for Cooyar before you descend into the valley and then another 6km of unthreatening dirt before 20 km of more wonderful riding into Crows Nest.
If you don’t have any reason to head into Crows Nest, you’ll see the Toogoolawah Turn on your left after 15km of the second bitumen stretch. Whether you head into CN or not, you’ll need to take this turn to the east on Anduramba Rd and then follow it for 3.5km until you see the dirt road to your right signed Bluff Rd to Toogoolawah. This gravel is just a bit over 1km and then you get a cameo 2km of beautiful tar in pristine condition. If you’re at all like me you’ll do a U-turn at the start of the next gravel and ride this bit all over again just for the fun!
Once back on track you are facing an 11 km stretch of very easy unsealed but mostly gravel topped road. I’ve not ridden this in the wet but it looks like it’d still be rideable in the rain. In the sunshine it’s a breeze and at the end of it you have 18km of more sweeping cambered curves for the ride into Toogoolawah.
Toogoolawah is just off the Brisbane Valley Highway which is well signposted. Simply turn left at the T when you get to the end of the road and the right over the railway line and then left onto the BVH. Turn left onto the D’Aguilar Hwy for the scurry west back to Blackbutt.
WESTERN LOOP (ORANGE): COOYAR/MAIDENWELL/BUNYA/ QUINALOW
A good morning ride.
Fill up at the Cooyar General Store. Head north on the New England Highway and enjoy the curves and twists as you rise up from the valley fl oor. Just over 5km from town take the left for Maidenwell and Bunya mountains.Turn left around the Maidenwell Pub in the direction of Bunya Mountains.
From Maidenwell you’ll have 9 km of sweet riding before 3.5 km of clay based dirt which is not very friendly in the wet! At the top of the mountain turn right at the T in the direction of Kingaroy and then 2.4 km along take the right for Bunya Village with its general store and café. Once you’re refreshed, retrace your path but pass the left (signposted Maidenwell) that you came up and continue straight. You’ll suddenly be out of the rain forest and on a beautiful ridge road with views either side before descending back to the valley. At the bottom of the hill take the fi rst left for Maclagan and some more open, straighter riding.
At Maclagan turn left signposted Cooyar and follow this pleasant winding mostly valley road all the way back to the NEH where you turn north for the run back to Cooyar.
MIDDLE LOOP (GREEN).
If you’ve been lucky and smart enough to have stayed with Greg and Cheryl at the Quinalow Hotel, you’ll be well rested after a good night so to top it off, head north along the Pechy-Maclagen Rd, which at Maclagen is renamed the Dalby Cooyar Rd and just keep following your front wheel til you turn left at the NEH and head north for Cooyar and then Yarraman.
At Yarraman turn right onto the D’Aguilar Hwy for the very enjoyable 13 km ride down to Blackbutt where, probably after a leg stretch and a pie, you turn south down the side of the Radnor Pub. After about 16 km and on the bitumen, you’ll see the turn right for Mt Binga and Cooyar. On the right there’s a larger Lutheran School sign. Turn west here and you’ll soon hit the 11 km of unsealed, often clay based gravel. In the dry it is no problem and the scenery makes the effort worthwhile. Six km from Cooyar the bitumen starts again for a great little squirt into the town.
After a break in Cooyar retrace your tracks a fraction heading east of the Royal Hotel keeping right on McDougall St until you hit the T at the Police station and then turn right on Ronald and quickly right again onto Gracey St, signposted Cooyar Primary School. You’ll have 6 km of fine bitumen riding before an easy 4 km of gravel before rejoining the NEH for a tick over 16 km south to the Djuan Rd right turn for Haden. Follow this narrow but well surfaced tar strip into Haden and then ride through the town south to Goombungee.
At the north end of Goombungee you’ll see the turn west for Oakey and Cooyar. Take this for the straighter run up to Kulpi where the pub has re-opened but the servo is well closed. Continue through town until you hit the turn left for Peranga where again you turn left around the bowling club for the run back to Quinalow.
