Queensland: Mount Glorious Road - Corner(ing) Country
When most people use the phrase 'Corner Country', they mean Tibooburra or Birdsville. When Brisbane motorcyclists use it they mean this road.
Elsewhere I've called it 'a swift succession of corners, mostly through Brisbane Forest Park, which is the equal of any road in Australia', and that sums it up very nicely – but of course there is more to it than even that.
There's nothing difficult about finding the Mt Glorious road, except perhaps the fact that some people refer to it as the Mt Nebo road. That's understandable, because Mt Nebo is on the way, but to get the full value of the road you really want to go at least as far as Mt Glorious, or even further to the end of the road at Wivenhoe Dam.There's nothing difficult about finding the Mt Glorious road, except perhaps the fact that some people refer to it as the Mt Nebo road. That's understandable, because Mt Nebo is on the way, but to get the full value of the road you really want to go at least as far as Mt Glorious, or even further to the end of the road at Wivenhoe Dam.
At the Brisbane end it's just a matter of heading north and west along Petrie Terrace or College Road and picking up State Highway 31. You'll stay on this all the way. Before long you will reach Waterworks Road, and just after you pass the pleasant suburb of The Gap you'll find yourself in Brisbane Forest Park.
Here beginneth the ride. It's tempting to write that from here on it's 'on for young and old' but unfortunately that phrase suggests exactly the kind of riding that's currently causing problems along here. The roadside is liberally littered with pieces of late-model sportsbike fairings (and occasionally bits of the riders, too). I've heard it said that at least one Brisbane bike shop is booking most of its profits from the sale of replacement fairings, blinkers and levers lost up here…
This is not in itself a dangerous road, except Don't get too carried away; the Mount Glorious road has caught out more than its fair share of riders over the years.when it's wet and the surface becomes slippery from the rain and occasionally moss. But because it is such a good bike road, it is very tempting for relatively inexperienced riders to exercise the wrist rather more than their skills warrant.
This has annoyed the locals and drawn the attention of the police. The result is that one of the best bike roads in Australia is now also one of the most heavily policed. Take it easy and preserve your paintwork, skin and license.
And make sure you stop at Mt Glorious for coffee. The place to be seen and especially to see is Maiala Rainforest Treehouse (see below for more information). On any fine day you can see some remarkably exotic and beautifully maintained machinery here – as well as a few R6s and CBR600s with grievously scratched fairings…
This is as far as most people go, but I'd like to suggest that you ride the remaining 24km to the T-intersection that marks the end of the road. Some of this stretch is considerably more open than the road to the east of the mountain, but there are some excellent corners – especially where the road drops down out of the forest.
An added attraction is that relatively few people live along this part of the road, and there are no major side streets. That makes it both more fun and safer.
Know before your go:
Be kind to the Queensland ambulance service and don't ride harder than your talent allows.
Avoid this road on weekends and public holidays, unless you fancy scraping fairings with a sportsbike coming the other way (and encountering police). During the week you're more likely to have the road more or less to yourself.
At the end of the road, turn around and do it all again – or head north and return to Brisbane via the fantastic Mt Mee/Dayboro road.
For more information:
Contact the Maiala Rainforest Teahouse & Restaurant, 1850 Mount Glorious Road; tel: 3289 0100; or visit: www.maiala.com.au
For Queenland's main Government-sponsored tourism website, visit: www.queenslandholidays.com.au
Protect your Bike. Call Shannons Insurance on 13 46 46 to get a quote today.
