As seen in The Age Sept 2009.
Queensland offers a diverse range of towns and scenery. Start the tour from the bustling city of Brisbane and head towards one of Australia's top holiday destinations, the Sunshine Coast. From Caloundra to Gympie to Hervey Bay, you will feel proud of your cycling accomplishments as you laze on the beaches of Fraser Island.
Let's continue the Reef Ride into the Queensland outback, seeing another side of this tropical state, with endless fields of sugar cane and cattle. The support bus is with you all the way and is to happy to have you on board, but don't stop now, we're almost at Airlie Beach! A day for you to beach hop and soak up the Whitsunday Islands.
The spectacular sights continue through Ayr, Townsville and Innisfail. You have now arrived into Cairns and seen Queensland from the city to the tropics, all from your handles bars. Well done!
Day 1 Brisbane to Caloundra
We leave the big smoke, taking the quietest of busy roads up to the Glasshouse Mountains. These spectacular cone shaped big humps are close by the Australia Zoo, before our coast stay.
Day 2 Caloundra to Gympie
We cruise alongside the Sunshine Coast, seeing the sights and growth of the popular area. Mt Coolum and Noosa are there, see the new architecture mingled with traditional Queensland housing.
Day 3 Gympie to Hervey Bay
Passing by Mt Bauple National Park, we visit Maryborough then on to Hervey Bay, the gateway to Fraser Island.
Day 4 Hervey Bay Rest Day
Fraser Island will be the choice of many on this rest day. Tours will be available for you to book to explore this beautiful Island.
Day 5 Hervey Bay to Gayndah
We transfer or cycle to Maryborough where we start heading out into the Queensland outback - green, wildlife and big properties.
Day 6 Gayndah to Monto
This cattle country is lush undulating countryside with interesting little country towns. Watch out for wandering stock and creepy crawlies.
Day 7 Monto to Biloela
This gold fossicking area is rich in all minerals, with craggy mountains, grass trees, tree ferns, rosellas and lorikeets aplenty.
Day 8 Biloela to Rockhampton
A few hills today, railway crossings, open plains and as we are heading north, the landscape is quite different from the early days of the ride.
Day 9 Rockhampton to Marlborough
Back to the Bruce Highway, although more traffic the road is quite, wide and safe, with plenty of places to rest amongst tall timbers and lush pasture.
Day 10 Marlborough to Carmila
Way out here there are lots of sugar cane, cane toads squashed on the road, rail crossings with little sugar trolleys being hauled around this fairly flat land.
Day 11 Carmila to Mackay
Carmila was the perfect “off the road” stop. Friendly family atmosphere before our tour through cattle properties, with coal mines to the left, fishing and prawning to the right.
Day 12 Mackay to Airlie Beach
This is tropical Queensland, big rivers, palms, big lush plants and Proserpine, a lovely little art deco type of town before our detour to Airlie Beach for our rest day.
Day 13 Airlie Beach Rest Day
Lots to do! Visit Shute Harbour, go fishing, hire a boat, Whitsunday sailing, island hopping, Conway National Park, sky dive… it’s your choice.
Day 14 Airlie Beach to Ayr
Bus or cycle to Proserpine, then through sugar cane to Bowen, where the film ‘Australia’ was mostly filmed with Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman.
Day 15 Ayr to Townsville
Lots more sugar cane, lovely hills, rail crossings, lush grass, mango farms, before little outskirts of towns, part of the Townsville surrounds. A short day, allowing a full afternoon to enjoy this beautiful town.
Day 16 Townsville to Ingham
Magnetic Island is on our right, then lots of beautiful beaches, Paluma Range National Park, Halifax Bay before Noola Heritage Resort.
Day 17 Ingham to Innisfail
Girringun National Park takes a big part of this mornings ride through mountain ash, vines and thick bus before Cardwell, then on to Tully, famous for its white water rafting tours.
Day 18 Innisfail to Cairns
Sugar cane and beautiful mountains part of the Great Dividing Range, still flank our route. Pyramid mountains, beaches and people coming into popular Cairns, the end of our journey. Congratulations!
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