The daily itinerary...

First Evening - Sydney - We'll all meet at the city centre hotel where you'll spend your first night. It's within walking distance of the Opera House, Harbour Bridge, Darling Harbour and other attractions. You'll meet the BikeRoundOz team and your new co-riders and we'll run through the tour and answer any questions. A 10 minute walk will take us to Circular Quay and around to the Rocks district where we'll have a celebratory first night dinner with superb views overlooking the iconic Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge. The views at night are simply spectacular and it makes for a great start to the tour.

Day 1- Sydney to Blue Mountains - 105kms. After breakfast we'll transport you to the depot 10 minutes from the city centre and you'll collect your bike. we'll ride out of Sydney to the world famous Blue Mountains. You'll visit huge lookouts over the valleys, see the Three Sisters and go down the steepest railway in the world to the valley floor at Scenic World. It's a short first day's ride but there's lots to see and it eases us into the tour nicely. The lovely hotel has magnificent views over the valley and a drink on the balcony is a perfect place to watch the changing colours of the mountains as the sun goes down.

Day 2 - Blue Mountains to Hunter Valley - 267kms. It's a prompt start the following day and we'll wind along a stunning back road with superb views through the Wollemi National Park. It was only 30 years or so ago when the now famous Wollemi Pine tree was discovered in this area. The road is one of the best biking routes in New South Wales . As it flattens out you'll find yourself in the beautiful vineyards of the Hunter Valley with the mountain backdrop in the distance. We'll arrive early afternoon in time for a tour of a few local wineries - on a coach of course!

Day 3 - Hunter Valley to Armidale - 360kms. Leaving the vineyards we'll continue north twisting along a well known biking back road called Thunderbolts Way. There are friendly country towns and huge lookouts over the Great Dividing Range. Many people are surprised at the lush green valleys and dramatic mountainsides. Charming small country towns provide regular opportunities for a break. The overnight stay is in Armidale which is ideally located for tomorrow's ride along the lovely Waterfall Way.

Day 4 - Armidale to Bellingen - 152kms. The Waterfall Way is a beautifully scenic route with many lookouts over the surrounding countryside and valleys. The road meanders towards the coast and is full of National Parks, waterfalls, beautifully green rolling hills and dense rainforest. We'll stop at 'the smallest motorcycle museum in the world café' for lunch and then visit the rainforest centre at the top of the escarpment that leads down to the coast. A walk through the rainforest is fascinating with its varied bird and tangled plant life. The road down the escarpment through the rainforest is one of the best biking roads in the country and it ends with a ride alongside the river leading to the hotel for the evening. If there's time there's no better way to end a warm day's ride than to swim in a crystal clear pool and take in the steep mountain scenery of the Promised Land near Bellingen. There's limited accommodation here but the motel has superb views over the mountain range, a tropical pool and restaurant with bar.

Day 5 - Bellingen to Byron Bay - 318km. In the morning we ride back up that superb biking road onto the top of the escarpment and make our way through rainforest and tightly twisting roads to the vibrant coastal town of Byron Bay. It has spectacular beaches, a small town centre with a wonderful alternative atmosphere and beautiful coastlines including the lighthouse at the most easterly point in Australia.

Day 6 - Free Day - There's more than enough to do in Byron Bay for a full day. You'll have your own time to walk/relax on the beautiful beaches, shop for souvenirs in unusual stores, visit the lighthouse and perhaps ride along the coastline or even up to the Gold Coast and Surfers Paradise if you wish. Byron is a busy, small coastal town with a really nice feel that comes from its days as an 'alternative lifestyle' centre. It has moved upmarket since then but hasn't lost it's simple appeal and there are plenty of artisans, musicians and interesting characters around town to make it exciting and fun.

Day 7 - Byron Bay to Toowoomba - 335kms. The ride through the northern NSW hinterland is simply stunning. Nimbin is the hippy and alternative lifestyle capital of Australia and psychaedelic shop fronts rule the village centre! There's superb scenery all the way to Toowoomba known as Queensland's Garden City on top of the Great Dividing Range.

Day 8- Toowoomba to Rainbow Beach - 343kms. In the morning we drive past Somerset Dam and along parts of the fantastic Blackall Range Tourist Drive before eventually arriving at the lovely coastal village of Rainbow Beach. You'll stay in a fabulous hotel with rooms overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Cool off in the pool or walk across the road to a superb beach that runs 60km from Fraser Island in the north to Noosa in the south. With views along the coast to Fraser Island, a great hotel bar next door and another over the road with views along the coast it's the perfect place to spend two nights and to relax before and after the busy Fraser Island 4WD tour.

Day 9- Fraser Island - The Fraser Island 4WD tour is exciting, fascinating and bumpy at times! A 4WD coach and expert tour guide will help you discover the largest sand island in the world. The 80km eastern beach is the 'main road'! You'll visit shipwrecks, swim in crystal clear streams, be driven through narrow tracks in the rainforest, see wild dingos (hopefully!) and spend an hour or so on the most perfect white beach at a pristine cobalt blue freshwater lake. You can take a short plane ride (taking off from the beach!) for about AU$70 and lunch is included. It's a great day out and one of the highlights of the tour for many people.

Day 10- Rainbow Beach to Agnes Water - 329kms. The ride up to Agnes Water is via endless avocado and sugarcane lined roads. We'll stop for lunch in the town of Bundaberg (famous for its rum) and continue north to settle into the resort at Agnes Water. Once unpacked you can swim in the pool, walk on the beach or relax on your apartment balcony before dinner at the best restaurant in town overlooking the 1770 inlet.

Day 11- Great Barrier Reef - Lady Musgrave Island - In the morning after breakfast you'll take a fast boat out to the Great Barrier Reef! Lady Musgrave Island is a coral atoll with a fascinating history. A guided tour on the island is included as is as much snorkeling as you like. The reef is teeming with life! Giant clams, huge anemones, colourful fish and hundreds of coral species make this a special underwater place and an unforgettable part of the tour. If you've not snorkeled before there's plenty of helpers, a floating pontoon and a glass bottom boat if you'd prefer not to get wet. Diving is optional.

Day 12- Agnes Water to Noosa - 418kms. From Agnes Water we'll ride south along the Bruce Highway to Noosa. It's the longest ride of the tour but worth the effort as Noosa has one of the best climates, coastlines and chic town centres in Australia. It's superbly located on a perfect beach and is a centre for surfers, food lovers and people who enjoy spending their time in the outdoors. A walk along the breathtaking coastline at Noosa Heads National Park is wonderful especially if you see one of the many koalas in the trees overlooking the ocean!

Day 13- Noosa to Brisbane - 185kms. There's time to shop for an hour or two in the morning before we ride into the Sunshine Coast hinterland. Lunch is at a café with one of the best views in the area. The Sunshine Coast stretches out on all sides with the rainforest and green fields of the hinterland in front, the coastal townships in the middle and the Pacific Ocean in the distance. From there we'll ride back down the escarpment to the late Steve Irwin's Australia Zoo. We'll arrive in time for the main arena show with the big crocs, snakes and birds and you'll have plenty of time to look around at the other incredible wildlife. The ride into Brisbane takes an hour or so and we'll spend the final night at a lovely city centre hotel where we'll have a great celebration and final dinner together!

It really is the ultimate east coast bike tour! Superb scenery, great biking roads, top quality bikes, lovely accommodation, delicious meals and even the excursions to Scenic World, the vineyards, Fraser Island, Great Barrier Reef and Steve Irwin's Zoo are included. It's all taken care of and you can be sure to see the best Australia has to offer!

Option 1: Code: SB13G1 13 day, 14 night Ultimate Guided Tour on choice of bike below: Harley Davidson Streetglide, Heritage Softail, RoadKing or Ultra Classic (add AU$520 for Ultra) - A couple/partners, one bike in a double room - AU$12,544 - Rider in a shared room - AU$9,388 - Rider in their own room - AU$10,967

Option 2: Code: SB13G2 13 day, 14 night Ultimate Guided Tour on choice of bike below: BMW R1200GS, Honda VFR800Fi, Honda VT750 or Bandit 1250 - A couple/partners, one bike in a double room - AU$12,115 - Rider in a shared room - AU$8,959 - Rider in their own room - AU$10,538

Option 3: Code: SB13G3 13 day, 14 night Ultimate Guided Tour on choice of bike below: BMW F650GS (800cc), G650GS, Yamaha FZ6, Yamaha XVS650 - A couple/partners, one bike in a double room - AU$11,829 - Rider in a shared room - AU$8,673 - Rider in their own room - AU$10,252

Some commonly asked questions answered...

Q: "What pace is the riding? I'm concerned everyone will be knee down racers!"
A: We love the curves as much as the next rider but our priorities are safety, for you to enjoy the scenery and to have the time to soak up the atmosphere. You won't be encouraged to ride faster than you wish and, while we hope it's exhilarating in places, there's no wild riding. If it's knee down racing you're after this is not the tour for you.

Q: "Do I need lots of touring experience?"
A: The roads on this trip are all tarmac and distances each day aren't large so there's plenty of time to enjoy the country as you ride through. We take care of everything for you and so it's a relaxed and easy way to tour. You don't need to have toured before but a sense of fun and adventure, some experience riding a bike and a willingness to spend 3 to 5 hours riding on some days are all you need.

Q: "Why not finish in Cairns?"
A: There is a long gap of 1,300kms between Agnes Water and Cairns without a great deal to see apart from Airlie Beach. This is a 2 to 3 day ride and while Airlie Beach has the lovely Whitsunday Islands the only way you can see them is on a boat. During the Whitsunday boat trip you snorkel on the reef and so this is the same as the Agnes Water excursion where we visit Lady Musgrave Island on the Great Barrier Reef. We understand that once near Cairns you have the Daintree Rainforest and waterfalls of the Atherton Tablelands. This is a beautiful area but you will visit rainforest at Dorrigo in northern NSW and the Waterfall Way has superb waterfalls. For these reasons we feel it's the best use of people's time to ride as far north as Agnes Water and then return to Brisbane via Noosa (which is a beautiful coastal town) and see Australia Zoo and the incredible views of the Sunshine Coast hinterland. If you'd prefer to go to Cairns then we can certainly arrange for you to break from the group in Agnes Water and continue on a Self Guided Tour. We'll arrange accommodation and provide a detailed itinerary and maps for you.

* Accommodation is 4.5 star for the majority of the trip but in one or two areas such as Bellingen there is limited accommodation and restaurants as it is country Australia and so we use a nice 3.5 star motel set in tropical gardens - there's still a pool and spa!