 Winter
is a perfect time of year for this tour. Warm sunny days without
the humidity of Summer make it a great time to visit. There's a
huge amount to see on this trip. You can either ride each day or
leave a few days spare to see some of the highlights such as Fraser
Island, the Whitsundays and the Great Barrier Reef that can only
be seen via a separate excursion.
From your collection point on the Sunshine Coast there's
great biking roads and scenery both along the coast and through
the beautiful hinterland.
You'll ride west to the mountain city of Toowoomba clinging to the
escarpment. From here your outback adventure begins! Prepare yourself
for a few long days as you'll average around 600km a day. The amazing
outback scenery, friendly people, country towns and leisurely cruising
along sweeping open roads make up for it though! You'll stay in
the hotel where Waltzing Matilda was first performed before riding
back towards the coast for an overnight stop at Townsville.
 Next,
you'll head north to Port Douglas where the Great Barrier Reef is
within easy reach via a short boat trip. You'll have a day spare
in Port Douglas to visit the reef if you wish.
After a day exploring Cape Tribulation and Atherton Tablelands you'll
head south along the coast again. At Airlie Beach there is the option
to extend the tour by a day and visit the spectacular Whitsunday
Islands. Further south you can search for the elusive platypus in
Eungella National Park and have some informative walks in the forest
with the rangers.
Continuing south to the lovely coastal town of Rainbow Beach there's
the option to extend the tour and take a 4WD tour of the spectacular
Fraser Island.
In summary, an amazing tour with great roads, fantastic scenery,
rainforests, superb coastlines and friendly small towns in which
to spend your evenings! Read more details below...
 Sunshine
Coast - this area has one of the most spectacular hinterlands
in the country with rainforests, waterfalls, pineapple plantations
and the beautiful Glass House Mountains.
You'll rise up the escarpment to the Great Dividing Range and visit
the quaint hill top villages around Maleny beofre continuing south
towards the Glass House Mountains. If you are quick you can also
squeeze in the late Steve Irwin's Australia Zoo. The Sunshine Coast
also has a lovely coastline and upmarket coastal resorts. Added
to the hinterland it makes for a great first day on the tour.
Toowoomba - A picturesque
mountain city clinging to the edge of the Great Dividing Range
escarpment at an altitude of seven hundred meters above sea-level,
the city has breathtaking views of Table Top Mountain and the
Lockyer Valley region across the east. Known as Queensland's Garden
City it is a great place to spend the evening after your first
day's ride.
 Roma
and the Outback Loop - If you enjoy the odd longer day
in the saddle, laid back cruising and the beer cold at the end
of the day, you'll love this section of the tour. Some 600km days
await but the outback scenery, friendly locals and atmospheric
small towns make the distance melt. Your tour takes you past Queensland's
oldest winery (est 1863) and the Big Rig, a museum of oil and
gas exploration. There's also the Australian Stockman's Hall of
Fame & Outback Heritage Centre, the founding place of Qantas
Airways at Qantas Founders Outback Museum and the Waltzing Matilda
Centre, a museum dedicated to the famous song. You'll even stay
in the historic hotel where the song was first performed. You'll
pass by lovely Carnarvon Gorge National Park on the way - who
said there was nothing to do in the Outback!?
Port Douglas - a beautiful
small tropical town with great restaurants and bars. It's the
nearest port to the Great Barrier Reef and so a popular optional
excursion is to take a fast boat out to the reef to snorkel for
the day (+AU$170 per person). An unforgettable experience.
Atherton Tablelands - superb
rolling green scenery with some of the most beautiful waterfalls
in Australia on the Waterfall Circuit. Visit the 500 year old
Curtain Fig Tree and enjoy the roads in this undulating region
of rainforest and farming.
Daintree Rainforest - the
oldest rainforest on earth! An Information Centre takes you on
a tour of the densely tangled forest via boardwalks and a tower
that allows you to get deep into the canopy and find out all about
the birds, plant, animal and insect life at each level of the
jungle. The small, tightly twisting roads are good fun on a bike
too but take your time and enjoy the views.
Cape Tribulation - the coconut
lined beach here backs straight on to the rainforest. There aren't
many places on earth you can sit and listen to bird and insect
sounds of the rainforest whilst taking a picnic on the beach!
Captain Cook beached his damaged ship The Endeavour here to make
repairs and hence the name 'Cape Tribulation'.
Eungella NP - walk the rainforest in search of the famous
Platypus. There are some lovely walking trails through this area
and the Rangers are on hand to help you discover more about the
original aboriginal inhabitants, bush tucker and the flora and
fauna of the forest.
 Whitsunday
Islands - this is a beautiful series of paradise islands
just off of the atmospheric coastal town of Airlie Beach.
Many people stay for a second optional night and take a cruise
around some of the most perfect coral islands in the world (+AU$140
per person). Visit the stunning Whitehaven Beach and snorkel in
protected bays over teaming coral gardens. In the evenings enjoy
the lively pubs and restaurants of the town centre.
Rainbow Beach and Fraser Island
- Rainbow Beach is a lovely small coastal 'town' next to the rainbow
coloured sands of the beach but it is best known as a gateway
to the spectacular Fraser Island. Add an extra day to the tour,
stay two nights and take a 4WD tour to the largest sand island
in the world (+AU$159 per person). Many people consider this one
of the highlights of their trip as you take the eastern beach
(the 'main road'!) north to rainforests, crystal clear freshwater
lakes, shipwrecks on the beach and huge sand dunes. Take a flight
over the island as an option for about AU$70. You'll take off
and land on the beach and it's a great experience for the relatively
low cost.
There is no difference in costs if you ride alone or with a pillion.
* Flights are not included
in the price.
N.B. This tour can be adjusted to suit
your timescales and preferences - just
ask!
Pictures are for display purposes only and may
not represent exact bike available.
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