If you're after a pleasant day ride in South-East Queensland, try the trip from Kilkivan to the Kinbombi Falls.

I've driven past this turn-off hundreds of times, and every time thought to myself "I should duck down there and have a look". Today I did just that. I wasn't riding past, I rode there on purpose.

Kinbombi Falls is a stepped water fall that has carved it's way through the rock conglomerate of an ancient river bed. There are many rock pools that follow the path of the creek and a number of paths that wind along the ridge and through the gorge. The falls aren't flowing at the moment due to lack of rain, but it's easy to see how spectacular they would be if the water was flowing. The pool at the base of the falls is reported to be over 10 metres deep and perfect for swimming on hot summer days, with the cliffs providing cooling shade.

At the camping/picnic grounds there are no signs to the falls. I found the path by heading toward the only building...the loo.
The path starts as concrete steps and there must be over 200 of them down to the base of the falls. There are also unmarked tracks that take off from the path, they are unmarked and have no hand rails so be careful following these.

From the base of the falls you can see two other observation points on the cliff walls. However, finding the path to these is not obvious. At this time of year (Autumn/Winter) it is obvious the trails are not well used and have become overgrown. The silk webs of Golden Orb spiders are everywhere. My tip is to take off your sunglasses to see them better and hopefully you won't walk into one.

The path to "Smith's Steps" is just a dirt trail that takes off to the left as you head down to the bottom of the falls. I did notice some pink marking ribbon on a few saplings but the path is not obvious. Don't worry though, you won't get lost and the walk it worth it.

The path along the cliffs provides an excellent view to the base of the gorge. On the opposite side you can see grass trees and I'm told, rock wallabies on occasion. If you have children along, take care, the drops close on either side of the path at one point is very steep and very deep.

I spent an hour walking around and could easily have spent another 3 or 4 if I'd taken my full set of camera gear.


The facilities at the camp ground are basic. No drinking water or firewood, and only basic BBQ equipment. Firewood would be fairly easy to find depending on the time of year, but you should think of taking everything with you. If, like me, you chose to ride here, consider having lunch at the Kilkivan Takeaway. They do a mean works burger.


Kinbombi Falls is about 18kms on the Goomeri side of Kilkivan along the Wide-Bay Highway. The exit off the highway is well signposted and is only 5kms from the main drag.

If you're coming up from Brisbane or the Sunshine coast, you can do a loop by continuing on past Kinbombi Falls to Nannango and on to Kilcoy. The ride on the Wide Bay Highway is very easy and the road is better than average in most places. The Kinbombi Falls road is a single lane bitumen strip in excellent condition.

Tags: road trips, motorcycles

I completed Ride 4 in the Australian Motorcycle Atlas as a continuation of Ride 11. 4 started where 11 finished to it just made sense. Plus I had to get home somehow and didn't necessarily want to ride back the same way. I mean.. who would?

After the short but punishing ride on the old Bruce Highway into Caboolture I was glad to be on the Caboolture by-pass heading toward Woodford. But, it was now just after 12 noon and I could feel a rumbling that wasn't the bike.

Feeling that I couldn't wait until Woodford, another 10 minutes up the road, I stopped at Wamuran for a cuppa'n'sanga combo. I'd been riding for a while so this also gave me a nice chance to stretch the pins, and listen to all the Harleys roaring past. Not to worry, I'd catch up with them shortly. One needs to let them feel as though they're doing well.

Having consumed sustenance, I ambled my way the extra 13 kms toward Woodford. Catching up with the Harleys just before entering the town. They stopped. I continued. My "quiet" dominance over the "loud", continues.

Ride 4 is a half loop from Caboolture to Peachester. This requires a right turn off the D'Aguilar a couple of kms out of Woodford. This stretch of road which passes through Stanmore and Cedarton is an excellent stretch of winding curves, finishing in Peachester before another swervy-curvy down the Blackall Range again. From this point I headed back toward Montville.

Rather than go back through Montville to get to Nambour I decided to take a right and head in the back way to Palmwoods/Woombye. This is well signposted just before you get to Montville. The road into Palmwoods is very winding and, thanks to other traffic, my average speed was about 50 kph until I hit the bottom of the range.

Once back to Nambour it was business as usual. This is the road I take, heading home from work, a lot of the time.

Having passed Nambour on my way back to Yandina I realised I hadn't take any photos of my bike on this trip. Easily fixed.

And there endeth Ride 4. It was a fantastic day and a good trip even for a car. Total distance travelled: 290 kms

Tags: motorcycles, road trips

Glorious day today. The only thing in the perfectly blue sky was the Moon low on the western horizon. I have been waiting for such a day for a while now. So having finally found one, I saddled up the hoss, smeared on a little SPF 30+, and away I went.

Ride 11 from the Australian Motorcycle Atlas was the order of the day. This ride covers Caboolture to Yandina via the Glass House Mountains, but seeing as I live up the northern end of the Sunshine Coast, I went the other way.

I left home at 9:00 am while the air was still crisp. As the actual ride started at Yandina, I had a nice trip through part of the Mary Valley and Sunshine Coast Hinterland to get there. Zipping through what is left of the sugar cane industry in the area, I soon arrived at Yandina. No time to stop, bike was sniffing fumes by this stage so next port of call was BP Bellbird for a fill-up.

Having filled the bike, I shot up the range to Montville where I had my first coffee for the day. A nice spot for a coffee is the Poet's Corner right on the main drag. The view from the Mayfield shopping complex out over the Sunshine Coast, is quite spectacular. The maples are starting to change colour with the onset of Autumn/Winter. It's worth the ride just to see them.

Landsborough is the next port of call. The temperature is starting to rise just a little so I dropped into the Shell servo for a cold drink. There was a Croc Explorer tour bus and there were quite a few envious stares when I pulled up and dismounted. I'm sure it was my bike, I doubt it was the Harley that roared in at the same time.

The ride from Landsborough to Caboolture is a little difficult to find, but basically I was following the Old Gympie Road. The road takes a winding route through and around the Glass House Mountains. Seeing the hills from the road isn't difficult but I was back-tracking here and there trying to find good vantage points for photos. I shouldn't have bothered. A little further along was the turnoff to the Glass House Mountains Lookout. Beautiful views all round. I was going to stop at the Outlook Cafe but the place was packed. The AMA calls this place the "Wander In" but I didn't see any signs with that name.

From the lookout it was gentle riding through the forestry plantations to Caboolture. The last kilometre or so was on the old highway that follows the railway line. This stretch of road is as rough as guts. I was glad to be off it onto the D'Aguilar highway.

This ended Ride 11.
However, I had noted that Ride 4 starts where 11 finishes so, what they hey... I continued on.

Flick over to the Ride 4 Complete blog entry.

Tags: motorcycles, road trips

The rain cleared enough today for me to get out on the bike. As I had half a day to spare I decided to knock off one of the 100 top rides in the Australian Motorcycle atlas, produced by HEMA. The ride I chose was number 5 which is in my neck of the woods.

This particular ride starts at Eumundi and, via Kenilworth, ends at Maleny on the Blackall range.

There were a few light showers during the trip but these only lasted around 30 seconds or so and didn't put a dampener on the experience.

I carried on through Maleny and headed to Nambour via Mapleton along the range. I then turned in to Eumundi again and headed to Noosa. From Noosa I tootled back inland to Cooroy and then followed the old Bruce highway to Pomona, rejoining the highway south of Federal State School.

All in all a very enjoyable ride, with differing road conditions. There were plenty of bikes out which is always good to see.

The next ride will probably number 11 which goes from Nambour to Caboolture via Landsborough.

Tags: motorcycles, road trips

Picked this up on the weekend while passing through Gympie.

This Motorcycle atlas has 100 top rides of Australia. I've been browsing through it over the past couple of days and it looks rather good.

This is the Third Edition and the Author Peter Thoeming covers not only the top rides of Australia, but also some guidelines on what to pack and how to pack it. It's also full of imagery of the ride areas.

Most of the "Top" rides in Queensland are right around where I live, so I have no excuse not to try them out.

Many of the top rides in Queensland, New South Wales, and Tasmania I have already covered by car and so I know they're good.

I just have to do them on the bike.

So here's waiting for Summer to end and Autumn to start so the temperature drops a little. I don't find it too much fun riding in the 30+ heat. Don't get me wrong, it's all fun, it just could be funner... ahem, more fun.

Tags: books, motorcycles, road trips