inland tour routes from Kyogle to Cairns

[KiloMikeEcoBike]

Hello. I am currently on a solo cycle trip from Bairnsdale to Cairns. I am staying near Kyogle with a friend for a few days rest. I have been trying to find information on back roads/routes through the Great Dividing Range, but haven't come across too much. I do not want to ride through Brisbane or along the coast.

Does anyone have any input on roads from Kyogle up towards Toowoomba (though not necessarily going through Toowoomba) and further north from there onto Cairns?
Any side roads or highway information would be greatly appreciated! I am set up for dirt/gravel roads if necessary, though pavement is always nice. I don't mind hills or a fair distance between towns.

Thank you!

KiloMike

PS: if you'd prefer to email me directly, feel free: maloney.kt@gmail.com

[elantra]

Well lets start with how to get to Toowoomba area.
Kyogle is not really that far from Toowoomba as the crow flies.
But basically you are in the middle of an old volcanic caldera and any road out of Kyogle is going to be hilly.
and lots of corners.
and because you are near the Qld border the roads are of cr@p quality because, well, it's close to Qld border

If you can get to a little town called Legume then you are not much more than a days relatively flat ride from Toowoomba.
Legume to Killarney is easy.
Killarney to Warwick should be easy.
Warwick to Clifton - Not the highway under any circumstances, there is an alternate route just west of highway.
Clifton to Toowoomba or thereabouts, should be Ok, via Nobby and Greenmount.
But to get from Kyogle to Legume (via Woodenbong) the road is fairly terrible.
Because it is near the Qld border, and it is narrow and hilly.
After Woodenbong (nice place) the road is very wobbly with some very nasty edges.
At least it is so bad that cars and trucks have to slow down (a bit)
Still probably that is the way i would go.
The road improves dramatically as soon as you take the Killarney turnoff at Legume.

[KiloMikeEcoBike]

Thank you, that is a helpful start! Looking at the maps, the other way to get north past Toowoomba seems to be:
Kyogle torwards Woodenbong, turing right onto the mt. lindsey hwy just before, heading towards rathdowney.
then taking the 93 towards Boonah, then taking side roads towards Gatton, keeping west of Ipswich and east of Toowoomba and heading north from there.

Would you still recommend heading towards Legume and Warwick?

[RonK]

It would be no problem outskirting Ipswich, but you could detour via Gatton to Esk (as shown on the map) if it really bothers you.

This would be my choice of a route to Cairns to avoid the Bruce Hwy. Click on More options for the full screen map.

[elantra]

Thank you, that is a helpful start! Looking at the maps, the other way to get north past Toowoomba seems to be:
Kyogle torwards Woodenbong, turing right onto the mt. lindsey hwy just before, heading towards rathdowney.
then taking the 93 towards Boonah, then taking side roads towards Gatton, keeping west of Ipswich and east of Toowoomba and heading north from there.

Would you still recommend heading towards Legume and Warwick?

A route such as you describe through Boonah would be Ok too.
A bit more complex with the navigation perhaps.
A bit more "lumpy" perhaps.
These 2 choices of routes north via Toowoomba or via Boonah would come together at Yarraman, as per Ron's map in the above post.
I think if in a car i would go via Legume and Killarney, it is more scenic.
But also more exposed to the weather.
Probably the thing to do is to ride up the road towards Woodenbong, and make a decision as the pedals are turning !

[il padrone]

Don't forget that north of Kyogle you can always take The Lions Road to the border and then Running Creek Road out to Rathdowney. This will be a much quieter route, with the added bonus (if you're a train-spotter ) of the lookout over the Border Loop.

[KiloMikeEcoBike]

Great Thank you all so much for your input. I head off today with a better sense of the roads, thank you! Will see what comes.

Thanks for the google map, RonK!