Dayboro to D'Aguilar via Mt Mee (near Brisbane, Aust.)

[KaneToad]

Starting about 25km's from Brisbane's CBD heading northwest, the ride starts off at Samford Village and heads towards Dayboro via gentle winding roads through flat farmland.

Avoiding the Dayboro Pub, before the ride anyways, the tourist drive sign points northward up into the mountains heading towards Mt Mee. 40km's of mild to steep winding road lays ahead, road surface for the majority of the journey is well kept with road crews out almost daily.

Because this is a tourist drive, especially going up the mountain from Dayboro, quite a number of buses travel this road tending to make the inside of some of the corners rippled, making the bike a little unsettled. A few winery's are signed for visits (when im not on the bike).

Majority of this roadway heading up towards the top of Mt Mee is almost continuous bends making a very interesting ride. Signed speed limits are 70-80km/h except going through the residential areas where 60km/h is posted. The Queensland Revenue Service (Police) are quite often in the 60 zones ensuring the locals are kept safe.

Here's a panoramic view from the road going up to Mt Mee, with a view of Hidden Valley... (Full size versions of the pictures available by link, size ~1.2meg each)

http://members.iinet.net.au/~bigsteve/IMG_0021.JPG
http://members.iinet.net.au/~bigsteve/IMG_0017.JPG
http://members.iinet.net.au/~bigsteve/IMG_0018.JPG
http://members.iinet.net.au/~bigsteve/IMG_0019.JPG

This area, and all of the east coast of Australia is in severe drought, it's hard to imagine with the amount of greenery shown.

Remember to look out for the local wildlife... killer koala's roam here!

http://members.iinet.net.au/~bigsteve/IMG_0030.JPG

The top of Mt Mee has a small township, primary school, restaraunt/cafe surrounded by mountain top farmland of rolling hills with spectacular views of the Eastern coastline of Australia, the Glass House Mountains and the city of Cabulture. A view from the outlook on top of Mt Mee, with a lucky few being able to wake up to this daily...

http://members.iinet.net.au/~bigsteve/IMG_0038.JPG
http://members.iinet.net.au/~bigsteve/IMG_0037.JPG
http://members.iinet.net.au/~bigsteve/IMG_0035.JPG
http://members.iinet.net.au/~bigsteve/IMG_0032.JPG

The decent from here is fairly steep, so less heavy traffic is there to slow things down so much, but unfortunatley I got stuck behind a convoy of mini-buses full of tourists doing 10km/h going downhill, so had time to take some photo's on the way downhill of the type of road this area offers...

A few of these signs pop up to ensure you the fun bits are about to occur...

http://members.iinet.net.au/~bigsteve/IMG_0022.JPG

Middle picture should give some idea of gradient of roadway going down. On the other side of the road is a nice steep drop off, but never fear, a big barbed wire fence is there ready to catch crazy riders...

http://members.iinet.net.au/~bigsteve/IMG_0041.JPG
http://members.iinet.net.au/~bigsteve/IMG_0042.JPG
http://members.iinet.net.au/~bigsteve/IMG_0039.JPG

Follow the squiggley line...

http://members.iinet.net.au/~bigsteve/IMG_0044.JPG
http://members.iinet.net.au/~bigsteve/IMG_0045.JPG

Final set of corners before hitting D'Aguilar...

http://members.iinet.net.au/~bigsteve/IMG_0047.JPG
http://members.iinet.net.au/~bigsteve/IMG_0049.JPG

Coming back down towards sealevel at D'Aguilar, can easily turn east towards the coast to head to Cabulture onto the freeway and back towards Brisbane, or head west and continue out to Malaney through Woodford (famous for the folk festival) or cut back around back to Summerset dam and the long way round back to the city.

From the city, this run is about 95km's to D'Aguilar.

[DJ Downunder]

Great pics...nice bit of road...Thanks.

Re that Crash Zone sign..what happens if you don't crash in that zone?..

DJ

[KaneToad]

Re that Crash Zone sign..what happens if you don't crash in that zone?..

You get to turn around at the other end and try again, maybe a bit faster! =)

Winners get a free helicopter ride to check out the scenery better and a trip back to town to see some lovely cute nurses.

I ride this road almost daily, one of the benefits of being a University bludger... err student, and have seen a few dropped bikes in these areas. Unfortunatley the mountains (Mt Nebo, Glorious, Mee) in this area are notorious for motorcyclist deaths, especially on weekends so I try and avoid these rides on those days.

[Boxerboy]

Not all of us nurses are cute? Right DJ!

[DJ Downunder]

Not all of us nurses are cute? Right DJ!

Right boxerboy..... .....although I've seen a few that I wouldn't mind giving me a sponge bath...

DJ

[KaneToad]

Well, I was speaking with all the female riders in mind also =)

It is great to see the number of women riding too, I see quite a few especially at Uni. Mostly scooters riders, but a number riding the bigger beasties also.

[kbc68]

Thanks for the pics , great bike needs more pics of it though Your country side is just awesome . The roads there looked well kept up ! I can appreciate the pics you took of your twisty roads , they look like alot of fun !
I used mapquest to find out where you were going and coming from ! I don't have faintest about your roads . I have an idea now !

[mistercindy]

Great pics! And I love the color of your R!

[hybridmoose]

Kanetoad,

I did that ride on the way back from the GP this year. I also added Mt Nebo to Samford in as well as the killer Range just west of Petrie. That is one awsome piece of road and probably one of my favourites out of all the road I have ridden in Australia. Would have been a lot better had I not been celebrating making it back into the shire until 3am that morning, but you have to do these things.

If you guys get a chance to do the Great Alpine Way - DO IT!!! That was bloody fantastic. If you are looking for a place to stay near Omeo in the high country, I can recommend the Blue Duck Inn. Great Hospitality, and what a ride getting there. Switchbacks carving around the side of the mountains like I haven't seen in many a year. You need to head North East of Omeo by about 25km. All sealed to get there and the best steaks in Australia, bar none.

I'm gonna have to write the trip up and do a post some time soon. I had a ball.

Missed you at the GP, DJ. How was the week-end for you?


Dave

[DJ Downunder]

Hey Dave...next time contact me and I'll give you my mobile number or something...it was a great few days wasn't it...and fantastic weather.

It would have been great to see you...here's a pic of me with marko (Mark) and gfman (Tom)...remember him...?

Tom sent me this pic that he took while riding on his way back from the Gp...check out his speed....brave man taking a pic at that speed.

btw...I have a big ride planed for Great Alpine Way with boxerboy and a few friend soon....great roads aren't they.

DJ

[Boxerboy]

We're also doing the Omeo Road in 12 days DJ...remember!

The Blue Duck Inn has been talked about many a time but time constraints getting home from Dinner Plain usually mean we don't go there.

Hybridmoose, which way out from the Blue Duck did you go ? I believe the road to Falls Creek is still dirt. That puts some of the fellas off as they prefer blacktop.

We also do the Alpine Way every March. Heaven up there in'it!?

[KaneToad]

Kanetoad,

I did that ride on the way back from the GP this year. I also added Mt Nebo to Samford in as well as the killer Range just west of Petrie. That is one awsome piece of road and probably one of my favourites out of all the road I have ridden in Australia. Would have been a lot better had I not been celebrating making it back into the shire until 3am that morning, but you have to do these things.

If you guys get a chance to do the Great Alpine Way - DO IT!!! That was bloody fantastic. If you are looking for a place to stay near Omeo in the high country, I can recommend the Blue Duck Inn. Great Hospitality, and what a ride getting there. Switchbacks carving around the side of the mountains like I haven't seen in many a year. You need to head North East of Omeo by about 25km. All sealed to get there and the best steaks in Australia, bar none.

I'm gonna have to write the trip up and do a post some time soon. I had a ball.

Missed you at the GP, DJ. How was the week-end for you?


Dave

My normal weekly ride goes up Mt Mee round the back of Sommerset dam and up the back of Mt Glorious through Mt Nebo, the back run is a lot more sharp curves and very steep. Great fun road, unfortunatley Nebo is having a run of suicide bikers as of late with a death every week or two, coming into spring and summer its just getting worse. A police blitz in now being enforced, Sundays around the mountains is not fun, they are stopping every motorcycle, checking them out for roadworthyness, tyres, rego and even checking to make sure the noise level is legal. Add into the mix 3-4 speed cameras operating at once makes you keep one eye on the speedo.

There was a meeting held a few weeks ago about banning all motorcycles from the mountains for this reason, hate for it to go through as it is a great ride.

Thanks for the tip on the rides, I'm checking out where to go while on holidays this summer and a run down south sounds promising.

[hybridmoose]

Guys,

The road from omeo to falls creek is still dirt. According to the owner of the Blue Duck Inn they have just dumped a poo of pretty big gravel on it to resurface, so on his advice we headed back into Omeo and then through Dinner Plains and Falls Creek.

DJ, That Photo looks like it was taken in the VIP area!?! I did that a few years ago. I didn't feel like much of a VIP so opted for general entry this time. Ended up with about 12 people in the house that we rented on Saturday night. All old mates from Townsville. It turned out to be a pretty good weekend. Watched the majority of the race from just behind the Marshalls on Lukey Heights. Superscreen in front and a view of most of the track. I would have emailed you, but we were in the wilds of Tasmania before getting to the island. It was a bit of an epic adventure.

Put the Blue Duck in on the list to be stopped at. It's worth it.

Dave

[Biff's R]

I saw a news article about Dayboro. There were a couple of friends who got drunk and one cut the other's head off.

Sounds like a rough place.