Long climbs GC/SC ?

[elantra]

Springbrook road is planned to open again in October,
couldn't pay me enough money to ride the nerang/beaudesert road.
Springbrook / Numinbah Valley / Tomewin (aka Big loop) best day out on a bike on the GC IMO

edit, Urliup Rd , has a couple of K of gravel , but easily rideable.

Urliup Road is a lovely ride and is often incorporated into loop rides that include Tomewin.

If you are not familiar with the area a good idea would be to start from the Bilambil Servo. mainly because from Bilambil servo to Bilambil heights is a rather unpleasant steep stretch of road and this way if you have to do it will be as a descent at the end of the loop.
Also from the same servo the climb up to and past Carool is well worth the effort.
Check these routes on Strava you will see they are popular but not too popular.
The dirt section on Urliup is usually pleasant enough especially if you run on 25 or 28 tyres
Becareful of the bitumen in the Urliup rainforest it sometimes gets a slippery moss covering especially in the middle

[MichaelB]

... a good idea would be to start from the Bilambil Servo. mainly because from Bilambil servo to Bilambil heights is a rather unpleasant steep stretch of road and this way if you have to do it will be as a descent at the end of the loop.
...

I'm starting from downtown GC, so even getting to Bilambil is a ride !!!

[elantra]

... a good idea would be to start from the Bilambil Servo. mainly because from Bilambil servo to Bilambil heights is a rather unpleasant steep stretch of road and this way if you have to do it will be as a descent at the end of the loop.
...

I'm starting from downtown GC, so even getting to Bilambil is a ride !!!

Yes it is and a popular GC/Tweed ride is to head south to Kirra along Golden Four drive and then get to Bilambil via Ducat Rd, Kennedy Dr, Scenic Dr. But these 3 roads have some tricky sections where local knowledge and time of day are important. Things “improve” after Bilambil but road surfaces in Tweed Shire are something to experience.
By the way Urliup Rd is CLOSED to through traffic for the month of September due to flood repair roadworks.

[MichaelB]

Having coffee at Binna Burra Teahouse atm, but bugger me, no sun !!!!

Nice climb though !!!

[MichaelB]

Just read in the papers that the Binna Burra Lodge is destroyed by the bushfires

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-09-08/ ... d/11489860

Was a nice ride up there when I visited GC, and about to head back up in a couple of weeks.

Looks like a nasty fire season up there !

[elantra]

Just read in the papers that the Binna Burra Lodge is destroyed by the bushfires

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-09-08/ ... d/11489860

Was a nice ride up there when I visited GC, and about to head back up in a couple of weeks.

Looks like a nasty fire season up there !

https://m.facebook.com/StormCyclesGoldC ... &source=48

Yes Binna Burra is going to have to be rebuilt.
The winter here is the driest on record and the drought has no end in sight
When Binna Burra lodge was constructed more than 80 yrs ago they would not have anticipated that bushfires would be much of a risk because it is surrounded by cliffs to the north and west and Rainforest to the south
So as you can see the cycling community is affected by this sad event and is helping the community affected by a fundraising initiative

[MichaelB]

Cheers for the link elantra.

I'll actually be up there next week for almost 2 weeks, so will miss the group ride by a week.

I'll do what I can to contribute, as it's a great ride and some lovely country up there (roads are a bit average in some spots). Flying Bean café is a great place to grab a coffee as well.

Have shared the faceberk link too

[Fresh]

Good thread...I am a week away from migrating to the GC and can't wait to tackle some of these trips.

I love the look of Lamington National Park...what is the best / safest route there from GC central?

Any recommendations other than what Google maps tells me? https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Surfers ... 308173!3e1

[MichaelB]

To Lamington Nat Park (assume you mean O'Reilly's ?), if so, there aren't many.

The road to O'Reilly's from Canungra is partially a nice ride, but the road condition is pretty average. Actually, pretty crap. Very bumpy and many, many repairs.

There are some nice rides, but the Qlders LOVE to find the steepest way possible up some of the hills - may be shorter, but the number of 12to15% rise and falls is incredible !!

If you go up Beechmont, keep going and have a break at the Flying Bean Café - great spot

[A_P]

what is the best / safest route there from GC central

State Route 90 between Caligraba road and Canungra is not safe for cycling
Drive or go via Beechmont

[Fresh]

what is the best / safest route there from GC central

State Route 90 between Caligraba road and Canungra is not safe for cycling
Drive or go via Beechmont

Can you advise the best cycling route that goes via Beechmont? Would this work? https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Surfers ... 308173!3e1

I can see this hits route 90 briefly...

[A_P]

unfortunately the safe route over beechmont adds a few extra k's + a reasonably big climb, which is why most people drive to canungra.

[Fresh]

I've settled in Robina and heading out Saturday

Is Gold Coast - Springbrook road a 'safe' way to get to Little Nerang Dam?

[elantra]

I've settled in Robina and heading out Saturday

Is Gold Coast - Springbrook road a 'safe' way to get to Little Nerang Dam?

I think so - but would depend on the time of day!
In this part of the world the best time to be out on the road is between 5am and 8am because traffic goes nuts after 8am.
I am not a “Springers” veteran but have been out on that road from Robina startpoint in January this year and found it surprisingly pleasant. The Austinville road branches off this road and is very pretty but rather narrow.
Some people rave about the Springbrook climb but it seems a bit edgy to me. I prefer Hinze Dam to Beechmont but only on weekends.
Canungra to Beechmont is ridiculously long and steep and is to be avoided at all costs.
My “gold standard” climbs are a bit further north, just near Brisbane is Mt Coot-Tha which is really exceptional.

[Fresh]

Is the Binna Burra climb open to cyclists?

[A_P]

Closed from Timbarra Dr, so about 4k short of the top.