Distance travelled – 61.4 km
Avg speed – 17.6 kph
Max speed – 49.2 kph

Tewantin, Cooroy, Pomona, Gympie

It rained AGAIN last night and early this morning. Very glad we were in a cabin as it would have been very difficult in the tent. When we left there were a couple with their tent set up in the camp kitchen drying our after a wet night. We left in light drizzle that stayed with us on and off for most of the morning.

Not far from Tewantin there is a big red road sign warning of a steep 1.2 km climb. This sign needs to be taken seriously, check out the elevation profile. We believe this is the hill that they use in the cycle leg for the Noosa Triathlon. A game cyclist could get a lot of speed coming back off this hill. It is hills like this that make us pleased the elevation profiles are not available to us before we start each day. In some ways it is best to be surprised by such discoveries.

After the climb it is a reasonably level run into Cooroy, however there was a section of roadworks controlled by traffic lights. After we had traversed the roadworks the traffic came as long strings due to the traffic light controls. So we had relaxing bits and then other bits that required our concentration.

Stopped at Pamona for lunch. It lays claim to the last functioning silent picture theatre in Australia and is nestled below Mount Cooroora (photo). The ride between Cooroy and the Bruce Highway was very pleasant even with all the climbing after Cooran, as the road remained reasonably quiet.

Shortly after joining the Bruce Highway we stopped at the Matilda Roadhouse and enjoyed a hot chocolate before continuing on into Gympie. The day had been a mix of temperatures leaving Tewantin in damp and cool conditions where we considered long sleeve shirts. At lunch time it was warm again requiring a top up of sunscreen and as we arrived at the roadhouse it was beginning to get cold again. The hot chocolate was, therefore, very welcome. We keep wondering whatever has happened to “Queensland, beautiful one day, perfect the next”?

Riding through Gympie was a bit hairy as the highway narrows and in places there is two lanes of traffic with no shoulder. At least it is travelling at 60 kph. We will remember Gympie as a town of ups and downs with the town built on the hillsides beside the Mary River.

We were greeted at the entrance of the caravan park with a “NO Vacancy” sign so we turned to the GPS for advice on the nearest lodging, which turned out to be a motel across the highway. Again a No Vacancy sign. We went in and asked if they knew of anywhere with vacancies. The owner made a telephone call on our behalf and we were directed back up the highway to the Gympie Muster Inn.

The only room available was a spa room, which Denise quickly accepted. Neither Denise or I usually look for a spa but after the hills today it was long bubbling soaks for both of us. Our thighs definitely benefited from this small piece of luxury.

Zoom into the map and use the 'Satellite' layer to see our new location.

A sign on the toilet block at Pamona.

Matilda Roadhouse south of Gympie

Letterbox on Bruce Highway

Previous Report

Next Report

Top