Looking South to
Caloundra from Point Cartwright
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Bushranger Bikes Southeast Queensland 'Whale Trail'TM
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 TM |
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Fantastic Tours Over the
Winter Season - this is Southeast Queensland's Winter -
expect perfect cycling weather. |
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2021 Whale
Trail
TM
Tours:
Exclusive to Bushranger
Bikes -
Bushranger Bikes Southeast Queensland 'Whale Trail'TM
2021 Tours: - These tours are run over Southeast
Queensland's winter months - June to August. Bushranger
Bikes will be re-focusing on Southeast Queensland tours
in 2021 due to travel issues, uncertainty &
restrictions.
Dates for these tours are still to be set however
enquiries & expressions of interest are being taken.
- June 2021 - fully booked
- July 2020 - cancelled
- August 2020 - fully booked
Enquires and bookings
being taken now!
Please e-mail for more
information.
info@bushrangerbikes.com.au
Other date options available.......
There
are itinerary options available from 4 day 'Short
Breaks' to the longer Sunshine Coast to Tweed Coast 7 day
tour. Contact Bushranger Bikes now to discuss the 2020options for this magic Southeast Queensland 'Coastal Whale
Trail' cycling adventure!
More details
below....................
Sunshine Coast,
Brisbane Beaches and city, Tweed Coast - Brilliant. Cycle the
Whale Trail
TM
- Enquire
and/or book now!
E-mail
info@bushrangerbikes.com.au |
Cycle
The 'Humpback' - Exclusive to Bushranger Bikes
Enquiries and
Bookings are being taken now! Be one of the
lucky cyclists to ride this amazing coastal
trail in 2021.............
What's It About
The Whales
Some Details
Itinerary
Cost
Bookings
 |
The Southeast Queensland
'Whale Trail'TM |
Brisbane Sunrise
Beaches -
Sun - Sand - Cycling - and those Awesome Whales
What's it all about?
It's
about dreaming..............
We all dream and, if you
are a cyclist, it might be about a brilliant cycling
holiday - quiet, meandering backroads; easy, relaxed
pace; perfect scenery...As we dream a little deeper,
there are possibly vineyards, lazy old canals...Yes,
this is European cycle touring and something we all
dream about but, for those of us who live in the
southern hemisphere, the sleep becomes a little
disturbed as we battle long distance transfers, queuing
at busy airports, lots of people and driving and
language challenges. Those of us lucky enough to live
in countries "down under", fondly remember lazy family
holidays by the water - big beaches, rolling surf, golden sand, fishing, surfing, beach cricket,
perfect weather, long days exploring, meeting and making
friends, and probably early romances - yes, ours is a
beach and coast culture!
And
why wouldn't it be? In Australia we have arguably
the best beaches in the world. Swimming, surfing
and fishing are not only some of our favourite
recreational pursuits - they define us.
Australia's climate is magic - on the east coast it
is mild at worst, and sub
tropical in Southeast Queensland and easily summed up in
one word - brilliant! And winter is the pick of
seasons in the 'southeast' - low rainfall, perfect days
and nice cycling temperatures. It really doesn't
get much better.
For
the last couple of years Bushranger Bikes has been
running cycling trips up and down the beautiful Tweed,
Gold & Sunshine Coasts - checking out various sections
of the meandering coastline trails and getting feedback from our
friends and fellow cyclists. The aim was to develop a world class
adventure cycling trail that very much connected with
and show cased our culture, and right here in our backyard -
Southeast Queensland.
And
now I have - it reads like a 'wheres where' of iconic
beach locations - Pottsville, Hastings Point, Cabarita,
Kingscliff, Fingal, Point Danger, Currumbin, Burleigh
Heads, Miami Beach, Mermaid Beach, Surfers Paradise,
Manly Harbour, Shorncliffe, Sandgate, Scarborough,
Caloundra, Mooloolabah, Maroochydore, Coolum Beach,
Peregian Beach, and ......of course - Noosa Heads. Plus along
the way - many smaller but just as beautiful beaches and
seaside communities.
And if that's not enough
to get the dreaming re-aligned, we have the hinterland -
small, intermit, maybe boutique - settlements that sit on
the high ranges overlooking the coast where the
communities are funky, arty, relaxed and cool - yes the
temperatures up there are noticeably a little lower than
at sea level, and the pace even more relaxed. The
vegetation is tropical, the cafes, food and shopping
fantastic and the views.........
To the
cycling - the bike paths and back roads are
safe and level, the coastal scenery is breath-taking,
and we have that laid back costal vibe. Being adjacent to the coast there's great food and accommodation
and all services are readily available. And then we have those awesome whales - the Humpback Whale to be
specific!
So
what's this trail called? I call it the
Humpback Whale Cycling Trail
TM
or the 'Whale Trail' TM
for short.
Refresh your dreams and start dreaming Southeast
Queensland. Come and join Bushranger Bikes cycling
the Humpback in Winter & Spring each year - and if you are from New Zealand or
Australia - reconnect with 'your culture' and perhaps
relive a little of the fun from your childhood.
If
you are from the Northern Hemisphere then I have
something very special in store for you - come and
connect with a little bit of 'down under' culture -
I
promise you it's very different and you will love it!
And at
the finish of your holiday you will have some amazing
memories to put with those dreams...........
The Whales:
The Humpback (Megaptera
novaeangliae) migrate from the Antarctic to the
subtropical coastal waters of eastern Australia, and the
South
Pacific islands each year, travelling up and then back
down the east coast of Australia between late April and
November. This is where they mate in spring, and give
birth in winter. An estimated 14000 humpback
whales migrate approximately 6000 km to Australia’s east
coast each year.
Many pods (groups of
whales) stop for short periods in bays along the
Australian coastline. The waters of South East
Queensland play an important part in this migration and
as you travel along the coastline on your bike you can
sight whales at play in the warm waters off the beaches
- truly awesome!
The 'Superstar' of whales is Migaloo,
Australia’s most well-known humpback whale. When he was
first sighted (June 1991) he was the only known all white
whale in the world and up until September 2011 Migaloo was
thought to be the only all white Humpback Whale in the
world. Then amazing footage emerged of a 100% all white baby
humpback calf. This new white whale unofficially named MJ (Migaloo
Junior) has amazed & delighted people from around the world.
Migaloo is an adult male who we believe was born in 1986.
Because Migaloo is such a unique whale he has special
Queensland & Commonwealth Government legislation that is
enacted each year to protect him from harassment. For this
reason all vessels including Jet-skis are prohibited from
approaching Migaloo no closer than 500m and Aircraft no
lower then 2000 feet. The Fine for breaching this law is
$16,500!
For more Migaloo facts
click here.
Details of the Bushranger Bikes
Whale Trail TMTour.......
This exclusive Bushranger Bikes tour has various itineraries
that have been designed to take full advantage of arguably
some of the best coastal cycling, scenery and beaches in
Australia with iconic locations
such as Noosa Heads, Mooloolabah, the Gold Coast
and Fingal.
Predominantly the riding will be on our fantastic coastal
bikeways with some short road sections, and in this regions
perfect cycling seasons - Winter through to early Spring - expect
magic riding looking out over the coast with the added
attraction of some whale spotting. The ride over the
Brisbane River via the Gateway Bridge will be one of the many highlights.
The gradient is mainly flat so expect relaxed easy cycling, the ride distances each day aren’t massive but from experience I
know that groups will want plenty of time to stop and take
in the awesome coastal scenery, snap those special photos and enjoy the
great cafes and
food along the way, so each day will be a full day.
There are
also fantastic
'off the bike' adventure options like Noosa Heads National Park,
the Glasshouse Mountains, Montville, Noosa shops & cafes, and Brisbane's CBD,
Southbank and gardens so this will be one very memorable
experience - make sure you are on board!
Category
is bike path/road.
The tour is a
Grade 2
- easy to intermediate.
Read on
for all the details and an overview of the itinerary.
The romance of the sub-tropics
What's
Included:
Normal 7 Day/6 Night itinerary: -
quality accommodation; all breakfasts; most lunches; all dinners;
vehicle & guide support; transfers as outlined in the
itinerary; advice on packing and what to bring; advice on training and ride preparation;
bike hire & gear, great company and lots of fun!
- Ride
distances - depending on the tour option up to
a total of 300KMs of easy riding. Plus some great short walks
at Noosa and possibly the Glasshouse
Mountains.
- Plenty
of 'off the bike' fun and activities.
What's
not included:
- morning &
afternoon teas, soft & alcoholic drinks, airfares, baggage (& excess baggage)
charges, travel insurance, other transfers and any additional costs.
The Maroochy River
An Overview of the
full 6 night/7 day tour
Itinerary*: (this tour can run in
either direction - but usually from the North to South).
This
is just a brief outline of this fantastic trip.
There are different itineraries and the full itinerary will be provided
when booking.
For
a 'Short Break' tour option itinerary overview
click
here.....
Day 1:
Brisbane Airport/accommodation pickup mid morning and drive
to Noosa. Lunch will be along the way at a local icon and
we will arrive in Noosa mid afternoon.
We can sort bikes for everyone in the afternoon, go for a
quick spin/sight seeing and a walk around the headland in
the National Park or a sunset river cruise in the evening is a must.
Dinner will be on the Noosa River front so a perfect way to
start off this tour. And our accommodation is brilliant and
takes advantage of the unique Noosa Wetlands and ecco
environment.
Meals included: Lunch, Dinner
Day 2:
Starts with a great breakfast location – we will go for an
early spin on the bikes to Tewantin harbour and have
breakfast over the water.
Then ride Noosa to Coolum (lunch at Coolum or Marcoola Beach
along the way) and then back on the bikes riding Coolum to
Alexandra Headlands – approx 50kms. Fantastic views – mainly
bike path and back roads, plenty of photo opportunities and
things to see.
Dinner will be a local restaurant - maybe a Surf Club is the way to go on the coast!
Accommodation will be in the Alexandra Headlands/Mooloolabah/Buderim
area.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 3:
Breakfast will be at Pt Cartwright. Then it’s on the bikes
for a ride around the Heads and up to the lighthouse -
amazing views - before we cycle south to Caloundra – approx.
30kms away. Lunch will be on the Pumistone Passage at
Caloundra overlooking the water.
Time to load up for a drive through to
Scarborough/Redcliffe.
Tonight our accommodation is spectacular with a central
location for some easy beachfront walks, visit 'Bee Gees
Way', and fantastic sea
views out over Moreton Bay and islands. Dinner will be at
Redcliffe.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4:
After breakfast at Redcliffe we will ride from Scarborough
along the beachfront bike path (fantastic bay views all the
way) to coffee at Woody Point, or a little further on at
Shorncliffe. Over the new Ted Smout
Bridge to Brighton, Sandgate and Shorncliffe – the views
just keep getting better.
Then on through the Boondall Wetlands and to
Nudgee Beach and then lunch.
Back on the bikes after lunch we will ride along the Kedron
Brook bikeway and in through the North Brisbane suburbs of
Hendra and Ascot to the Brisbane River at Hamilton. The
bikeway continues along the rivers edge through the inner
city river suburbs of Newstead, Teneriffe and New Farm and into
Brisbane City. The ride distance today – 60 - 70kms.
There are plenty of great new coffee or dinner spots around
the city, New Farm or Teneriffe so one of these will provide
the perfect way to relax after a big day in the saddle.
Then – if anyone has any energy left – we could do an
evening walk around the city and river, and catch a River
Cat to see the city from a different perspective.
Accommodation will be somewhere in the extended Brisbane CBD
and close to the river so a great
central location with access to the city bikeways and River
Boardwalk.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5:
Breakfast will be close to our accommodation, maybe some
time for a short city/river ride then we will tackle the
awesome Gateway Bridge and ride to Brisbane’s southern
coastal beaches – Wynnum & Manly.
Our accommodation tonight will be at Manly Boat Harbour and dinner
will be at one of the great local cafes or restaurants.
Seafood should be the theme!
Ride distance – there are some different options today but
probably around 30kms+.
Meals included: Breakfast & Dinner.
Day 6:
After breakfast we will load the bikes and gear into the
van/trailer and drive through the Gold Coast – maybe a
little sight seeing along the way and then we cross the
Tweed River and into NSW. Around to Fingal Beach – unload
and spin south to Salt Resort for a nice relaxing lunch.
Back on the bikes and south again all the way to Pottsville
– a great relaxing cruise of around 35kms – nice way to wrap
up the cycling component of this tour.
Dinner will probably be at Pottsville or Cabarita and our accommodation
will be at Hastings Point or Cabarita –
with views out over the ocean.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7:
Unfortunately it’s time to pack and head back to Brisbane
and the finish of this tour. There may be the option
for a spin on the bikes back to Salt Resort for breakfast.
Then it's
either an Airport
drop or hotel/motel if you have organised to stay on.
An airport drop at Gold Coast is also an option.
There might also be some more sight seeing options depending
on everyone’s travel arrangements and timing requirements.
Meals – Breakfast.
Bushranger
can provide advice on options to stay longer in Brisbane or
Southeast Queensland and assist with the organisation of
additional bookings etc. There is also the option to
include one or two additional rides that Bushranger Bikes
offers as part of the Brisbane City Council's Active &
Healthy lifestyle program.
* the itinerary is subject to
change as a result of accommodation availability & new
options, weather, safety issues, timing and
group size.
Point Cartwright from Alexandra Beach
What’s It Going To Cost?
Cost:
2021 season - normal 7 Day/6 Night Itinerary
-
from
AU$2295* per person twin share - includes meals, accommodation and
transfers as outlined above plus bike and equipment
hire. GST is included. Final tour price will
be dependant upon the
final itinerary chosen - eg. the inclusion of additional
rides in Brisbane.
A deposit of
AU$500 per person will be
required at the time of booking.
#
All costs are in Australian dollars.
*
Prices are subject to change and can be impacted by seasonal
accommodation rates. A single supplement of *AU$550 will
be required for solo travellers.
What do I need to do to book my place on the tour?
Places on this tour are usually limited to six people. Please
contact Bushranger Bikes (info@bushrangerbikes.com.au)
or phone +61 (0)409 053 694 to arrange for a booking form to be
sent to you.
Want to
know more, have some questions -
please contact me - E-mail
info@bushrangerbikes.com.au
