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Gary cycles the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail

If you're interested in cycling the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail, it's worthwhile hearing from other travellers who can share their experiences.

In this case, Gary rode the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail and had an excellent time. Read on to discover his favourite moments, best advice and to see some great photos of the trail.

Why did you choose the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail?

Brisbane Valley seemed an interesting landscape and Queensland was a more appealing location for winter cycling.

Sights along the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail | <i>Gary Henry</i>

How did you prepare for your trip?

Read all the Australian Cycle Tours notes. Looked at the Queensland travel information on the internet. Looked at Google Maps. Cycled in my suburb several times a week. Built up our cycling distances from 20km to 50km per trip.

What was the overall highlight of the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail?

Descending river banks, crossing small streams, then ascending up the other bank.

What was your favourite town? Why?

Esk was a pretty town with all the modern facilities. The accommodation was best in Esk and the managers of the Rail Trail Motel were really helpful. They were keen to provide more facilities for cyclists and seemed interested in hearing what we needed to make our stay better.

What was the scenery you cycled through like along the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail?

Scenery for the whole trip was great. Rolling, forested, lush hills. Lots of streams and dams. Kangaroos and birdlife. The run from Yarraman to Linville through the Benarkin State Forest was a highlight, but the run from Linville to Esk was also outstanding. Lots of stream crossings, a bit of mud fun, lush forest and valley views.

What was the local cuisine like? Can you describe your favourite food and drink?

For Sydney cyclists accustomed to good food and wine, we were surprised by the range and quality of food in the overnight stops. Esk was the best with Nash Cafe and The Grand Hotel providing interesting dishes.

Enjoying lunch on the BVRT | <i>Tourism and Events Queensland</i>

How challenging did you find the trail?

The Brisbane Valley Rail Trail has 3 levels of terrain which are signposted as you approach each. The Easy and Harder terrain were fine for our group of 70 year old cyclists, but the dangerous terrain was more challenging and required a bit of walking and pushing. The length of each leg was about 50k and was no trouble for our group.

What surprised you the most about the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail?

The beauty of the countryside and the friendliness of the local townspeople who seem to embrace touring cyclists.

Can you share advice for other travellers thinking about cycling the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail?

We broke the final day from Esk to Wulkuraka into 2 days. So, rather than having a long day of about 70km and arriving worn-out, we had a delightful small cycle from Fernvale to Waulkurata and really enjoyed the last of our Brisbane Valley experience.

>> View the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail (4-day)

>> View the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail + Kilkivan Rail Trail (8-day)

Do you have any advice to share about cycling the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail? Tell us in the comment section below.