On arrival, make your way to your hotel in the centre of town. Ipswich is easy to reach by train from central Brisbane with regular services taking around 60 minutes. The remainder of the day is free to explore Ipswich. To set the mood for your rail trail experience, why not visit the Workshops Rail Museum with its exhibits of locomotives and impressive interpretive displays set in huge former railway workshops. You may like to take a stroll through historic Queens Park which hosts the Ipswich Nature Centre and view wombats, emus, quolls, bilbies, dingos and other Australian native animals or perhaps take in the cafes, restaurants and shops at the 'Top of Town' on the historic part of Brisbane Street. Unknown to many, Ipswich was part of New South Wales before Queensland was a state and before Brisbane was a city, and as you walk around you will get a sense of this history. Ipswich is currently going through a revival and the new vibrancy of this city has much to recommend.

Meals:  Nil

This is your first day of cycling and you’ll be leaving from the Ipswich suburb of Wulkuraka which is an Aboriginal word meaning either red flowering gum tree or plenty of kookaburras. You’ll be picked up from your accommodation in Ipswich and transferred to the northern side of the Wulkuraka Train station. It is a pleasant ride out along the first section as you slowly leave suburbia behind you and quickly find yourself in the semi rural areas of Fernvale and Lowood. Either of these towns and the small town of Coominya are all great locations to stop for morning tea and lunch depending on your progress down the trail. As the rail follows a former rail line the trail passes right through the centre of these towns making it easy to stop for a break, food and refreshments. It is an easy ride along this section of the trail being fairly flat and well maintained. You will find a lot more ‘cycle traffic’ here as many locals utilise this end of the trail for return day rides as well as a steady flow of those coming full distance from Yarraman at the head of the BVRT. From Lowood the ride changes from outer urban to distinctly rural with patches of bushland. You will end your day in the small town of Esk which has become popular with day trippers from Brisbane, Ipswich and surrounding areas. This is the gateway town into the region and as such many people stop for a bite at one of the great cafes, browse the range of shops or simply take a break before heading north. Just west of the town are the eastern slopes of the Great Dividing Range rising to the Ravensbourne National Park and a number of cyclists and others have reported deer sightings in their travels which explains some of the deer paraphernalia you may see in this town. Overnight Esk. Ascent: 384m, descent: 305m

Meals:  Nil

Esk is the gateway to the Brisbane Valley and has embraced the whole rail trail enterprise which is warmly welcomed by businesses in the region who have seen not only the economic benefits of rail tourism but also how it has raised the profile of the region more generally. Today you’ll be cycling north to Linville passing though the towns of Toogoolawah and Moore and a number of sign posted locations that were once rail stops but now stand as little more than punctuation marks on a rail history long gone. The township of Toogoolawah is just 19km from Esk so may be a little early for lunch but it is a great breakfast stop after sharpening your appetite on the rail trail. Check out the ‘Have a Chat’ café for great coffee and breakfasts. There is also a well stocked IGA supermarket (the last on route supermarket until the evening of day 5). From Toogoolawah you’ll pass through the heritage listed Yinbun Tunnel, the only tunnel constructed on the entire line and a classic photo opportunity. The next and last town along the trail today is Moore. There are a couple of great options for lunch here, try Tilies Café or Kai Lounge. Both have a great cafe lunch menu and the Kai Lounge has a leafy outside area resembling a Bali garden. After lunch you might like to check out the Old Church Gallery (Thur-Sun 10-4) which is located right alongside the rail trail just to the north as you leave town. From Moore it is a short 7km cycle to Linville which is perhaps the quietest and smallest town on the whole journey but your accommodation for the night has a lot of charm. Ascent: 270m, descent: 242m *If you are staying in Linville on a Sunday, please note that the Linville Hotel offers a reduced menu of pizza and hot chips only.

Meals:  Nil

Today you pass through two towns on your way to Yarraman; Blackbutt and Benarkin. Although you will be cycling up the Blackbutt Range thankfully you’ll be cycling along a rail trail with a significant yet manageable gradient. There are some great views along this section as you climb out of the Brisbane Valley region into the Blackbutt Ranges which are part of the Great Dividing Range. As you climb you’ll notice the climate, soil and vegetation is markedly different from the plains. By the time you reach the higher parts of this region the primary reason for the rail systems construction is on display. This is timber country with huge hardwood trees, one species giving its name to the town of Blackbutt but there are also huge stands of hoop pine, cedars and other quality hardwood timber here. The steam locomotives have long gone and are now replaced by cyclists following the same path. The first town of the day is Benarkin which is fairly small but it does have great public conveniences in the park right alongside the trail and there is a small store for drinks and snacks as well. Then Blackbutt is a great lunch stop with cafes and probably the best bakery on the BVRT with a huge selections of cakes, slices, snacks and coffee. After Blackbutt it is a further 19km to our destination for the night in Yarraman and the completion of the first rail trail of the two. BVRT down, KKRT to go. Ascent: 565m, descent: 182m

Meals:  B

Yarraman was the terminus of the old Brisbane Valley Railway line. Interestingly it was also the final town on the New England Highway (track/trail) stretching from Newcastle to Yarraman back in early colonial times. Today your cycle journey is along the ‘link route’ connecting the two rail trails. These two rail lines were never part of the one rail line with the BVRT heading out from Wulkuraka west of Ipswich and the KKRT heading out from Gympie some 170km north of Brisbane. You will cycle down a number of quite rural backroads and along forest trails arriving in Nanango today just 28km from Yarraman. As this section is a link route rather than a rail trail you will definitely notice a difference from the gentle gradients of the previous three days. You will pass through some prime agricultural land with great views across the range and cycling though shady sections of hoop pine plantations before arriving through the backdoor into Nananago. There are no towns between Yarraman and Nanango but being just 28km away it is fairly easy to make Nanango your lunch stop then spend a leisurely afternoon strolling around town and resting up for the following two big days ahead. There is a well-stocked supermarket here to stock up on trail snacks as well as a number of short signposted loop rides if you feel you need a little more cycling. Ascent: 162m, descent: 333m

Meals:  Nil

You’ll spend the first half of your journey today cycling from Nanango to Kingaroy (33km) then connect with the KKRT right in the middle of town in Kingaroy at the old train station, then cycle a further 30km to Wondai for the night. There are some great long stretches of road along this section that sweep across broad horizons distinctly different from the cycling you have done on previous days. You’ll travel through fertile farming areas with deep red soil where the area is particularly noted for growing peanuts which are particularly suited to the slightly cooler climes and rich soil of this area. In fact Kingaroy is considered the peanut capital of Australia and you might like to stop off at the peanut wagon as you pass by on the left of the road right in the middle of town. Another claim to Kingaroy’s fame is as the hometown of the Queensland Premier for two decades from 1968 to 1987, Joh Bjelke-Peterson who remained premier for almost two decades from 1968 to 1987, probably best described as a ‘colourful character’ who had enormous influence not only on Queensland state politics but also national political agenda during this period. You’ll find many streets, parks, the airport, a dam and other places named after Joh or his wife Flo who was known for many activities and community engagements but probably best known for her infamous pumpkin scones. The second half of the cycle begins your journey down the KKRT. Heading north you might like to stop for a break in the small township of Wooroolin nestled right on the edge of a wetland reserve then cycle a short 15km ride to your accommodation for the night in Wondai. Ascent: 428m, descent: 466m

Meals:  Nil

This is the last day of cycling but you still have 60km of great cycling ahead. It is a short ride of 15km to the first town of the day, Murgon which derives its name from an Aboriginal word meaning lily pond. Murgon has a high Indigenous population and is the closest major town to the famous Aboriginal reserve, originally known as Barambah Aboriginal Reserve and today known as Cherbourg. Murgon has an Indigenous population of around 19 percent opposed to the national average of around 2.7 percent. The Dairy and Heritage Museum is not a bad place for a quick stop (open 9.30 am to 12 noon daily, except Mondays and some public holidays). From Murgon you will notice the rail trail is not as well used as you have found it so far over the previous six day with less cycle traffic, but it certainly doesn’t lack in appeal. There are a couple of creek and bridge replacement crossings where it is advised to dismount and push your bike the short distance until you pick up the trail again on the other side. These crossings are few and don’t take away from the cycle experience and are often a good place to take a short break in the shade of the trees by the river. After Murgon it is another 15km to the township of Goomeri, an ideal place to have lunch with a number of great cafes and the hotel serving pub meals. In the warmer months of the year a quick dip in the local swimming pool right in the centre of town may be a great way to cool down and refresh before the afternoon ride. After lunch head out for the final section of your amazing cycle journey. It is a further 29km to Kilkivan with a couple of dismounts required, but it is fairly level riding down this end of the trail, so you’ll find the kilometres pass quickly before arriving in the township of Kilkivan and your final night's accommodation. Ascent: 175m, Descent: 341m

Meals:  Nil

This is the final day of your tour with a transfer back to Ipswich. The drive is a long but pleasant trip of around 250km. Sit back and recount the days you spent cycling as you pass though locations and places you now have a real connection to. The trip concludes on arrival in Ipswich. The pick up time is usually late morning.

Meals:  Nil