Second Route: Urbenville via Kyogle
Distance: 461km + how far you live from start and end point
Google Map: Yamanto QLD, Australia to Yamanto QLD, Australia - Google Maps
Ride Description: In summary, this route starts at Yamanto McDonalds, heads to Rathdowney for first stop, on to Kyogle for fuel and small stop, then through to Casino, take the road to Tenterfield, turn off and head up to Urbenville (stop at nearby Tooloom Falls optional).
Meeting at Yamanto McDonald's with your riding buddies, fuel is available as well as some Maccas brekky if you desire. Leaving at around 8am you head Under the Cunningham Highway, travel through Peak Crossing, left at the Round-about in Boonah and follow the road until its end at Rathdowney - turn left to head to the Rathdowney General Store. On the way to Boonah take it easy as police are known to patrol this stretch in marked and unmarked cars - more often later in the morning and afternoon, but it pays to enjoy the ride.
Exiting Boonah and heading toward Rathdowney, the road changes several times. From two way lined road to unmarked and thin bitumen where passing cars need to put a wheel in the dirt. There are numerous speed limit changes too. But I have never seen any enforcement on that stretch. Ride to conditions and you'll be fine. Just be aware that when you come down the hill from the Maroon Dam turnoff, at the end of the straight where it bends to the right the road over the bridge has a giveway sign
on your side. Look ahead for oncoming cars. Also, a few minutes before reaching Rathdowney (maybe 15 clicks to go) there is new surface. It is lined and everything. But at the end there are speed advisory signs marked as 60. After these signs is a bend, dip and bridge, so take it easy through there until you know the road. And take it easy in the 60 zone around there too - it is reduced to 60 to slow you down for the small series of twisties.
At Rathdowney, which you should arrive at somewhere around 9:15, there is a General Store and opposite, a park with toilets. We usually get a Small bite to eat here, a cuppa, toilet visit and also wet down some paper towel to give the visors a bit of a clean - they usually need it by then. Rathdowney Police station is right near the General Store and sometimes they do RBTs on passing vehicles on the main street at the Tourist Info Center. But this usually is not in operation at this early in the morning. It's also a good time to ask the store keeper how the road is to Kyogle.
Riding out of Rathdowney you head back the way you came but stay on the road. This is the Mt Lindesay Highway and it takes you through some lovely scenery and a nice little set of twists. If you are unfamiliar with this road, take it easy. Some of the bends come up on you sudden, some have run off from morning dew and some may or may not have gravel or leaf debris. Riding through there throwing caution to the wind is a sure way to come off. Not saying not to enjoy the twists, just be aware sometimes those things are present. So keep an eye out.
After crossing the border, marked by a cattle grid, you'll encounter some more twists, better road surface and different vegetation. After an overtaking lane you reach the turn off to the left. This intersection has a small shelter-like-thing on the corner. Locally we call this "the bus stop". Pull up here to regroup if you are spread out. Then, once regrouped, head down Summerland Way all the way to Kyogle. This is full of sweepers with one small bend also having a dip, near the start of Summerland so be warned. After that, it's all good.
Prior to Kyogle you'll reach the small town of Wiangaree. It's a 50 zone. Advice here is, do 50, then 70 when advised. Cops love this place.
You're only a short stint to Kyogle where coming into town you'll have a Caltex on your left and a BP on your right. Use either. Both have premium. Take a breather here. 15 minutes or so should do it. Then back on your bike and keep riding right through town. The goal now is to get into Casino and follow the signs to Tenterfield. Once you turn right at the last round-about in Casino and are heading out of town toward Tenterfield, you'll hit some nice sweepers and a few short twisties along the 44km stint until the next turn, which is a right hander onto Woodenbong Rd (part called Bonalbo Urbenville Rd). At this intersection is a rest stop with toilet. Feel free to pull up for a leg stretch and toilet stop as Urbenville is about 60 clicks from here.
The road from here gets bumpier in places. But there is little traffic and the scenery is really something different. This road goes through open farm land and through some rainforest which just ends abruptly (one second you're in thick rainforest, the next it is finished). If you just wish to go right to the pub, when you get into Urbenville, turn right and the pub is right there and you'll get there somewhere close to midday if you didn't dawdle or closer to 1pm if you did. If you wish to visit the falls, turn left instead of right and about 3km out of town you'll come to Tooloom Falls Rd on your left then a click or so of dirt until the falls.
Fuel is available at the General Store across the road from the Crown Hotel in Urbenville, if you need it.
From here, you head to Woodenbong - the road is somewhat bumpy. And then right at the T in Woodenbong and back onto the Mt Lindesay and back down through the twists you rode earlier in the day, stopping at Rathdowney for a leg stretch if needed. My route has us go back the way we came from here with a Fuel Stop in Boonah (BP servo). But if you live elsewhere in Brisbane, you might be best to go home via Beaudesert where there is also fuel available.
At over 400kms for the day, this ride really isn't for the person new to riding who has no Ride Stamina. But it is well worth building yourself up to it. And the Crown Hotel does some quite good food for a good price. Good value for money. Their selection isn't vast, but you're sure to find something to fill your void. And the publican and his wife are quite amiable.
Rathdowney General Store: (07) 5544 1142 (Store was previously closed but has reopened with new owners. Open 6:30am to 5.00pm on Weekends. Similar hours weekdays.
Crown Hotel: (02) 6634 1213
Video: Video 1
Honda 919 / Hornet 900 - Bicycles & Waterfalls - YouTube
Video 2 (shot by riding buddy on the same ride)
VLOG024 Border Ranges Ride.mp4 - YouTube