Nth Qld Townsville-Cairns-Tablelands 09-11 June 2012

Good Morning Ladies,
On a beautiful sunny Saturday morning, 09 June 2012, and cool 18 degrees, myself (Truck) on a 2002 Bandit 1200S, M on a XJR Yamaha 1300, G on a Harley Soft tail ???, and B on a Kawasaki 250 2010/11 Ninja set off from the Yabulu Mobile service station at 9:00am. (Names have been changed to protect the innocent)
We rode to Tully and refuelled before riding to Innisfail where we had morning tea at a café that I wish I could remember the name of because it was good fresh food (steak burger and pancakes) and HOT coffee.
After sitting and warming up, (and deciding we needed our neck warmers for the temperature drop when we got to the top of the range) we rode further north along the Bruce highway before turning left at South Johnstone and taking on the Palmerston highway. This is a casual and reasonably relaxed ride on good roads with long sweeping corners through cane fields and banana plantations. At the top of the Palmerston we headed for the famed Gillies hiway.
The Gillies is a twisting turning road of approx. 45 klms. It is to us North QLD bike riders the mecca of bike rides in North QLD. Car drivers are aware of this and a lot will only too obligingly let you pass at the safest point. I have not yet come across a driver who has not willingly pulled over to allow myself through. When doing this ride be aware of potential like minded riders coming from the other direction. We rode into Cairns and stayed at Gilligan’s Backpackers for $25 a night including a free meal.
On the Sunday, another beautiful sunny Nth Qld morning we headed off for the Capt Cook Hiway, a 60ish klm stretch of hiway that runs north to Port Douglas and Mossman. Now this ride is beautiful sightseeing with big sweeping corners of road. Something I imagine similar to the Great Ocean Road. We stopped at a café called (not worth mentioning) before heading up the Mt Molloy road to Mareeba for the obligatory coffee and cake at the Coffee Plantation.
After filling our bellies we headed down the Kuranda hiway, also full of twists and turns although the road is not as wide as the Gillies or as long from memory but never the less a fantastic ride for the casual rider or others. Due to the large number of cars and lack of passing lanes, we got to the bottom and decided to do it again. Well worth it. Back to Gilligan’s for dinner and our last night in Cairns.
Monday morning saw us head back to Gordon vale to take on the Gillies in reverse. We left at about 7:30 so very minimum traffic from either way. Heaven, beautiful, awesome, crisp weather are words that spring to mind to try and describe it. Headed up the Gillies to Atherton for breakfast at Brumbys (Mmm nice steak and mushroom pie) and then along the Herberton before back onto the Palmerston. The Herberton is a road? Full of pot holes and is best taken slow and cautiously.
We rode from Atherton to Townsville and ended one of the best weekends of fun riding I have ever completed, no injuries or damage to speak of, the bandit performed everything I asked of it impeccably, $200 dollars including fuel, food and accommodation ( I don’t drink alcohol) plus a whole lot of stories and memories that will take a lot to top that will no doubt get better as time goes on.
Thanks for reading gents (and ladies).
I wish I had taken photos but google the Gillies to appreciate what I am talking about more.

Love the Gillies Truck. I used to live in Tully and would quite often ride over it on my way up to Cairns. Turn off just out of Innisfail, over the tablelands and then down that fantastic piece of road. Very exhilerateing. And great fun. I think there have been quite a few that have gone over the edge though.

Good read Truck, ive only been north as far as Townsville and south as far as Sydney on the bike. When is that coffee in Bowen by the way?

Could'nt the rest of the alphabet make it that day.

i fruit picked in my youth in tully,and descovered alot of NQ ,but have never had the privilege to explore on a bike.

this is in the bucket list!!!

Hammy wrote:Love the Gillies Truck. I used to live in Tully and would quite often ride over it on my way up to Cairns. Turn off just out of Innisfail, over the tablelands and then down that fantastic piece of road. Very exhilerateing. And great fun. I think there have been quite a few that have gone over the edge though.

I've seen more cars over the edge than bikes.

grahame wrote:Good read Truck, ive only been north as far as Townsville and south as far as Sydney on the bike. When is that coffee in Bowen by the way?

coffee is getting closer Grahame, I'll check with the boss if she'll let me get away any time soon

Boatz wrote:Could'nt the rest of the alphabet make it that day.

Good one Boatz, I just hadn't checked with the other riders to use their names, so I thought safe than sorry.

mtbeerwah wrote:i fruit picked in my youth in tully,and descovered alot of NQ ,but have never had the privilege to explore on a bike.
this is in the bucket list!!!

You won.t regret it,