Looking for a weekend away? Bill & Lesley wanted to support our drought stricken and fire affected rural areas so headed to Murgon for the weekend to ride the Murgon to Kingaroy section of the South Burnett Rail Trail. They share their ride - an easy 82km day ride from Murgon to Kingaroy and back to Murgon with some interesting stops along the way.
South Burnett Rail Trail. EBike Trip Overview
The South Burnett Rail Trail (SBRT) extends from Kilkivan to Kingaroy and is approx. 88km long.
The Kilkivan to Murgon section is rougher and more suited to mountain bikes, and from Murgon to Kingaroy is ideal for any eBike. The overall trail can be planned to be done over the course of a few days or you can do sections of it for a fun day ride, as Bill and Lesley did.
Bill & Lesley’s day ride covered the Murgon to Kingaroy section. SBRT was previously a rail line so grades are usually less than 5% although individual grades can be long. The surface is good for most of way.
Bill & Lesley drove to Murgon from Brisbane the day before. They stayed in a local airBNB for the weekend so they could have the full day for riding and to enjoy themselves and relax once it was done.
Murgon – Kingaroy – Murgon Trip Overview
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Start and end point: Murgon (airBNB 3km north of town)
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Time of year: Late September
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Distance ridden: 82km (from the airBNB)
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E-Bikes of choice: Kalkhoff Voyager 400Wh, Bosch Performance Motor
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E-bike gear tip: Thule VeloSpace bike carrier, suitable to transport two ebikes (which are heavier than standard bikes) and Thule ramp for those who cannot lift bikes on to carrier.
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400Wh E-Bike battery range: In Eco setting range is estimated at 100km for Lesley, being lighter, and 80km for Bill. At 93km distance battery conservation is required however some sections are easily ridden with power ‘off’.
Bill & Lesley’s Ride - Murgon to Wondai (16km)
The day was predicted to be hot and there were several bushfires burning which reduced the visibility in places so we planned to take it steady, and to also conserve battery.
At Wondai we took time to visit the Wondai Timber Museum, which we thought was one of the best small museums we’d visited. We also stopped at the Regional Art Gallery, and at the Saturday market which is held on the 4th Saturday of the month.
Wondai to Tingoora (8km) to Wooroolin (6km)
There’s not a lot to see in Tingoora, but the 'Tinny' pub is worth a visit if you’re thirsty! After a cool-down drink we kept on riding to Wooroolin, which is known for its Wetland, although dry this ride due to the drought.
Wooroolin to Memerambi (5km) to Crawford (6km)
Luckily the terrain is easy and the trail good with features such as the curved bridge as temperatures are climbing and it is smoky. At Wooroolin we had another quick break in the local park area and then went on to Crawford. We decided to turnaround at Crawford as by this time it was 38C and smoky, so time to head back to Murgon.
Back in Murgon: Total trip 82km
In the evening we had a lovely meal at Murgon RSL with fluid replenishment – highly recommended!
We would suggest a reasonable level of fitness for this ride and carry and drink plenty of water.
E-Bike Inspiration
Our thanks to Bill & Lesley for taking the time to share your trip with us, and for providing some ride inspiration.
For more ideas on e-bike adventure trips see Andrew's Stradbroke Island trip and 5-day Murwillumbah and Mt Warning trip.
