Stopped at the roadside I can hear the low rumble growing through the hills like thunder burbling softly in the distance. As it draws nearer the rumble is transformed into a roar and the road warriors appear around the bend, knees scraping along the tarmac, heads tilted into the turn they zip past and disappear into the hills. On any fine Queensland weekend, and there a lot of them, you find motorcyclists and country craft fans hugging the road between Maleny and Mapleton above the Sunshine Coast.
Anyone who rides a motorcycle knows that the riding is best in the twisties, and the Maleny road to Mapleton links together a series of corners that I never grow tired of riding. Best if all, there are plenty shops and cafes along the way to keep your pillion happy and a great pub for lunch at Mapleton.
For a romantic weekend, book a room at one of the local inns and combine a exploration of the area with the excitement of Australia Zoo. Do it on a motorcycle and you have one of my perfect weekend getaways.
Things to Do
Hike the 1.3 kilometre Wompoo circuit through cool rainforest of Mapleton Falls National Park.
A Devonshire Tea at one of the numerous cafes along the route.
Scour the local galleries for your next art acquisition or handy piece of pottery.
Lunch at the Mapleton pub. Good hearty meals and Queensland’s best beer.
Things to See
The magnificent flora and fauna of the rainforest parks.
Fantastic panoramas over the Sunshine Coast from every vantage point.
The impromptu concourse d’elegance of motorcycles outside the Mapleton Pub. (Look but do not touch, their owners are watching from the veranda.)
Photo borrowed from Jigg’s Photostream. (CC: Some Rights Reserved)