B2B #17

By Tony Gray, Member #3905

Charlie Brown wrote in the September club journal of his near miss opportunity to take a flight in a World War Two B17 bomber – the renowned Flying Fortress which powered the USAF bombing missions over German occupied Europe during the 2nd World War. This month it was our turn to stage our own B17 event – the B2B #17. What has this to do with Charlie’s aircraft adventure – absolutely nothing! But now that I have your attention you may as well continue to see what otherwise normal suburbanites get up to on one of these weekends away from normality. Don & Kate were true novitiate’s in the B2B (Back to the Bush) game when they boldly volunteered to organise a club run over the Queen’s Birthday (yes we Australian’s will take any opportunity for a day off) October long weekend. This weekend also heralded the start of Daylight Saving in the southern States and the end of the school holidays in Queensland. There is a lot of preparatory work to be undertaken to make a weekend like this successful – doubly so this time as it was to be a two night event. Accommodation and eating venues have to be selected and tested, bookings arranged and interesting routes planned. These are not led ride events but invariably small groups do form to ride together either following the offered routes or varied to suit their own circumstances. B2B#17 was also a bit different as some joined for the first night only and others for the second night only so there was some ‘new blood’ introduced along the way. Sadly our esteemed Journal co-editors and regular B2B’ers, Cindy & Duncan had to withdraw at the 11th hour due to family reasons. Their misfortune fell in favour of Ian & Alison who quickly snapped up their Sunday night room booking at the Hotel. Suffice to say the ‘Inn is full’ sign was displayed in Goomeri on Sunday night. Jane and I hooked up with a group of the ‘usual suspects’ at Dayboro on Saturday morning for the first leg of the journey to Maryborough. It was obvious that anyone who owned a motorbike in the greater Brisbane area had dusted it off and was out for a ride that morning in glorious warm spring weather. There were bikes aplenty. We had our jacket vents open from our 8am start from home and they remained like that for the three days – never too hot but never cool enough even in the mountains to close them up. As sure as a seagull will chase a hot chip, we could be certain that the esteemed members of the QPS would be active with that many bikes and holiday makers on the road. Recent reports unfortunately highlighted the increased incidence of bike accidents on the Mt Glorious and Mt Mee roads. It was expected that the Police would respond to this worrying statistic so care was required. Mt Mee and the Stanley River Road were enjoyable despite the traffic before our first pit stop at Mary Cairncross Park. The Café and picnic areas were very busy as was the carpark. Fortunately Cameron was legally able to park his K1600GTL in one of the only available Large Vehicle Bays so like sucker fish the rest of us gathered in around the Mother Shark.

Oversize Vehicle Parking at Mary Cairncross Park

All was good. Rested and coffee satiated we continued on the triple M ridge ride (Maleny, Montville, Mapleton). No matter how often we ride that road we remain in awe of the views of the Glasshouse Mountains and the Sunshine Coast beyond. The vista is truly spectacular and world class. We dropped down the range from Mapleton (what a great section of sweeping bends) and avoiding the Bruce Hwy wended our way to Kin Kin via Yandina, Eumundi, Cooroy and Pomona. The ‘Country Life Hotel’ was to receive our lunchtime patronage and fortunately we arrived just before a

large group of the HOG brigade. We had our orders placed and were being redirected to a set-aside seating area for ‘us’ before we confessed that nay we had not pre-booked and were not riding Harleys.

Descending the range from Mapleton – what a great road! We beat the Harley set to Kin Kin

Outside under the veranda was equally pleasant and our meals arrived in good order. There were some very dirty mud encrusted enduro bikes and riders also taking in lunch so this is clearly an area where Duncan needs to explore the farm roads. Just as we were mounted and about to leave, a war-time WLA Harley arrived. He was clearly the outrider as for the next few miles were strung out a large group of pre and post war Harleys and Indians with their distinctive deeply valanced guards and hand shifters on the side of the tank. I sometimes wonder at what happened to the ‘genius’ who thought that taking your hand off the handlebar

43 to change gears was a good design idea – maybe he went on to design the left handed hammer? They became popularly known as suicide shifters – enough said! Mark and Donna waited long enough to snap this pick of the old veterans who had taken

up our parking spaces in front of the pub.

BMW’s out and Indians IN – parking at a premium in Kin Kin

The ride out of Kin Kin on Gap and Cedar Pocket Roads was a cracker. There are plenty of dips and turns to keep even the most jaded motorcyclist entertained. We eventually joined the Tin Can Bay Road outside of Gympie and followed this all the way into Maryborough. The recently refurbished White Lion Hotel was the night’s dinner venue and the adjoining Best Western Kimba Lodge (White Lion + Kimba – get it?) was the preferred dormitory for the night so not too far to stagger after dinner. Jane and I continued onto Hervey Bay to stay with our son and his family so had to rely on photos and

stories to confirm that the night was a beauty.

Social distancing in action at Maryborough

The crew from the Sunny Coast arrived en masse to swell the numbers who enjoyed fine food and banter. This is a venue that has been added to the Club’s country pub list of choice.

NOVEMBER 2020 Many took the opportunity to enjoy the delights of Maryborough that afternoon or at breakfast the next morning at the equally well received Portside and Alowishus Delicious Cafes. Our stay down at ‘The Bay’ confirmed what had been happening to Queensland’s tourist operators – they were enjoying Christmas-like bookings in October. We saw every accommodation house displaying NO VACANCY signs, it was impossible to get a restaurant booking and at the Beach House Hotel where we dined it was a case of jump on a table as soon as it was vacated. To say The Bay was operating at capacity would not be an understatement. We arranged to meet our ride group of the previous day at Biggenden mid-morning for coffee. Rather than head back into Maryborough we followed the coast road to Toogoom then back to Howard where we joined the Bruce Hwy for a short run onto Childers. The Sunny Coast crew had also travelled north to Childers but our paths did not cross. Childers as a highway town was positively heaving on this Sunday morning. Here was another case of tourism renaissance as Queenslanders navigate the Covid rules relaxation. The Isis Hwy between Childers and Biggenden is a fun, rolling and hilly stretch of good condition tar. Unfortunately Biggenden on a Sunday doesn’t have a lot to offer with our coffee break taken at the BP servo which was about the only place open.

Coffee in a shed at Biggenden

Regrouped we took the secondary Gooroolba Road to Gayndah, home of the big orange. The next section of the ride was a beaut little road running along the Burnett River valley between Gayndah

and Mundubbera. In true Australian style the road is called the Gayndah Mundubbera Road. Why complicate what is bleeding obvious with a strange name?

The sweeping river road out of Gayndah

Now Gayndah may have boasted the BIG Orange but Mundubbera matched them with the BIG Mandarin. No prizes for guessing what grows well in the area. We arrived in Mundubbera just as the bakery was closing and the worms were biting. The only fare being served at the Pub that wasn’t in a glass was Chinese which didn’t win the popular vote. Steve Maney suggested a picnic by the river so the IGA store won our business and we all adjourned to the riverside park on the edge of town for a very pleasant impromptu lunch in a nice

cool early afternoon breeze.

Under the shade of the Coolibah Tree

The flood markers beside the park measured up to 18 metres which would have been just below the bridge. Dr Google told me that the water passed

that level in the big wet of 2011, peaking at 18.25 metres. Those heady times were now a very distant memory judging by the level of the water way below.

Mundubbera lunch organisers Steve & Mandy

We left town heading south on the Mundubbera Durong Road which just happens to join Mundubbera and Durong – have you noticed a theme developing here? Next we turned east onto the Proston Boondooma Road which joins Proston to ….nowhere. You see Boondooma does not actually exist. It is another one of those quirky Australian tricks we like to play on foreigners – ah yes we will refuel the car and have a beer in Boondooma hahahaha tricked another one. Maybe there was something there when travellers surveyed the area on horseback but no longer – it is just a locality. As the name suggested however the road did lead us into Proston which was draped in many shades of pink – paint, tin, crepe paper and shopfronts – all pink. President Paul led the line of beemers at full charge through town and beyond oblivious to the story that may be hidden below the pink veil. Now Jane loves any shade of pink so a stop was called for to investigate further. Just as we performed a perfect U turn with a difficulty factor of 7 so that Jane could get positioned for the perfect photograph of the pink paraphernalia, the local constabulary arrived in town and hung a uniformed arm out of the window to wave. He had just passed the cavalry charge out of town and no doubt recognised Jane and me as the responsible adults in the group. The town’s pink relates to a local Shire Councillor who

has adopted pink as a bold statement in a battle against mental health problems in the bush and as a stimulant to re-energise the town of Proston which like many small rural towns is slowly dying from many problems including weather, economics and social issues. That theme is very much a part of why the club arranges these B2B rides to put some money and energy back into supporting our country cousins. The tour of Proston played into our favour when we pulled into the next town along the road, Hivesville. Parked out front of the pub were Mark & Donna together with a neat yellow R1150GS.

Hivesville Pub held some hidden treasures

The tempting offer of a cool drink was too much to resist along with the opportunity to eyeball the 1150. Its owner was talking to his schooner when I interrupted to chat about the BeeEm. Just so happened that his name was Tony and that this was one of 5 BM’s he owned so a man after my own heart. He was clearly however a man who lived alone as every second word started with F. His

NOVEMBER 2020 collection in varying stages of undress as well as the 1150 included an R1100S, K75, R75/6 and a basket case R100RS that he had just acquired for $500 – clearly I need to spend more time in country pubs hunting bargains. It seems like the Hivesville Pub is a popular bike meeting place in the South Burnett and it just so happened that afternoon the pub was hosting a concourse display of veteran motorcycles of the Burnett Chapter of the HMCCQ. Veteran motorcycles have to have been manufactured prior to 31 December 1918, so all are 100+ years old. Tony suggested that a couple had already arrived ‘out the back’. Mark and I immediately left the girls to their lemon squash as we headed out the back. Being unloaded from a trailer were two motorcycles that I had never heard of let alone laid eyes upon.

The very rare G.C.S.

The GCS (George Cyril Stillwell) was made in Melbourne in 1916 using an English JAP (John Alfred Prestwich) engine – who said the texting generation invented acronyms? It is a beautifully crafted and restored machine and one of only 10 in the world. The other bike was an English manufactured CAMPION machine also powered by a JAP engine. The owner said it was called Barnaby which had me head scratching? After Barnaby Joyce of course who got into trouble with his new partner Vikki CAMPION. You’ve gotta love a bit of bush humour. I headed back around the front of the pub to get my camera and excitedly tell the girls of our find and new friends. Now Jane is a sensible woman and having been married for 42 years she has seen that look in my eyes many times – I mean the look of a puppy with a new squeaky toy. She could picture

The satirically named Barnaby – an English Campion

us rolling into Goomeri after dark when the main courses were being served and me still rabbiting on about the side valve motors and the acetylene lamps and and …….Okay I won’t be long. Riding out of town we passed a line of a dozen or so Veteran Machines all purring along with their riders long grey beards trailing along in the breeze from under their pudding basin helmets and snoopy flying goggles. That would have been some night at the Hivesville Pub? For us we continued through a very neat and tidy Murgon and onto Joe’s Grand Hotel at Goomeri where approx. 30 of the faithful had gathered for a night of banter, laughter, good food and maybe a drink or two.

The happy dinner throng at Goomeri

It was a great night on the veranda in beautiful spring weather with the occasional smell of the country wafting in on the breeze after a

cattle truck had passed. The club had fully booked out all accommodation in town to the extent that unfortunately Rosi & Steve had headed home after Maryborough having been unable to secure a bed for the night. It is worthwhile reflecting on the success story that is unfolding in the otherwise sleepy little town of Goomeri. Famous for its pumpkin festival held in May each year (pandemics permitting) it has now become a real destination largely due to the efforts of one family who have invested in Regional Tourism. The Prendergast family own Joe’s Grand Hotel where we ate and slept, the famous bakery across the road where we breakfasted and the locally renowned Dusty Hill winery just out of town on the banks of Lake Barambah at Moffatdale. The winery as well as its cellar door also boasts an Irish Tavern & restaurant, wedding & function centre and boutique accommodation. Unfortunately it is closed on Mondays so we could not visit but certainly one to remember for the future. In a show of confidence and dedication the family matriarch at the age of 60 travelled to France to learn and practice the art of French bread and Pastry making. None of our crew who have enjoyed the delights on offer at the Goomeri bakery would question that ‘Mum’ was a very good student. It has to be one of the best bakeries around.

Imbil is a great alternative stop to the busy Kenilworth

After the morning bakery treats and caffeine, riders set off in different directions with Klaus videoing the departing bikes before he and Kerry headed home to Hervey Bay. It was great to catch up with them other than on Facebook. The usual suspects beat what has become quite a familiar run home through Kilkivan, Widgee, skirted Gympie

47 and then onto the Mary Valley Road into Imbil for coffee. Imbil is a top spot to stop for coffee or lunch on a ride and that Monday morning it was doing a great trade. Back onto the Mary Valley Road and through the ever popular but uncomfortably crowded Kenilworth.

One of the delightful sections on the Mary Valley Road

At Conondale we chose to climb the Maleny Range on Postman’s Track – Cameron’s introduction to this famous (infamous?) piece of road. This road is very steep, very narrow and has very deep drainage channels cut across its width at regular intervals. It is quite easy to launch a 1200GS (yes air under both wheels) if getting a bit excited when riding downhill across these channels. Vans, trucks and trailers are banned from the road so we were somewhat surprised to encounter a convoy of 5 trailered holiday makers along the flat section of the road before the climb. Where were they going I pondered as they disappeared in my rear view mirrors? As I started the climb the reality hit – yes there were more Wallys’ ahead and they had got stuck with their big 4x4s towing camper trailers. I didn’t want to wait around to watch their reversing ability so we got around as soon as safe and headed home – another case of common sense being not so common! By the time Jane and I got home via Mt Mee the Grey Ghost had added 1,050km to her odometer. What a great B2B and a big thank you to Don & Kate for the idea and the arrangements and to Paul Hughes and Steve Maney who contributed a lot to the route plan that we largely followed. A special thanks to all who participated. Thanks for your good humour and comradeship both on the road and when stopped. It was a lot of fun.