Monto Muster

Words & Photos John McNair

WITH MANY QUEENSLAND MEMBERS HAVING ALREADY TAKEN ANNUAL LEAVE TO ATTEND THE POSTPONED VJMC NATIONAL RALLY IN BENDIGO IT WAS DECIDED TO HAVE A QUEENSLAND GET TOGETHER FOR THOSE PEOPLE. THEREIN, THE MONTO MUSTER WAS BORN.

Interest in the event on the 15th to 17th October 2021 was high with members attending from the Gold Coast to Mackay and many places in between. Some attended from Toowoomba also. The Albert Hotel was the main location for accommodation and meals. Monto Caravan Park, the two Hotels and two motels easily accommodated the visitors.

The Saturday morning bike display being held in front of the Albert Hotel in the huge centre parking area of the main street. The bike display featured around forty bikes and attracted a lot of interest including one local fellow Peter Williams who came down on his immaculate 1952 BSA Bantam. A people’s choice award was given out with attending members and also local residents invited to vote. This was won by Ashley & Lynn Taylor from Mackay with their immaculate Kawasaki Z900. Ashley received a $100 fuel voucher which was donated by the VJMC Australia.

Following the bike display riders gathered for a 40km ride to Cania Dam. This was quite a spectacular ride with the route travelling through Cania Gorge with towering cliff faces lining the valley. The group had a stop at the dam for photos before heading up to the lookout with Phil launching his drone for some good photos. The ride then headed back to Monto for lunch before the next ride. The afternoon ride took us in an easterly direction to Kalpower, following the old Monto to Gladstone railway line which is now unused. This ride was also quite a scenic ride of about 40klms each way. Kalpower was once a bustling little town catering for the timber industry and the railway but now is almost a ghost town. I believe you can buy a block of land there for $5,000. The return ride included a stop off at the Mungungo Pub. This amazing old pub features lots of motorcycle memorabilia around the walls including an actual old AJS motorcycle on top of the drinks fridge.

Dinner each night was at the Albert Hotel at the top of Monto’s main street. Their huge function area easily catered for the 66 people attending on the Saturday night. The pub has great meals at reasonable prices. A motorcycle trivia night

kept the diners entertained along with several lucky door prizes being awarded. These prizes included a $500.00 voucher from Precision Powder Coating in Yatala, a voucher for a new tyre from North Side Motorcycles in Mackay and various prizes from Bullet Motorcycles in Mackay and Mackay Kawasaki, Team Moto Kawasaki in Maroochydore and Northside Motorcycle Tyres and Service in Lawnton. A huge thank you to these businesses for their support.

On the Sunday morning riders gathered at the Puma Garage in Monto for 135klm ride south east to Mount Perry. This ride took riders south almost to Eidsvold before turning off to Mount Perry. This road was made for motorcycles with plenty of hills, valleys and corners before descending into the beautiful town of Mount Perry. This town is well known for its axemen and hosts a huge annual wood chopping event attracting visitors from all over the state and beyond. The town with a population of just under 600 was also the end of the Bundaberg to Mount Perry railway line which carried passengers and copper from the local copper smelter before it closed about fifty years ago. A short ride to the east of Mount Perry will take you to the Boolboonda Railway tunnel which is the longest unsupported tunnel in Australia. Constructed in 1893 it can still be ridden or driven through.

Before lunch the riders took part in a ride to an awesome lookout just a few kilometres out of Mount Perry to enjoy the views over the town and valley. It was also a good spot for a group photo. After lunch some of the riders set off for home while others returned to Monto. This road from Eidsvold through Mount Perry to Gin Gin is a fantastic motorcycle road as those who continued on towards home after lunch found out.

A “Stragglers Dinner” was held at the Albert Hotel again on the Sunday night for those still in town before returning home on Monday. A big thank you to the organizers, sponsors and also the people of Monto for their friendly welcome.