Essential details for the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail

Bike shops and transport

Out There Cycling have a store in Esk and one in Toogoolawah. They do bike hire, shuttles, airport transfers, bike services and they also have guided rides. It’s worth noting that you can even hire adaptive bikes and tag alongs for kids. outtherecycling.com.au

Where to stay

That’s up to you! Towns like Ipswich, Esk, Toogoolawah, Linville, Blackbutt and Yarraman are some of the more popular places to stay. Being a little further along the route they all offer a great experience of a Queensland country town.

What bike do I need?

A cross-country or trail bike has to be the leading option for efficiency and comfort. But you can also ride the BVRT on a cyclocross or gravel bike. That said, we’ve seen balance bikes, touring bikes, long travel eMTBs and all sorts of bikes on the BVRT.

How far do I need to ride?

Just like a train, you can hop on and hop off the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail at any station – or any road crossing as well. Borallon Station Road to Fernvale is really close to Ipswich and well covered in the trees for a 22km round trip. Linville to Blackbutt return offers a bit of a climb, a rural setting, and plenty of forest to ride through with a few options for side trips, all in a 46km round trip. Plus, the run back down the range makes for an easy run home after lunch at Blackbutt.

Must see

The native plantings heading north out of Lowood, thanks to Pete’s Nursery, are very pretty. And the Yimbun rail tunnel is a highlight. The ride through the cuttings out of Linville and up into the forest before Benarkin is really scenic, while the ride from Blackbutt to Yarraman feels a world apart from much of the trail. Each section has something unique – visit the BVRT website for more details.