Nobby for Lunch
Starting at the Bundamba Puma servo, on the west side of Brisbane, we do a short highway stint along the Warrego Hwy, out past Blacksoil and turn left to Walloon on Haigsleigh-Amberley Road.
At the roundabout in Walloon, turn right (west) onto Karrabin-Rosewood Road. Continue west to Laidley, where we take a quick toilet break, on the corner of Drayton and Vaux Streets. Coming back out of Vaux Street, turn right into Drayton and head west to the Blenheim Road intersection. As you enter the narrow north-south valley at Blenheim, the views start to become more awesome by the minute.
Turn right and continue on Blenheim Road until it veers left at the Blenheim School and turns into Mount Berryman Road. Continue south on Mount Berryman Road to Berlin Road where we turn right (west) and start a quite steep climb on a narrow bitumen road. As the road plateaus, the bitumen turns to loose gravel, so start keeping your wits about you and try to fight the temptation to stare at the unbelievable view to your left.
You are about to take a break for some photo opportunities anyway.
As you wind past the farmhouse on your right, please keep the pace to a minimum to appease the cranky farmer that lives there. Around 300m on from the farm house, there is an open grass section on the left near a power pole, with a slight lean.
Time to get the camera gear out!
About 100m further on, there is a tank and antenna on a T-intersection, turn right. You’re now on Ropeley Rockside Road. Ropeley Rockside Road is a great ride on gravel, with twists and turns through a nice valley. About half way along, we reach bitumen and the twists and turns demand a quick ride style change. Eventually we intersect with Tenthill Creek Road and turn left to start a really nice section of open road that becomes Mount Sylvia Road, which we follow out to an area called Woodbine.
At Woodbine we reach an intersection with W Haldon Road. Here we hit the gravel again and start the second steep climb of the ride. As you approach the highest point, you will see a massive timber villa ahead and on the right. The best vantage point is in a hollow, just under that villa.
From here you can see up Black Duck Valley to the east, and down the valley towards Gatton to the north-east. This is a magnificent view (I am running out of superlatives). Heading west we continue on loose gravel road to West Haldon cross roads. Continue straight ahead through the cross roads on Macginleys Road, which is a really great section of the ride.
Continue on Macginleys Road to the region of Budgee, where we enter some wide-open farming country. Turn right onto Budgee Road and continue to Ascot. Turn right onto Greenmount-Hirstvale Road and continue to the New England Hwy and turn left. Around 5kms turn right to Nobby on the Nobby-Connection Road, then turn left on Greenmount-Nobby Road and you are pretty much there.
Best to book a table at Rudd’s Pub in Nobby, especially on a Sunday – great meals and great atmosphere.
For the best quick run home, head back over to Gatton-Clifton Road via Greenmount-Hirstvale Road and the Warrego Hwy back to Bundamba.
Click here for Route Map.