Winter Wonderland

As the weather cools, the tourists and surfers dwindle on the Sunshine Coast and the motorcycle riders move in

- Mark Hinchliffe

The Sunshine Coast is a perfect place to go cruising, with some of the best roads in south-east Queensland, and winter is the ideal time, with temperatures in the 20s from 8am onwards, even on the coldest mornings.

As a BrisVegas resident, I often head up to the Sunshine Coast for a Sunday ride. In summer I head for the mountains to beat the heat and in winter I roll through the hinterland, where it’s always temperate. But by the time I play over the Mt Mee or Somerset Dam roads and stop somewhere for breakfast, there is little time le to explore the Sunshine Coast hinterland roads. So most riders turn around and head home after lunch, missing out on a wealth of great riding roads.

So I suggested to the bride that we spend a couple of nights up the coast to go exploring the area north of the Maroochy River. For many reasons, we chose to stay at the Ramada Marcoola Beach Resort, which is a redevelopment of the old Surf Air where we stayed as honeymooners some three decades ago. It’s now mushroomed from one to three modern towers with a bistro downstairs, massive pool, day spa, undercover secure parking and easy beach access. It’s also right opposite the Sunshine Coast Airport, so interstate riders can easily fly in, hire a bike and base themselves here at a central point on the coast for day loops to the south, west and north.

Marcoola Beach is away from the heavily trafficked tourist areas, with instant access to the looping, meandering roads into the hinterland. Over the years we’ve ridden much of the Sunshine Coast hinterland, where you are spoilt for choice with twisting roads over the mountains and ridges and through the cane fields and quaint villages. To understand the topography and landscape a little better, you need to go back in history.