CYCLING ASCOT TO SOUTH BANK, QLD.

 

                                                   Via Newstead Park and Goodwill bridge

Le Bon Choix Patisserie

Hamilton reach of the Brisbane River with the Gateway Bridge in the background.

 

Our journey continues from Racecourse Road, Ascot after having a delightful break at Le Bon Choix and continues along the Brisbane River south towards the city of Brisbane.



Original colonial architecture

 

As you ride along the river, you can't help but appreciate some excellent examples of Colonial Queensland architecture. Over the years these houses have been carefully maintained and are a monument to both the flair of the architects and the skill of the builders who erected them.

 

 

 

Top photo: The entrance to Breakfast Creek. Lower photo: Breakfast Creek Bridge.
 



The next point of interest on this ride is Breakfast Creek so named in 1824 by John Oxley when he and another explorer Allan Cunningham had contact with the local aboriginal tribe at the mouth of the creek. Having just consumed breakfast, a minor conflict arose when an Aboriginal grabbed Oxley's hat and it was due to this incident that he named the waterway Breakfast Creek. (Compliments of Wikipedia)



The pathway along the Brisbane River at Newstead.

Continuing along the river we pass through the suburbs of Newstead, Teneriffe and New Farm. These three suburbs not only played a major part in the early establishment of Brisbane but were significant during the 2nd World War and the many plaques along the way pay tribute to this fact. Take a few minutes to read the inscription on the plaques and increase your knowledge of the area.



 

Where once a thriving shipping industry servicing Queensland could be seen in all of it's glory moored alongside this river bank, now it is home to hundreds of people living in modern apartments as well as

walking and cycling along the path that used to be a series of wharves.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 On reaching the northern approach to the Storey Bridge Pathway you can make the decision to cross here to Kangaroo Point on the south bank of the river or continue riding, skirting the city, through the City Botanical Gardens and crossing the river at Southbank via the Goodwill Bridge.

 

We made the decision on this occasion  to continue on and cross at the Goodwill Bridge.

 

 



 


Riding through the City Botanical Gardens



Skirting the city by riding along the shared path is not always a pleasant experience as it can become quite busy at times, particularly lunch time mid week (between the hours of 12 and 2) and Sundays because of the market. Having said this, I have ridden during these times and providing care is taken the path is still negotiable.

 

 Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia. Author: Shermeee

 

 

 

 Crossing the Goodwill Bridge to Southbank ends this ride.

 

 

Cheers and safe riding,

 

 

 

Jimmy Bee



 

 

CYCLING MURRARIE TO ASCOT (via Portside), QLD

                                                                Via Gateway Bridge

This is a short ride of 17.4km but with a very important target in mind, Le Bon Choix at 121 Racecourse Road, Ascot. In my humble opinion, this is the best and the most authentic French Cafe/Patisserie in Brisbane. It is so authentic even the staff are French.

A canvas of our cycling group Peddling Pathfinders revealed that not one of them had heard of this Patisserie and so it was left up to me to enlighten them as to the finer things in life.

It was important that on reaching our destination we would be needing a good hit of caffeine and what better way of indulging in a few carbs. than to accompany the coffee with one of their delicious cakes or pastries.

Crest of southern approach on Gateway bridge

Although the ride is short,  a couple of inclines have to be negotiated, with the most arduous being the rise to the crest of the Gateway Bridge.

Northern descent from the crest of Gateway Bridge

As with all up hill rides there is the pleasure of gliding down the other side.

This photograph was supplied by Wikimedia Commons...It's author is FIGARO

To make the trip more pleasurable, our leader Dave took us on an alternate route through the developing North Shore of the Brisbane river past Riverside Park and beach and along Macarthur Ave to Portside, where the Cruise Ship Terminal is located. Portside is a trendy upmarket area catering not only for cruise ship passengers but well heeled locals as well, with an array of good quality restaurants, trendy boutiques and the Dendy Cinema. All this time of course our taste buds were being tortured by the delicate aroma of freshly brewed coffee drifting from the many coffee outlets in this vicinity.

We continued along the Brisbane River pathway until Racecourse Road where we turned right and kept riding until we reached our destination at number 121.

Le Bon Choix lived up to it's reputation and it's authenticity with good service provided by pretty girls with that unmistakable soft French accent.

The ladies in our group could have spent more time lingering in the myriad of boutiques and other shops on offer in Racecourse Road but the men were in the dominance and it was time to move on.

Murray Railway Station to Ascot via Portside

Leaving Racecourse Road, we rode south along the river through the City Botanical Gardens, across the Goodwill Bridge and on to Southbank .................

Cheers and safe riding,


Jimmy Bee

CYCLING NORMAN PARK TO ST. LUCIA, QLD

 This ride will take you through the following riverside suburbs situated on the south side of the Brisbane River, Norman Park, East Brisbane, Kangaroo Point, South Brisbane, South Bank, West End, Highgate Hill, Dutton Park.

 

 

 

 

 

 On leaving Norman Park Station, Take Norman Avenue all the way to Wynnum Road, crossing at the lights and using the path across Norman Creek to Laidlaw Parade. Follow this road until the entrance to MowbrayPark.  

                                                                                                                                                       

The pathway takes you through the park to Thorn Street and then it is a simple matter of weaving through a number of short streets as per your trusty map or GPS until you reach the entrance to Dockside on Cairns Street. On the way there are a number of renovated original dwellings similar to ones I have depicted here, which will catch the eye.

 

 

 

 

  

Dockside, is an affluent multi-dwelling development in Kangaroo Point, on the south bank of the Brisbane River and due to it's excellent location and it's laid back lifestyle, is a great place to stop off for a coffee and if you are a camera buff, it is a superb opportunity to capture that moment in time.

 

 

Dockside, Kangaroo Point

 

On leaving Dockside you head along the Brisbane river towards the Storey Bridge. The whole area denudes the perceived concept of city living as there is something quite different about this part of Brisbane. As you cycle along the pathway the cacophony of city sounds fails to carry to this particular area of the river. There is a sense of relaxation here that you fail to find in a lot of cities around the world. Perhaps it is the myriad of different panoramas which engages the senses. I really don't know what it is, but I do know that there is something here which is actually, quite sensual.
 

 

 

 

 

Approaching the Storey Bridge

Having passed under the Storey Bridge, you pass the Brisbane Jazz Club which hosts many blasts from the past as well as the new kids on Jazz block and if that is your pleasure in music you may wish to keep it in mind for a wet weekend afternoon or for when you are feeling in the mood for blues and schmooze... www.brisbanejazzclub.com.au

Brisbane Jazz Club

River Life

If it's not Jazz but adrenaline you're chasing you are cycling in the right spot with River Life Adventure Centre which hosts a menu of adventure such as kayaking, cliff climbing, abseiling, to name a few...www.riverlife.com.au
 

OK, not everybody is into jazz or adrenaline....maybe, a sedate picnic by the river is your style and that's catered for as well and you even have a choice between a mezzanine view from the top of the Kangaroo Point Cliffs or in the stalls on the river bank. It's all to be had on this side of the river.

 

South Bank, Brisbane, Qld.

South Bank, Brisbane, Qld.

 

Continue your ride along the side of the river, past the Maritime Museum, skirting the entrance to the Goodwill Bridge and onto South Bank, where there are any number of cafes, bars and restaurants. This area can become quite congested on weekends so be vigilant as you ride.

From Orleigh Park, West End to entrance to Eleanor Schonell bridge

Eleanor Schonell Bridge to UQ, St. Lucia

This ride continues alongside the river as far as Orleigh Park in West End. At the end of the park turn sharp left into Hoogley Street and right into Ryan Street, continuing on through Glenfield Street before turning left into Sankey Street. Continue on until reaching the junction with Dornoch Terrace. Turn right here and continue on until reaching the junction with Gladstone Road where you will turn right again and continue along Gladstone Road until coming to TJ Memorial Drive. At this point turn and follow the bike path onto and across the Eleanor Schonell Bridge to the University of Queensland, St. Lucia.

 Length of ride: Approx. 14k

Type of surface: Mainly cement pathways and bitumin roads.

Degree of difficulty:   Mainly easy but there are a couple of steep climbs.                                          


Cheers and safe riding,


Jimmy Bee

 

CYCLING CLEVELAND TO CAPALABA

 

 

Graffiti on a wall at Capalaba

I am not usually a fan of graffiti, in fact it can be plain ugly but in this case artists used a blank wall of a shopping centre facing the bush and in it's own way it was a pleasant distraction and, I say this with some hesitation, was a vast improvement to the completely ugly blank cement wall running parallel with the cycling track for some 100m or so.

 

Not too many bouquets are bestowed on our local and state governments, but you can see where the money is being spent, if you use the amenities they have provided for you. There are literally paths and trails going everywhere, in some areas a little more maintenance wouldn't go astray and if the local hoons could find some other form of releasing pent up energy rather than smashing bottles over paths, lives of both walkers and cyclists alike would be much more pleasant. A big thanks to our government representatives for allocating funds for the building of both walking and cycling paths and we hope they keep up the good work. An increasing number of your constituents appreciate your efforts and applaud you.

Hilliard's Creek, Ormiston, Qld.

Riding and walking through bush trails is almost always pleasant and with the variance of terrain , scrub, forest and passing over a number of creeks, one can almost completely dismiss the fact that we are riding through suburbia, but, with the minimum of hustle and bustle and associated noise attributed to living in the suburbs. It wasn't so long ago that I was one of the many who thought our daily lives were so busy that we couldn't possibly spare a couple of hours a week to enjoy the natural amenities we have right on our doorstep. We are so steeped in the colour of beige, everything being generic and bland that we have forgotten how to use some of our most vital senses such as sight, hearing, smell and taste. Even our food has been dumbed down by the demands of the Supermarket Giants for the perfect specimen or package, disregarding natural aroma and taste. Yep, I was one of these thousands of people and like the reformed alcoholic and smoker I am on a crusade to get people to slow down and enjoy the natural beauty that surrounds you. Even if you don't ride a bike, get out and walk regularly through some of the parks and nature reserves that are close to where you live, your stress levels will take a tumble and you will start to feel alive again.......sermon over.

Every month, a group of dedicated recreational cyclists from U3A Peddling for Pleasure, meet at the railway station and embark on a ride together. Sometimes, it is local but most of the time it is in another location and everyone is of the same opinion, it wasn't until they took up cycling that they became aware of the natural beauty that surrounds us and the feeling of euphoria that they now experience.

 

It's not necessary to spend a lot of money on expensive bikes, clothing and accessories, it's making that first leap that counts.

 

 

  This particular ride starts at Cleveland Railway Station and meanders through the suburbs of Ormiston, Alexandra Hills and Capalaba with the majority of the ride being in bushland.

 

A word of warning, if you decide to embark on this ride ensure you take good mapping material with you as, unless you are a local, it can be quite difficult to navigate. It looks reasonably easy on the above map but this can be deceptive as it is an overall look at the ride route and doesn't show the myriad of trails forking at different locations within the forests. Please don't be put off by this, the ride is really enjoyable and well worth the effort.

Length of ride: Approximately 32km return.
Type of surface: Bitumen, cement, dirt and boardwalk.
Degree of difficulty: Easy

 

See you on the trail and safe riding.

Jimmy Bee