Kuitpo Forest Overnighter

• Summer is dry and waterless, and also brown and hot. Choose late autumn / winter / early spring.
• Don’t go after lots of rain. Areas of this route will flood.
• There is parking at the beginning of this route, which doesn’t require a ticket.
• For those wishing to skip the hilliest sections at the beginning, start the route in Stirling.
• There can be horses and dogs on the walking trails. Ride slowly and gently past people, and animals.
• Lots of native wildlife exists along these routes, don’t interfere with or feed them.

• If booking the Woodcutter’s Cottage, all you need to carry is a sleeping bag, clothes, and food. Book here.
• The thick bunk mattresses are fairly comfortable.
• The hut sleeps ten people, but must be booked for two nights over the weekend. Cost: $99AUD/night.
• Other huts are available in the Kuitpo forest area, but require sleeping mats and do not offer as much protection against the elements.

• Many towns are passed through or almost passed through along this route.
• Bakeries and cafes are aplenty.
• Woodcutter’s Cottage contains a basic kitchen, but food reheating still will require access to one’s own portable stove.
• At least two competing bakeries are in Meadows. Both are great.
• A small, yet amazing cafe called Dawn Patrol is nearby the return route, but requires a detour.
• Harvest Cafe in Mylor is very bicycle-friendly and directly along the route. A must-see.
• If travelling back on a Sunday, markets are usually running in Stirling. Various food items will be on offer.
• In the case of no markets, Organic Cafe Stirling is a must-visit. Do both if time permits.
• Water lines are almost everywhere, if in trouble, knock on a local’s door, who will very likely happily give you access to their water taps.

A summary of the route (in order of appearance):

• Begin in the unpaved car park off Waterfall Gully Road.
• Make a left along WFGR onto Chambers Gully Track.
• At the top, turn left toward the wildlife park, to Steub Trail which runs from the car park.
• Continue until Mt Lofty Lookout.
• Descend from the lookout, turning right onto Reynolds Drive.
• Take these trails through until popping out onto the small road near the top of the freeway.
• Cross a walking bridge and descend a small, dirt walking trail into Stirling.
• Descend Mt Barker Road until turning right at Aldgate Valley Road.
• Once at Mylor, take brunch at Harvest Cafe.
• Once filled with coffee and cake, take the road until turning right onto gravel Glen Bold Road.
• Continue along this, which winds onto Diggings Rd and Berry Road, and onto Razorback.
• A stop at a Meadows bakery happens around here.
• Follow the back roads until into Kuitpo Forest, follow trails to the hut.
• From the hut, find the marked Heysen Trail (some portions of the Heysen are unrideable, but few).
• Follow Heysen until Mylor (stop at the cafe again for refill).
• Find the Mylor Trail, which runs next to the main road, and follow this until it ends. (This is almost unrideable after rain. If wet, either fight with hiking the bike, or begrudgingly take the road.)
• Take a tiny bit of main road until turning off onto thick gravel alongside the train line.
• Once on Madurta Avenue, follow around and through Woorabinda Bushland Reserve.
• Ethel Trail will guide you into Stirling, enjoy the markets and Organic Cafe muffins.
• Take the same walking shortcut back toward the freeway bypass.
• Descend the freeway bike path until turning right onto Bollocks Track.
• Choose the mountain bike trail or the main fire road to (mostly) descend until PWT.
• Take Pioneer Women’s Trail to the base, return through the backstreets to the original park.
• Go home and sleep off the adventure, tell your friends.