The Quartz Bikepacking Route

RSVP accepted via this platform - ❌
RSVP via email to trip leaders directly - ✅👍
Please note: Contact the leader ([email protected]) to secure your spot on this TBWC trip. This is important due diligence for our club insurance.

The Quartz Bikepacking Route
When: Saturday, 30 May to Sunday, 31 May, 2026
Location: Mingela / Ravenswood, Charters Towers Region, North Queensland
Leaders: Luen and Jodie
Grade: 5 - hard, due to distance, remoteness, self-sufficiency, and navigation
Distance: Approx. 185 km over two days
Bike type: Gravel bike, adventure bike, or similar
Surface: Mixed bitumen, gravel, dirt roads, sandy/water crossings and rougher adventurous sections
RSVP:
OPTION 1
Full bikepacking ride from Townsville - Leader: LUEN
[email protected]
This option is for those keen on the full bikepacking experience. Riders will leave from Mingela, riding to Ravenswood & Clare. Then the following day, continue riding on to Townsville.
High-vis clothing and bike lights are strongly recommended for this stretch.
OPTION 2 - Pending leader
Day trip / car camping option
This option is for those who would prefer to drive out, set up camp, and enjoy day rides in the area. This option is ideal for anyone keen to join the social side of the trip and explore by bike without committing to the full ride.

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This overnight bikepacking trip takes in part of the Quartz Bikepacking Route, an adventurous North Queensland circuit linking Mingela, Ravenswood, and the surrounding outback roads.

To avoid the busy highway section near Townsville, riders will meet at Mingela and then begin the ride from there - you'll need to organise your own drop-off.
From Mingela, the route heads into quieter country, following a mix of bitumen and gravel roads through open woodland, historic mining landscapes, and remote rural scenery.

Day 1 will be the bigger day, with approximately 118 km of mixed bitumen and gravel riding. Riders should be prepared for a long day in the saddle, warm conditions, limited services, and the need to manage food, water, repairs, and navigation independently. The plan is to camp overnight on a sandy riverbank, well away from the water’s edge and well away from crocodile habitat.

Day 2 will be shorter at approximately 67 km, but still adventurous. The return route will include quieter roads, road parcels, and rougher sections that may require careful navigation and a flexible attitude. Expect a proper adventure rather than a polished rail trail.

Along the way, the route showcases a mix of North Queensland history and natural beauty. Ravenswood is one of Queensland’s historic gold-mining towns, with heritage buildings, old mining stories, and a strong outback feel. The broader area is also known for striking quartz formations, including White Blow, a large quartz outcrop that gives this route its name and character.

This trip is suited to riders with a good level of fitness, experience riding longer distances, and confidence managing themselves and their gear in remote conditions. Riders must be self-supported and prepared for limited water access, mechanical issues, heat, sun exposure, and variable road conditions.

Bring:
- A well-maintained gravel, adventure, touring, or mountain bike
- Helmet
- Bikepacking or lightweight camping gear
- Plenty of water capacity
- Reliable water treatment method
- Food and snacks for two days
- Repair kit, spare tubes, plugs, pump, and basic tools
- Front and rear lights
- High-vis or bright clothing (recommended)
- Sun protection
- First aid kit
- Personal medication
- Navigation device or offline maps
- Power bank or charging system
- Crocodile awareness and common sense around waterways

This route is remote, and water may be hard to access. Riders should not rely on finding safe untreated water along the way. If any water is collected, it must be treated properly before drinking.

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RSVP:
Meeting details, drop-off arrangements, and further logistics will be provided once you RSVP directly to Luen.

Townsville Bushwalking Club members: Free
Visitors: $5 per trip. After completing three club trips, you are welcome to join as a member.

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Clicking "Going" on Facebook does not register you for the event. Also, note that the location listed on the Facebook event is not necessarily where we are meeting. Final meeting details will be emailed to you by the trip leaders once you have RSVP'd.

Please read the Townsville Bushwalking Club's guidelines and what to bring information before attending:

Trip Guidelines - https://townsvillebushwalkingclub.com/walker-guidelines/

Walk Together - https://townsvillebushwalkingclub.com/walk-together/

What to Bring? - https://townsvillebushwalkingclub.com/what-to-bring/