Police guide maps Mount Tamborine's motorcycle crash hotspots

Queensland Police have published a rider's-eye video guide to one of the state's most notorious motorcycle routes, walking riders through the climb up Mount Tamborine and the technical descent into Canungra. The "Ride with Me" episode follows one of several popular approaches to the mountain, a route police say has claimed too many riders over the years.

Heading up from Tamborine, the biggest early hazard is simply seeing what's ahead. Bush and tree cover crowd the road's edge, hiding potholes and divots, while the bends are tight and cambered. Officers recommend taking the widest practical line through each corner to maximise sightlines and watch for pedestrians on the shoulder or riders coming the other way. The posted 60km/h advisory reflects just how tight the sequence gets, including a twisty stretch known to locals as "the Piano."

Further up, one intersection stands out as particularly dangerous: a gravel-strewn T-junction sitting in the middle of a right-hand bend, best approached by keeping left for an early view of crossing traffic. Roadworks are a regular feature around Tamborine and the wider Scenic Rim, and police urge riders to resist overtaking on the mountain's tight straights unless there is genuine room to complete the move safely. Near the summit, a sweeping right-hander is frequently overshot and has produced numerous crashes, worsened by gravel washed onto the bitumen and leaf litter from the surrounding rainforest, which turns especially slick in wet weather. Log and dairy trucks also use this stretch, so riders are advised to leave extra space, even if that means easing across the centre line.

The run down the other side to Canungra brings a different set of challenges. The descent is steep and technical, with a history of rock falls and water crossing the road, and includes a one-lane section where oncoming trucks may already be banked up. Lane markings thin out and disappear in places, meaning riders share tighter space with wider vehicles and need clear sightlines through every corner and intersection. Police stress that group rides should move at the pace of the least experienced member, rather than the most confident.

The change in gradient alters braking and cornering on the way down, and a series of switchbacks is compounded by debris scattered along the outside of the lane. Devil's Elbow, currently under roadworks, has a long history of serious incidents, and advisory signage through that section should be treated as essential rather than optional. Blind crests and blind right-handers follow, where a truck or car drifting over the centre line is a real possibility. Near the bottom, a give-way sign marks the approach to Canungra, by which point brakes may be hot and less responsive after sustained use on the descent. Cyclists are also common on this stretch and need to be given room.

The overarching message from police is that the Mount Tamborine run rewards a steady pace at or under the limit rather than outright speed, and that reading the conditions matters more than the number on the speedometer.