‘Nowhere to go’: Sunshine Coast cyclists with Olympic dreams plead for safer roads

A cyclist from the Sunshine Coast Hinterland has captured terrifying footage of a near miss on a ‘dangerous’ stretch of road near a popular tourist town. WATCH THE VIDEO

Cyclists from the Sunshine Coast hinterland are fighting to fix their roads, with hopes safer surfaces could tempt other locals – and perhaps future Olympians – to cycle the stunning trails.

Leading the push for safer roads is Dorothy Hills, who has lived in the small town of Maleny for more than two decades.

The 65-year-old retiree is part of a cycling group that tours the rolling hills of the hinterland quite regularly.

Despite her love for getting outside and exercising, Mrs Hills said the deteriorating roads made it difficult for her to cycle safely.

Degraded roads near Maleny on the Sunshine Coast.

The problem area is from the turn off from Reesville Rd onto Maleny Kenilworth Rd, “back towards the township of Maleny”, Mrs Hills said.

“We’ve always ridden that piece of road very carefully because it was always somewhere that you had to be cautious, however, it was still okay to ride” she said.

“But now I’ve stopped going there, as have other people in our group.

“I get that we’re older and therefore more cautious, but among our group are some very, very, very experienced riders, and even they only ride that road at certain times of the day.”

A near miss between a cyclist and a Jim's Mowing trailer is caught on film. Picture: Supplied

Mrs Hills acknowledged increased traffic and severe weather would have worn roads down faster in recent years, but said action to repair them had taken too long.

“When you’re on the ground, you see the potential danger,” she said.

“If a car comes at you at 80km per hour, you have to stay on the road, which is terrifying.

“It’s also very aggravating for drivers, and I respect that.

“I’m a driver, I know what it’s like, but as a cyclist, there’s absolutely nowhere to go.”

Cyclists have no space to ride on the side of the road, forcing them into traffic.

Mrs Hills said she worried an accident with “terrible consequences” may occur on the road.

“Somebody’s going to get badly hurt and it’s unnecessary,” she said.

If repairs do happen, Mrs Hills is hopeful the Sunshine Coast hinterland could potentially make a bid to host road cycling events in the 2032 Olympics.

“Cycling has grown in our area and I do believe there is an opportunity to attract cycling tourism and even the Olympics up here,” she said.

“Could you imagine how amazing that would be?”

“If this area was to be a part of the road races during the [2032] Olympics, that would be absolutely spectacular!”