THE COURSE
The 100 mile course consists of two loops - the western section of approx 102k and the eastern section approx 60k. The terrain varies from easy gravel road to rough, steep singletrack. Although the elevation gain and loss is relatively small, most of the western section consists of short technical climbs and descents that can be particularly difficult in extreme dry or wet. Most of the Eastern section is flat and less demanding technically. There are beautiful views throughout the course, particularly from the top of Mt Beerburrum and Wildhorse Mountain. The course has changed from 2006 for most events - ensure you download new maps from menu at top.
There is a full course description here
The shorter events at Glasshouse take place on the more challenging and scenic Western section.
About Glasshouse
The remarkable Glasshouse Mountains are a series of steep-sided volcanic plugs which dominate the landscape of the Sunshine Coast hinterland. They are formed of rhyolite and trachtyte, lavas which hardened inside the vents of tertiary volcanoes that have been greatly reduced by about 25 million years of erosion.
The town of Glasshouse Mountains is about 70 kilometres north of Brisbane, the capital of Queensland. It is about 60 kilometres from Brisbane International Airport. The town can be reached by bus or train. There is an hourly train service during the week, with fewer services at weekends or public holidays. The sportsground is just south of the town on the Glasshouse Mountains Tourist Route.
According to Aboriginal legend Tibrogargan (which is 364 m high) the father and Beerwah (at 555 m the highest of all the peaks) the mother, had a number of children of whom Coonowrin (377 m - the narrow and most dramatic of all the volcanic plugs) was the eldest, Tunbubudla were the twins (293 m and 312 m), Coochin (235 m), Ngungun (253 m), Tibberoowuccum (220 m), Miketeebumulgrai (199 m) and Elimbah (129 m).
The legend tells of Tibrogargan noticing that the sea was rising and calling out to Coonowrin to help his pregnant mother gather the young children together so that the family could flee from the rising sea. Coonowrin ran away in fear and Tibrogargan, incensed by his son's cowardice, followed and hit him so hard with a club that his neck was dislocated. When the seas retreated the family returned to the plains. Conowrin, teased about his crooked neck and ashamed of his behaviour, went to Tibrogargan and asked for forgiveness but the father just wept with shame. Conowrin then approached his brothers and sisters to ask forgiveness but they too could only weep with shame, thus explaining the area's many small streams.
Tibrogargan then called Conowrin and asked why he had failed to help Beerwah. He explained that he felt she was big enough to look after herself, though he did not know she was pregnant. Tibrogargan then turned his back on his son and still gazes out to sea today, refusing to look at his son who forever hangs his crooked neck and cries. Beerwah, the mother, is still pregnant, as it takes time to give birth to a mountain.
