The CREB (Cairns Regional Electricity Board) Track runs from Daintree to Wujal Wujal. As you’d expect from the name it is the old maintenance road for the electricity line to Cooktown. The track takes a mountainous route through the Daintree, crossing a range of environments from tropical farmland, dry eucalypt forest, and of course plenty of tropical rainforest.
These days, the CREB Track is known as a 4×4 test piece, and attracts keen four wheel drivers who want to tackle the 71km route. The route is also popular for motorbikes, and there are tours run on the demanding trail.
With lots of steep climbs and descents, and narrow cuttings, why would you want to tackle something like that on a bike, especially if you are sharing the track with four wheel drives and motorbikes?
I caught up with Graeme Grant, who tackled the CREB track in one long, 300km day when riding from Cairns to Cooktown, to ask what makes tackling the infamous route by bike an appealling challenge.
“You are a long way from anywhere, and it’s some of the most beautiful rainforest you will see. It is a proper four wheel drive track that’s famous. It is an iconic stretch in a four wheel drive – but on a bike, you don’t get many people doing it,” explained Graeme as we sat at the Croc Xpresso Cafe in Daintree.
Today, Graeme was driving support for William Bird (of Cycle FNQ) as we experienced a small section of the CREB. Just about anyone will agree that vehicle support is essential in one way or another. Even if it’s just to get you across the Daintree River at the start. Do not ride across the Daintree River! The chance of being taken by a crocodile is too high. I ask Graeme how far south you’d want to be to feel safe to swim without a chance of being croc bait.
“Hervey Bay,” he replies.