Road closures for the Triathlon

The recent school holiday period was the busiest June / July I can remember in my time here in Rainbow Beach, with people flocking to town after travel restrictions were relaxed.  And why not? A great location coupled with terrific weather are the ingredients for a memorable holiday.

With international travel off the table for the foreseeable future, it is likely that our small town will continue to attract increased attention from Aussies looking to ‘holiday at home’. While this is good news for local businesses, it will continue to put increased pressure on our roads and beaches – meaning a greater risk for road users.

Just last month I attended a serious traffic crash on Rainbow Beach Road, not far from Seary’s Creek.  A small sedan, being driven by a 66-year-old woman, crossed onto the wrong side of the road on a bend – right into the path of a four-wheel-drive utility.

The ensuing collision left the woman trapped inside her car and caused the ute to roll over.  Miraculously everyone survived the crash, but it could’ve easily had a very different, tragic outcome.

Driving is one of the most dangerous activities we undertake on a daily basis, and incidents like this certainly highlight that point. So please, keep your eyes on the road, stay safe and drive to the conditions!

A further easing of COVID-19 restrictions early in July means the annual Rainbow Beach Double Triathlon is now officially back on. It’s being held on the weekend of August 8 and 9, and as usual it will involve some road closures around town.

While we make every effort to keep delays to a minimum, if you’re driving around Rainbow Beach on that weekend, you may be affected.The main disruptions will occur during the two ‘main’ races which take place on Saturday afternoon (3.30pm-5.30pm) and Sunday morning (7.30am-9.30am).

Both races follow the same course and will involve road closures along Clarkson Drive, Inskip Avenue, Wide Bay Esplanade, Ocean View Parade and Green Valley Drive. There will be the usual diversion in place for those who are happy to drive up the beach to Inskip Point (via Karoonda Road / Rainbow Shores Drive).

I will be posting a list of the weekend’s road closures at various locations around Rainbow Beach prior to the date, and can I please ask that you don’t drive around the beachfront / CBD during the race times unless absolutely necessary (or you’re on a bike in the race).

Also, if you’re planning on coming or going from Inskip Point, please plan your trip to avoid the race times. It would help us out a lot and ensure the safety of everyone competing.

If you are affected, please be patient. It’s one of the only annual events in Rainbow Beach that requires road closures, and we work hard to make the delays as short as possible.