Birdsville to Winton

Submitted: Thursday, Sep 03, 2015 at 06:52
ThreadID: 130173 Views:3471 Replies:6 FollowUps:2
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Hi all
I am a new member and fairly new to 4wd touring. Im from the sunshine coast Qld and thinking of doing a trip to Birdsville- Winton -Longreach Im a little time limited with only two weeks. I cant find any info on this site of any other trips like this. can someone give me some advice or point me to a blog or some were to get more info.
Thanks Darryl
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Reply By: Member - Alan H (QLD) - Thursday, Sep 03, 2015 at 07:37

Thursday, Sep 03, 2015 at 07:37
Not sure what info you seek.

Longreach - Winton - Boulia is Bitumen

Boulia - Bedourie - Birdsville has intermitent bitumen passing sections

Birdsville - Windorah last 50km bitumen

Windorah to Longreach bitumen most of the way.

Roads are generally fine but what time of year? Don't try it if there has been rain out there

Alan
AnswerID: 589916

Reply By: Bob Y. - Qld - Thursday, Sep 03, 2015 at 11:07

Thursday, Sep 03, 2015 at 11:07
We don't know what you're driving, Dazza, and whether you're towing, but using Birdsville as the "start" of your journey and Longreach the finish, then I'd expect you'd need 4-5 days travel outside of the Birdsville-Longreach section.

Over that 9-10 days you could spend 2 nights in Birdsville, 1 night @ Bebourie, 1 night @ Boulia, a night on road between Boulia/Winton, 3 nights in Winton and 3 nights in Longreach. There is another scenic route from Boulia-Diamantina Lakes N/P-Winton, but as you are a bit time poor it might pay to add it to your bucket.

A 2nd alternative route, which would bypass both Bedourie & Boulia, is to turn right at King Creek, and travel back past Cluny Station to the Coorabulka turnoff. Travel north on this to Coorabulka, turn right across to Springvale Station, then it's only 60-odd kms down to Diamantina Lakes. Note this is almost ALL gravel, and purely dry and preferably cool weather travel. Maybe another one for the bucket?

As said most of this trip is on bitumen, albeit much of it single lane. About 120km west of Windorah, then dirt to Birdsville, patches of good gravel & bitumen to Bedourie, then all bitumen from Bedourie to Boulia, except for a short section of gravel adjacent to Marion Downs homestead, maybe 5 kms.

Bitumen, mostly single lane, to Winton, and Winton-Longreach is 2 lane highway.

From Winton down through Barcaldine, Blackall to Augathella is a bit of a Roo City, so may I suggest you stay on the Capricorn H'way east of Barcy, travel to Emerald, Springsure, Rolleston, Biloela, Gayndah and hit the Bruce just north of Gympie. A very relaxed, scenic drive with less traffic than the Bruce, and you'll do the Sunny Coast easily in 2 days from Longreach.

Want anymore info, just ask, :-)

Bob

Seen it all, Done it all.
Can't remember most of it.

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AnswerID: 589920

Reply By: Member - dazza141 - Thursday, Sep 03, 2015 at 12:19

Thursday, Sep 03, 2015 at 12:19
Thanks Bob for your reply I should of given a bit more info we are driving a 09 Hilux extra cab tray back with the standard extras bulbar winch ext., plus a 2" lift kit plus air bags, long range fuel tank, water tank, 3 batteries diff locks plus a bit more so I don't think the car will be ok.
I have been looking at maps for days and was considering going through the Diamantina Nat park the way you suggested to Winton then avoiding the highway to Longreach there I a loop around the Winton Jundah road or thought that way but I may be pushing it a bit maybe I should save it for another time.
I've been looking on this site for any info or blog about this area or someone who has done this trip but cant really find anything.
Thanks Darryl
AnswerID: 589926

Follow Up By: Bob Y. - Qld - Thursday, Sep 03, 2015 at 13:11

Thursday, Sep 03, 2015 at 13:11
No worries, Dazza.

Just some other suggestions. Do Birdsville-Boulia in a day, but worth checking out the visitors centre in Bedourie, for some great photos and videos. Min Min Centre at Boulia worth a look.

From Boulia, head on Winton road for 25kms, turn right onto Springvale road, then onto D'Lakes, for night or two. Make sure you go to Janet's Leap, where you overlook the Diamantina River where it passes through Hunters Gorge.

From the 'Lakes north on Diamantina River Road, call at old Mayne Pub, bit of history there as well as small cemetery. Continue on to Old Cork where could turn left and travel up the Lilleyvale road, and come out on Winton-Boulia road near Cawnpore Lookout.

From there head towards Winton via Middleton and through Swords Range, over the Diamantina again and into Winton. Don't forget to check out Australian Age of Dinosaurs, just out of Winton, and the Qantida Museum has reopened this week, behind the fire ravaged Waltzing Matilda Centre.

To avoid Longreach H'way head down the Jundah Road, and do a tour at Lark Quarry, the dinosaur track ways. From there travel down over the Mayne River, at Rocky Crossing(some good camps here), then down through Tonkoro & Westerton, East across the Thompson River, and come out on the Longreach-Jundah road. From here you could go a couple of ways, but across to Yaraka, up to Isisford, then NE to Barcy might be a good route.

Reckon your vehicle should handle it okay. Just watch out for bulldust holes, as it's been really dry out here, and there's been a huge amount of road trains pulling cattle out of the district. They soon cut the roads up. :-(

Have fun,
Bob

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Can't remember most of it.

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FollowupID: 857924

Follow Up By: Roachie.kadina.sa.au - Thursday, Sep 03, 2015 at 15:07

Thursday, Sep 03, 2015 at 15:07
Darryl,

The others have given you some great advice.

What I'm going to say may be scoffed at......but I hope not.

You mentioned at the beginning that you were new to this sort of travel (ie: "outback").

With that in mind and without knowing your level of expertise (or "common sense" for that matter)....I would like to add the following points:

1). Slow down!! This is important for the sake of your vehicle's longevity and your safety (not to mention that of other road users). Just because there's a fair bet that you won't see a copper for many hundreds of klicks, your biggest enemy is the gravel roads v your tyres. You won't have as much grip as you're used to on bitumen and you can get bitten very quickly.

2). If you see an approaching "big one" (ie: semi trailer road train etc), be prepared to slow right down or even stop and get right off the road. Those blokes/gals are trying to control upwards of 60 tyres and they really appreciate drivers who give them a fair suck of the mango.

3). Tyre pressures.....don't try and drive over rough gravel roads with 40 or 50psi in your tyres....let 'em down and slow down....

Oh, did I mention it's a good idea to slow down??? hahaha

All in good fun and hope you don't think I'm preaching....but you'd think we were all a pack of mongrels if we failed to tell you something that may save your life.

Roachie
2
FollowupID: 857933

Reply By: CSeaJay - Thursday, Sep 03, 2015 at 17:06

Thursday, Sep 03, 2015 at 17:06
Further to above replies on Bridsville to Winton;
From Birdsville there is less than 50% gravel to Bedourie, and that gravel is generally good (80km/hr +)
From Bedourie to Boulia is mostly bitumen, it is only at one or two isolated parts gravel and then for quite a short distance.
CJ
AnswerID: 589937

Reply By: rumpig - Thursday, Sep 03, 2015 at 20:01

Thursday, Sep 03, 2015 at 20:01
Here's a trip report i did on my 4wd clubs website you may be interested in reading Brisbane to Birdsville trip report . We drove from Windorah to Winton via the Winton - Jundah Rd, it's a good drive with little traffic to be found on it. We did the trip in 2 weeks, so will give you an idea of where you can visit along the way in that sort of time frame.
AnswerID: 589945

Reply By: Member - dazza141 - Friday, Sep 04, 2015 at 07:01

Friday, Sep 04, 2015 at 07:01
Thanks for all that great advice I just wondering about fires and firewood can we have a fire is there wood available or should I take some from home.
Thanks Darryl
AnswerID: 589962

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