Sandover Highway to Camooweal

Submitted: Tuesday, May 13, 2014 at 20:11
ThreadID: 107760 Views:2606 Replies:2 FollowUps:2
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Am heading for Cape York in June via Great Central Road and Sandover Highway to Camooweal (meeting others there) and intending to return via the Plenty Highway.
There is very little info I can find on the Sandover other than 'it's pretty desolate'.
Can anyone advise of road condition and any campsites along the way.
I don't mind 'desolate' but nice campsites make the trip a bit more enjoyable.
Also there appears to be a nice campsite on the lagoon just West of Camooweal on the river. Has anyone camped there?
Thanks in advance.
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Reply By: Motherhen - Tuesday, May 13, 2014 at 23:03

Tuesday, May 13, 2014 at 23:03
Hi Dingo

I think you will find you can camp just about anywhere you can pull off the road on the Sandover and I would't expect anything exciting.

Yes, the Camooweal Lagoon is lovely. There was plenty of water and birdlife when we camped there in 2009. No facilities at all. Continue past the other campers down the track beyond the cattle yards.



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Reply By: Bob Y. - Qld - Wednesday, May 14, 2014 at 00:57

Wednesday, May 14, 2014 at 00:57
DB,

We returned along the Sandover, about 3 years ago, and found it a good road, but not a lot of "scenery". Plenty of interesting plants along there, but campsites are at a bit of a premium. Were heading to Camooweal too, for Drovers' Festival.

I'm not home till Thursday midday, so will post a few photos then, and see if I can dig up co-ordinates for a couple of camp sites we picked.

The road up through Austral Downs is probably the better of the two, as there should be less corrugations, and as a bonus, you get about 40 kms along Barkly H'way. Also, just check archives too, there should be a couple of threads over the past year or two.

Bob

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Follow Up By: Bob Y. - Qld - Thursday, May 15, 2014 at 15:30

Thursday, May 15, 2014 at 15:30
DB,

Have dug up a few photos, though I think they're already in the archives here........somewhere.

We camped here, to right of photo. Drove down a recently graded drain, and camped at the end on a clear spot. Turned out to better than it looked, as we were unseen from the road. Bit of traffic through the night, as community residents returned home. They were really hammering too, and was hoping they didn't "lose" it near our spot.


Probably the pick of the few camps here, to left, after crossing a grid. Co-ordinates are: 22 10'31.9"S 134 32'54.2"E







Not 100% sure of co-ordinates, but took them off my Hema HN5, so they must be right, eh? :-) Think these few should give you an idea DB. Do have a few others that I could post later?

Bob.

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Follow Up By: Bob Y. - Qld - Thursday, May 15, 2014 at 15:34

Thursday, May 15, 2014 at 15:34
Knew I'd forget something!

The corrugations between Arlparra Store turnoff and the community, are as good as any you'd see anywhere. But you're then rewarded with about 15 kms of bitumen past the community.

Bob.

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