Trip down Sundowner Hwy
Submitted: Tuesday, Jul 22, 2014 at 22:32
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Raymond J
Hello all you mad travellers. Looking at travelling down the Sundowner Hwy in the near future. I'm leaving Mackay in QLD and i'll work my way over to Urandangi near the QLD/NT boarder. I'll head north through the
Alpurrurulam Community down the Sundowner Hwy and meet the plenty Hwy just short of the Stuart Hwy in NT. Someone would have travelled that stretch of ground at some time, I was just wondering what it was like. I'll be just travelling in a cruiser ute and not towing anything. Any info would be welcomed.
Reply By: Member - Michael John T (VIC) - Tuesday, Jul 22, 2014 at 22:59
Tuesday, Jul 22, 2014 at 22:59
Hi Raymond,
I assume you mean the Sandover Hwy! About 550 kms from
Lake Nash Stn. (Qld border) to the Plenty. We traveled it in 2012 but South to North. Generally a good
well formed dirt hwy, with corrugations, especially near Communities, and I remember one stretch heavily sanded. Should have little trouble at all but of course it depends on recent quantities of traffic use and when it was last graded etc.. It was an extension of our trip, looking for warmer weather and some swimming
places, but had to keep going North for these.
I posted a blog and included this section in it, you are welcome to access it.
Surveyors General Corner pt 7 - Up the Sandover.
Might help,
Regards,
Mike.
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Raymond J - Wednesday, Jul 23, 2014 at 20:18
Wednesday, Jul 23, 2014 at 20:18
Hi Mike,
You'r right it is the Sandover Hwy. I have a bad habit of looking at the first letter and middle letters and filling in the spaces. Last August I travelled down the Plenty to Alice and done the West Macdonnell before heading up the Tanami to the Bungle Bungle and had no trouble. So it seems as if the Sandover is not that bad, so I'd like to thank you for the info and hope you have more pleasant adventures.
Ray.
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820597
Reply By: Bob Y. - Qld - Wednesday, Jul 23, 2014 at 10:21
Wednesday, Jul 23, 2014 at 10:21
Raymond,
Do a search on this site for "Sandover Highway". You'll get about 15-20 old threads, with info about the Sandover. It doesn't seem to get much traffic.
We were along it in Aug 2011, and except for a sandy, and VERY corrugated section, between Arlparra community and Arlparra store(about 8 kms), the remainder was very good.
Haven't been on the stretch from the 'Dangie to
Lake Nash for some years, but believe it may have improved quite a bit. There used to be some intense bulldust, about 10-20 kms north of the "Dangie, but the council may have upgraded this in the years since we worked in the area. Headingly to
Lake Nash is mostly black soil, so you won't have any dramas...........unless it rains.
Campsites were at a premium in 2011, as the body of feed was immense, and clear spots were pretty rare. Should be a bit easier to find something this year.
Bob
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536460
Follow Up By: Raymond J - Wednesday, Jul 23, 2014 at 20:33
Wednesday, Jul 23, 2014 at 20:33
Hi Bob,
Thanks for the info and as I wrote to Mike it appears to be not that bad track. I'll look the site you mention and pick up some pointers there. I do carry a sat phone and an EPIRB as
well, and have 300 Lts under body fuel and 100 Lts of water. So thanks again and all the best.
Ray.
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