Maytown, Old Coach Rd.

G'day Bill,

Did it in '93 and the image is still clear in my mind. No time for photos as we were busy building ramps getting down. It took in excess of 8 hours and the bride was not super impressed.

Kind regards

So where the hell is Maytown? Google maps does not recognise the name.

Hi Bill,

Try this link from 4x4Earth Laura to Maytown. Might give you some leads if you join 4x4Earth?

Enjoy the trip.

Rob K

There's a trek note on this site for it too. We did it '98. Definitely only for high clearance vehicles and some surprises would be guaranteed. Worth doing though.

Seriously consider extra spares, or at least take great care when you veer off the early stages of the track as there are rock-hard stakes hidden in the grass.
From memory the first half (roughly, distance) out of Laura took us one hour, the second half took 7 hours.
CJ

We are heading that way in June too. Towing our new (to us) Kimberley Kamper. As above, there are lots of videos on youtube.

If others are towing trailers through then it must be do-able.

Looks like a great adventure and we can't wait.

Did the Old Coach Road last May for the third time, took nine hours from dogleg creek to laura, still one of the best tracks around, if your towing a trailer, be prepared, it's not to be taken lightly, make sure your trailer brakes are top notch and would be sensible to have another vehicle with you, bit sparse for a camping spot once you start, have fun.

Thanks fellow punters for all the good info, there are a couple of novice 4x4 members joining us (We were all novices at one stage !!) so the trip will be interesting.

Hi Bill,
Here's the Altitude and Speed profiles from when a mate and I went through from Laura to Maytown in 2012.




Cheers
Alan

We have to go back. Missed it last time. Just stayed away while the "local" issue was in play. Not ours but would like to do it. Didn't appear too challenhing but beats the PDR.

Here is one from 2012. Not ours.

In 2008 we did a day trip into Maytown from Jowelbinnaand return on the way back from the cape.
coincidently I was looking at the cape york map only 2 days ago doing some planning for this winter and on the bottom is my wifes hand written notes of our trip into Maytown.

basicly it confirms the trip in from Jowbinna took 2 hrs and 30 minutes
for the 48 km of the coach road.
departure at 7.10am 57 km on trip meter.( we had refueled in laura previous day)
t/o at maytown /jowelbinna int at 7.18 am 61.5 km
palmer goldfields res sign 78.5 km 8.12 am
9.10 am 94km mark 2 km before palmer river xing
99 km louise mine and battery
105 km 9.40 am maytown
and we had stopped for a cuppa at morning tea.

also noted was 3km steep rockey climb betweem 91 and 94 km

we spent several hours looking around maytown leaving at 1.30 pm
we got back to Jowelbinna with eneough time for me to repair a punctured tyre from the camper which had occurred weeks earlier.and still make the sunset tour that afternoon

honesttly I had heard this was a tough track and this is why we didnt take the campertrailer. but real life experience showed differently.

btw at jowelbinna there were several vehicles towing camoers who had come up from maytown the day before.their main issue had been fitting between trees on varoius go arounds.where there were other trees down.
go for it
cheers
Howard