Cordillo Rd and Water Don't Mix

Submitted: Wednesday, Jun 03, 2015 at 10:18

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Cordillo Downs

This is the main route from Innamincka to Birdsville. The track is about 420km and conditions vary greatly. The countryside is a seemingly endless gibber plain but this is Australia's prime cattle

Cordillo Downs

Section: Places

Cordillo Downs was once the biggest sheep station in Australia, 7800 sq. km. The lease was taken up in 1878 and by the 1900, 85,000 sheep were on the station. Wool was taken to Farina,

Cordillo Downs

Section: Treks

This is the main route from Innamincka to Birdsville. The track is about 420km and conditions vary greatly. The countryside is a seemingly endless gibber plain but this is Australia's prime cattle

David K10

If any one plans travelling Cordillo Rd after rain, Don't, We did it, after a Ranger at Innamincka told us it was reopened. Once we were committed it was to late to turn back. After two of our well prepared vehicles and experienced drivers. were extracted from mud and the rescue of another lone vehicle with a piece of rope for their snatch strap, we arrived in Birdsville 13 hours latter around 10pm. At this point we were abused from a very angry caravan park manager due to Cordillo tack still being closed at the Queensland end. The next morning I was talking to another traveller that was stuck for 3 hours, as they were travelling with one vehicle and were also informed that the road was fine. They were rescued by another vehicle. This was several years ago, so I am hoping the ranger may have had a change in career by now.

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Reply By: Sigmund - Wednesday, Jun 03, 2015 at 14:47

Wednesday, Jun 03, 2015 at 14:47

Thanks.
On our first trip out there one of the Tibooburra publicans have us the same warning.

AnswerID: 554535

Reply By: gbc - Thursday, Jun 04, 2015 at 09:10

Thursday, Jun 04, 2015 at 09:10

Reminds me of a trip we did once from Laura to Normanton - it poured rain all night at our Mitchell river camp and from there on the road was mostly underwater in the middle of winter (2006), and we get to the tar 20 k.ms out of Normanton to see a road closed sign - D'oh! The truck that ran through in the middle of the night made sure the road would stay that way for quite some time. He was probably caught out and making a run for it like the rest of us. Nothing to be proud of, just circumstantial. If I didn't have 33 inch tyres on I would have never made it following his ruts.
The funny thing was we got into town and there was a bloke who'd driven all the way from Brisbane with his dogs looking for pigs and hadn't seen one. When the road is the highest thing for miles around, one sees the 'odd' mob of pigs/emus/roos/cattle - we had to beep them to get them to move they were that thick.

AnswerID: 554551

Reply By: OBJ - Saturday, Jun 06, 2015 at 09:14

Saturday, Jun 06, 2015 at 09:14

Sounds to me like the manager of the caravan park could also use a change of career. Maybe he could go and work with the lady at the Innaminka store :)
Just saying ....
OBJ

AnswerID: 554632