Mitzi Canter on the Telegraph Track

Submitted: Sunday, Aug 16, 2015 at 11:28
ThreadID: 130005 Views:4795 Replies:7 FollowUps:15
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We are soon picking up our dual cab canter and soon after going up to the cape in it. We have just recently done the OTT in a Landcruiser, which was super easy but I am having my doubts about doing it in the Canter! Anyone done it in a Canter or seen one on the track? I am positive we will be bypassing the Gunshot!
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Reply By: Member - batsy - Sunday, Aug 16, 2015 at 16:59

Sunday, Aug 16, 2015 at 16:59
In 2009 we were in a group of five vehicles that travelled to The Cape via the Old Telegraph Track , the Frenchmans Track & out to Muttee Heads.
Included in the vehicle line up was a Mitsubishi Canter 4x4 with a motorhome type box on the back. It still had it's dual rear wheels & standard road tyres with no suspension modifications. It was driven by a fellow in his late sixties who had had quite extensive experience in this type of vehicle in the defense force.
We had two instances of full on assistance for him , once in the sand near the Jardine River & once coming out of the Pascoe River.
On this basis I feel that you would be quite able to do The Telegraph Track including Gunshot depending on the configuration of the vehicle & your level of competence/confidence.

Have fun
Cheers
Batsy
Every day vertical above ground is a bonus.

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AnswerID: 589327

Reply By: Member - wicket - Sunday, Aug 16, 2015 at 17:31

Sunday, Aug 16, 2015 at 17:31
this could be what you're looking for

canter on telegraph track
AnswerID: 589329

Reply By: duck - Sunday, Aug 16, 2015 at 19:27

Sunday, Aug 16, 2015 at 19:27
Pending how well it's set up, doe,s it have supra singles, suspension up grade etc, there a big truck & drive totally different to your cruiser.
I have a isuzu nps 300 with full all terrain warrior conversion & it completed OTT but it's a Handful & being cab over its total different. Just remember that there a lot wider & higher,longer etc, I've owned all types of 4wds in the last 40years & it's by far the hardest to get thru any track
If it got duals, expect to get struck on any bit of sand, & rocks suck between them causing problems, if the suspension is std it will not have much travel & if your backs good now it won't be
Good luck
AnswerID: 589334

Reply By: AGNI4x4 - Sunday, Aug 16, 2015 at 20:33

Sunday, Aug 16, 2015 at 20:33
I was there about four days ago and honestly if you by pass gunshot and don't do the bloomfield track you could drive a commodore to Bamaga.
It was only on the Bloomfield and after rain on a really steep part that I think I used 4wd. Enjoy your trip
A pic of what was once a tricky creek crossing in the Bloomfield track
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Follow Up By: AGNI4x4 - Sunday, Aug 16, 2015 at 20:37

Sunday, Aug 16, 2015 at 20:37
Should add here I was also dragging over a tonne of camper also.
Sadly the "challenge" side of the cape is fast disappearing.
Even the by pass roads had little corrugations compared to my last trip but then this can vary on almost a weekly basis.
Worst part of the entire trip ................. just to many people and vehicles.
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Follow Up By: AGNI4x4 - Sunday, Aug 16, 2015 at 20:39

Sunday, Aug 16, 2015 at 20:39
Ooops Creb track also closed at the moment ..road works, probably some new bridges lol
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Follow Up By: Jackolux - Sunday, Aug 16, 2015 at 22:49

Sunday, Aug 16, 2015 at 22:49
I have done the OTL 2 times , without any problems , second trip was last year . I don't rate it as a very difficult 4x4 track , but do you really think a Commodore could do it ?? .
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Follow Up By: AGNI4x4 - Monday, Aug 17, 2015 at 00:04

Monday, Aug 17, 2015 at 00:04
As said if you by passed gunshot crossing and it wasn't wet yes without an issue ? All you really need to do the cape now is a well maintained reliable vehicle.
As four wheel driving went it's as boring as to be honest.
Great scenery but.
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Follow Up By: Jackolux - Monday, Aug 17, 2015 at 07:58

Monday, Aug 17, 2015 at 07:58
If you went up the main road , yes no problem , I have driven on roads in 2wd vehicles worse than the road to the Cape .

Unless there has been a lot of work done on the OTL , I bet that hasn't happened , there is no way a Commodore would get through even the first crossing of Palm Creek .

I spend a lot of time 4x4ing in the Vic Highcountry , its my backyard ,

I would consider myself a very experienced 4wder , I still might not be a very good driver , that's for others to judge , I have had a lot of experience over 45years , in a variety of 4x4s and dirt bikes .

A high clearance 2wd vehicle with a diff lock , might do the OTL , it would need assistance in several places .

A Commodore car , no way .
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Follow Up By: AGNI4x4 - Monday, Aug 17, 2015 at 08:32

Monday, Aug 17, 2015 at 08:32
Ok the op asked a question and as I had been there recently and that's recently as last week I told him of my findings?
I'm not about to get drawn into a debate regards this but just for the record Bloomfield has been driven in a 2wd ? They are dragging 25Ft vans now where before you would struggle to get a 4x4. Again as said I used 4x4 once I believe on a steep wet clay hill but considering I was pulling 1.4 tonnes of trailer I've a fair bet a car with no load would have done it. But again this was wet........ dry no problem.
As for Vic high country I used to shoot on a weekly basis at Dargo and even rented a house out along the Dargo river as a base. I also used to race the BP Hattah desert Mallee Rally in it's day but what all this means I'm not sure ? So I guess it now boils down that you don't feel you could drive a 2wd on the OTL and today as I'm cleaning the dust from the inside of my vehicle and recall the trip I'm sure I could and my mind won't change ?
So again to the OP slow and steady wins the race and I'd fit a winch as a nice piece of insurance but as said ......... enjoy your trip.
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Follow Up By: AGNI4x4 - Monday, Aug 17, 2015 at 08:39

Monday, Aug 17, 2015 at 08:39
This you need a 4wd for .................... mine is a 95 NJ Paj total mods fitted 50mm lift and a $250 winch
Picture is Fraser Eli Creek so I guess it depends on what you call extreme or easy I suppose ? Happy trails

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Follow Up By: Jackolux - Monday, Aug 17, 2015 at 09:33

Monday, Aug 17, 2015 at 09:33
OP , didn't ask about the Bloomfield , I haven't done the Bloomfield . I have no idea if a 2wd can do the BF .
I was talking about the OTL .
To the OP , I have seen scrapes high up on some of the trees , where some of the higher vehicles or higher camper trailers have leaned over and scraped . I'm sure it was driver error .
I think a pretty much any 4x4 with reasonable clearance and low range would be ok on the OTL .
I was driving a HiLux , with 225x70-16 tyres a bit of a suspension lift , not a lot of clearance , I got through , without problems , I did have 2x diff locks and used them . Didn't need to use the winch .

The OP , says he has done the OTL anyway , so know what to expect .
If the Canter has a high body , you just have to be careful of lean angles ,
Commodore on the OTL , that is ridiculous , wouldn't get past Palm Creek .
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Follow Up By: Jackolux - Monday, Aug 17, 2015 at 09:47

Monday, Aug 17, 2015 at 09:47
The photo of the bridge on the Bloomfield and Eli Ck , what relevance has that to do with the OP's , question or the OTL
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Follow Up By: AGNI4x4 - Monday, Aug 17, 2015 at 10:28

Monday, Aug 17, 2015 at 10:28
Aaaaaaah maybe your driving skills are similiar to your comprehension skills and here lies the prob ?
Cheers
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Follow Up By: duck - Monday, Aug 17, 2015 at 11:10

Monday, Aug 17, 2015 at 11:10
up the main road no problem B doubles do it all the time, OTT hole different ball game in a TRUCK, not a problem in a std 4wd & yes I have been up & back on the track since the sixty's & I can say it was easier on the OTT then than now for a small truck as the track was maintained (sort of) trucks did use it (mainly Toots) & the vegetation had been cleared height & width were not an issue when I last went in the Isuzu nps 300 I spent a bit of time cutting limbs off trees etc , digging the odd cut-outs as the width & height were an issue & my mirrors were folded against the truck, luckily might has right & the odd 4wd did back up or pull to the side when we could not

Agni4x4 extra things you should take is a small but powerful chain saw (one handed type) & a folding ladder, spare mirror & have a roof crash bar/rail made down each side of windscreen & side of cab roof this will save heaps of cab dents & helps push the side scrub away from the roof & hope you have a good ticker as it will get a work out, things that are simple for std 4wd are Not for a 4wd truck
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Follow Up By: AGNI4x4 - Monday, Aug 17, 2015 at 11:19

Monday, Aug 17, 2015 at 11:19
Duck no argument here I'm all sorted was original OP that posted the question ? I just have a different view to another member it would appear ............... how dare I do so lol
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Reply By: tribe-of-5 - Monday, Aug 17, 2015 at 18:49

Monday, Aug 17, 2015 at 18:49
Thanks for your replies......and debates. Our Canter has duals on the back and the suspension has been modified. It's an ex support vehicle for motorbike tours up in the cape but the previous owner never took it on the track.
I guess this trip will sort out whether we want to keep the duals or not.
As far as the debate regarding a commy on the OTT, there is no friggin' way, they would never make it through the first crossing....although it would be funny to watch!
AnswerID: 589367

Follow Up By: AGNI4x4 - Monday, Aug 17, 2015 at 20:27

Monday, Aug 17, 2015 at 20:27
Yeah I know dreamin ..................... some one should have also told these blokes it was impossible ? But then they probably had diff locks fitted back in 1928 LMAO
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FollowupID: 857261

Follow Up By: Michael H9 - Tuesday, Aug 18, 2015 at 07:48

Tuesday, Aug 18, 2015 at 07:48
They certainly were dressed in their finest 4wding gear. Maybe overdressed for Far North Queensland?
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Reply By: Jackolux - Monday, Aug 17, 2015 at 22:45

Monday, Aug 17, 2015 at 22:45
Last year there were more people having trouble at Palm Ck , than GunShot , going South to Nth .

The Gun Shot crossing to the far right , going Nth , was pretty easy , drop down into the creek , turn left under the tree and out to the right .

The over hanging tree branch was a problem for some of the higher vehicles , I did see one hit it with a roof top tent , you just had to stay a bit right under the tree .

There was a tree root or stump about half way down the drop into the creek , it also caused problems for some .

I did the near vertical entry into Gunshot 4 years ago without a problem . Last year , I took the far right option .

Nolans on the Northern section , it's a bit of a luck of the draw thing , we got through ok .
We saw 3 vehicles fill with water , one poor bloke with his wife and kids , it ended their trip , his Nissan and camper ended up on the barge to Cairns .
AnswerID: 589380

Follow Up By: tribe-of-5 - Tuesday, Aug 18, 2015 at 07:35

Tuesday, Aug 18, 2015 at 07:35
We did it in July and our mate sunk his petrol 4Runner in Nolans but only because he panicked and drove straight into the deepest part to the left.
I'm sure we will make it just fine....I hope we do anyway! We don't have a winch and our travel mates are in hiluxes and I'm not sure if they would be able to pull us out if we were to get stuck.
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FollowupID: 857275

Reply By: tribe-of-5 - Sunday, Aug 23, 2015 at 20:03

Sunday, Aug 23, 2015 at 20:03
Well, this is our beast. I see what people are saying about duals in sand, we took it on the beach fishing yesterday and it was a bit sketchy in the soft sand....and that's empty.
AnswerID: 589575

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