Boulia to Mckinlay Rd

Submitted: Monday, Mar 28, 2016 at 17:05
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Has any one done this Road Via The Turn of at Hamilton Ruins ,If so whats it like .cheers GREENDOG
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Reply By: Bob Y. - Qld - Monday, Mar 28, 2016 at 17:36

Monday, Mar 28, 2016 at 17:36
Used to live on that road, further up the Hamilton River, GD, in late '70's.

From Hamilton Pub ruins, up to Cannington Mine is gravel/dirt, then bitumen from Cannington into McKinlay. All the many gates have been removed, replaced by grids, and feel that the dirt section shouldn't be too bad. Could be 10 years since we've been along it, bringing horses home in a body truck.

Bit of scenery, with hills either side along road up towards the mine, and road follows the Hamilton River first, then comes into headwaters of McKinlay River. Mine is only a km or so off the road, so you can see all the infrastructure easily.

Probably odd place to camp, GD, but never needed to worry about that then. :-)

Bob

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Follow Up By: 9900Eagle - Monday, Mar 28, 2016 at 17:39

Monday, Mar 28, 2016 at 17:39
You beat me Bob. LOL.
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Follow Up By: Bob Y. - Qld - Monday, Mar 28, 2016 at 19:19

Monday, Mar 28, 2016 at 19:19
Ha ha, not by much, Slow!

GD,

Neglected to mention that Boulia to Hamilton is all bitumen, albeit mostly single lane. Think you might already know that? :-)

Bob
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Follow Up By: GREENDOG - Monday, Mar 28, 2016 at 20:23

Monday, Mar 28, 2016 at 20:23
Thanks Bob ,Great feed back mate ,will be in a old 91 Paj done up for OutBack Touring towing a C/T , cheers mate
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Follow Up By: Bob Y. - Qld - Monday, Mar 28, 2016 at 22:17

Monday, Mar 28, 2016 at 22:17
Shouldn't have any dramas with your vehicle on that road, GD. I only had a Holden ute when I moved down there, then bought a Datsun Skyline, with no dramas.

Been some good rain in that area recently, at least the Hamilton was in flood, so the road may get chopped up a bit. Just be VERY wary of dried wheel tracks, if the grader hasn't been along there when you travel. The crossings over the river north of Hamilton are all cement, and the crossings aren't deep. The crossing near Toolebuc is much deeper, and if the river was running, this might block you. The road from Toolebuc, east back to Winton-Boulia bitumen, is a great drive, many gates and up over Toolebuc Gap, at the southern end of the Finucane Range.

Spent 3 years at Toolebuc, not really far from anywhere, but the most remote place I've ever worked on. In early 79, it rained a lot and we had 6 weeks with no mail, no human contact except for a daily phone call from our neighbour at Cannington Station, and the lovely post mistress in McKinlay. The old earth return phone lines didn't like working in wet conditions.........even a damp spider web was enough to earth it out!
Different place now with Rural Power, phone, Internet etc, etc.

Bob
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Follow Up By: GREENDOG - Wednesday, Mar 30, 2016 at 22:32

Wednesday, Mar 30, 2016 at 22:32
Thanks Bob ,looking forward to see that part of the Country
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Reply By: 9900Eagle - Monday, Mar 28, 2016 at 17:38

Monday, Mar 28, 2016 at 17:38
Will depend on grading and weather. The Toolebuc road is normally pretty good and it is bitumen the last 80 K to Mckinlay. There is a bit of black soil on that road and the Hamilton river may cause problems. The road dries fairly quickly.

Bob Y will probably help, as I think he is doing the mail run out that way. From memory his run goes at least as far as Middleton.

Give the Middleton pub or the Australian at Boulia a call for present road conditions.
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Follow Up By: Bob Y. - Qld - Monday, Mar 28, 2016 at 22:21

Monday, Mar 28, 2016 at 22:21
Middleton mail job was a "one-off", Slow. Usual "sometimes run" is down the Diamantina, to Davenport Downs.Middleton job is not bad, nearly all bitumen.

Bob

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Reply By: Triton man - Tuesday, Mar 29, 2016 at 18:35

Tuesday, Mar 29, 2016 at 18:35
Hi Greendog,

Yep, we did that last October. All good, some great scenery. Boulia to Hamilton Ruins (free camp site there on the corner) is good blacktop, Hamilton to Cannington is level, unsenced mostly so watch for cattle as far as Cannington and then good blacktop from Cannington to McKinlay. Not sure what is past there as we did a fantastic smooth track from just south of McInlay (near gravel pit and a gate) that goes through to Neila. One of the best little tracks I have been on.

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Reply By: Member - eighty matey - Wednesday, Mar 30, 2016 at 21:56

Wednesday, Mar 30, 2016 at 21:56
We drove from McKinlay to Middleton via Tooleybuc a couple of years ago. It was a good run with plenty of scenery, especially down towards the Hamilton Ruins end.

We found a great spot to camp not far from the mine. We put it on Wikicamps. It was flat and off the road with plenty of gidgy for firewood. A bonus was a strong internet connection from the mine. Nothing like getting drunk in the middle of nowhere mucking around on farcebook.

The road near the mine was well graded and through Tooleybuck it was pretty good because it doesn't get much traffic.

Have fun eh.

Steve
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Follow Up By: GREENDOG - Wednesday, Mar 30, 2016 at 22:29

Wednesday, Mar 30, 2016 at 22:29
Thanks Steve ,ill have a look for that camp spot .cheers GD
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Follow Up By: Member - eighty matey - Wednesday, Mar 30, 2016 at 22:57

Wednesday, Mar 30, 2016 at 22:57
It's not too hard to find. Coming from the south when the mine is coming up on the left there is a small dry creek bed. A couple of tyre tracks go off to the right and follow it around.
The mine is nice and quiet because it's mostly underground.
If you go past the mine you've gone too far.
As mentioned before, we put the spot on Wikicamps. That's the best value app for camping I reckon.
Steve
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Follow Up By: Bob Y. - Qld - Wednesday, Mar 30, 2016 at 23:31

Wednesday, Mar 30, 2016 at 23:31
That sounds the Hamilton River crossing Steve? Not far after Cannington Station, on your left. Recall there being plenty of room to camp...........when it was dry! :-)

Bob

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Follow Up By: Member - eighty matey - Thursday, Mar 31, 2016 at 07:10

Thursday, Mar 31, 2016 at 07:10
Definitely not a wet weather camp Bob.
It is a really good spot to get off the road but.

Steve
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