Boulia to Gemtree

Submitted: Saturday, Apr 16, 2022 at 18:47
ThreadID: 143561 Views:4889 Replies:6 FollowUps:9
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Hi. As part of a longer trip we will be crossing the Donahue/Plenty highway. We'll be camping in Boulia then the next night at Tobermorey station. The next bit I'm unsure. The plan was to drive straight through to Gemtree which is about 470km. But looking at Google maps it says it takes 13 hours. Obviously it depends on road conditions but this seems a long time. If this is the average time then we'd spend a night at Jervois Station. We'll be doing this trip beginning of September.
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Reply By: Member - John - Saturday, Apr 16, 2022 at 19:35

Saturday, Apr 16, 2022 at 19:35
Tobermorey to Gem Tree is a fairly easy run, not 13 hours, Google some times tells porkies........ Have driven that way a couple of times, but can't remember how long it took, maybe 6 hours!
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Follow Up By: Greg W22 - Saturday, Apr 16, 2022 at 19:42

Saturday, Apr 16, 2022 at 19:42
Thanks for that John. I was hoping it would be around that. That time google maps gave,would give us an average speed of less than 40klm/per hour..lol.
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Reply By: qldcamper - Saturday, Apr 16, 2022 at 20:30

Saturday, Apr 16, 2022 at 20:30
We camped at Jervios on the way through just so we saw what it was like and honestly, waste of time, very run down and total lack of intetest by the owners. Most visitors left after using the amenaties.
Even Tobermorey was a disappointment being just after the floods and rebuild a few years back, just stopped there to support them after their struggle but werent back in full swing, hopfully got better since then.
Gemtree is a totally amazing camp site, cant recomend it enough.
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Follow Up By: Rusty Iron - Saturday, Apr 16, 2022 at 21:01

Saturday, Apr 16, 2022 at 21:01
Given what we've all been through in the last couple of years, maybe we could cut some slack for places like that?
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Follow Up By: Greg W22 - Saturday, Apr 16, 2022 at 21:31

Saturday, Apr 16, 2022 at 21:31
Thanks for the reply. We plan on staying at Tobermorey then straight into Gemtree. Hopefully the roads in decent condition to go straight through,without stopping at Jervois.
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Follow Up By: qldcamper - Sunday, Apr 17, 2022 at 04:02

Sunday, Apr 17, 2022 at 04:02
Agree rusty, but that was pre covid.
It is so close to Tobermorey it really was a waste of a day.
On the return trip we used the sandover and found a great little spot to free camp, only spot we camped and didnt see anyone for a couple of days.
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Follow Up By: Member - Warren H - Sunday, Apr 17, 2022 at 20:15

Sunday, Apr 17, 2022 at 20:15
We stayed at Tobermorey in July 2021, fully rebuilt and a great place to stay. Jervois is a bit primitive but hey it's not downtown Sydney. Note that Jervois is closed on Sundays, they will supply fuel but there is a surcharge to open up the bowsers. In July 2021, there were a number of full road width, large deep bulldust holes on a 20 or 30km stretch of the Plenty between Tobermorey and Jervois.
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Follow Up By: Member - Warren H - Wednesday, Apr 20, 2022 at 08:55

Wednesday, Apr 20, 2022 at 08:55
I just checked my track log and for the section between Tobermorey and Jervois my average speed was 66kph, max 85kph. I was not towing. Obviously conditions change quickly. The bulldust holes really slowed us down, most of the time it was an easy 70-80kph run.
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Reply By: Ozi M - Saturday, Apr 16, 2022 at 21:10

Saturday, Apr 16, 2022 at 21:10
We went west to east in 2017, stayed at Gemtree, had a quick look at Jervois (disappointing) then onto Tobermory that night.

We did leave early but got to Tobermory OK without pushing very hard (70-80ks)
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Follow Up By: Greg W22 - Saturday, Apr 16, 2022 at 21:37

Saturday, Apr 16, 2022 at 21:37
Thanks ozi. Its reassuring to know it's doable within say 7 to 8 hours.
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Reply By: Bob Y. - Qld - Saturday, Apr 16, 2022 at 21:54

Saturday, Apr 16, 2022 at 21:54
Last did Donohue/Plenty in June 2021.

The gravel sections on Donohue were in excellent order then. From the border to Jervious was cut up in places with bulldust, and the section after Jervious had been cut by heavy rain then, but some of that section would have been sealed since.

You should have no trouble getting to Gem Tree from Tobermory in an easy day. Might pay to ring Gem Tree to book a site. They fill up quickly & appear to have a cap on numbers.

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Follow Up By: Greg W22 - Saturday, Apr 16, 2022 at 22:02

Saturday, Apr 16, 2022 at 22:02
Thanks for that Bob. We're already booked in for Gemtree. I was a bit concerned when google maps was saying 13 hours between Tobermorey and Gemtree. After replies from you fella I'm reassured.
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Reply By: Member - McLaren3030 - Monday, Apr 18, 2022 at 09:44

Monday, Apr 18, 2022 at 09:44
Hi Greg,

Copy and paste from a reply to another thread.

Google Maps makes some assumptions when giving travel times over gravel roads. It quite often uses 60 kph or lower as the driving speed when calculating time. This is often quite a lot slower than the speed you can actually travel at.

I also use a combination of both Google maps and the Hema Road & 4WD Atlas when planning my trips, and generally use 80 kph as the driving speed to calculate driving times. Not always accurate, but generally it is closer to the actual time required to drive that distance than what Google maps says. Of course, there is nothing wrong with using the Exploroz Traveller App to help plan your trip either, not sure on the accuracy of time required for distance travelled.

To find out the actual road conditions, you might want to contact someone locally closer to the time of your travel for the most up to date road conditions.

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Follow Up By: Greg W22 - Monday, Apr 18, 2022 at 10:03

Monday, Apr 18, 2022 at 10:03
Thanks for the reply Macca. I plan all my trips with Hemma paper maps. As you say once you travel on gravel roads google travel times will not be sufficient to work on. I always plan around 70km on gravel. If the roads bad considerably slower. Asyou say ill be checking nearer to time the road conditions. Much appreciated.
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Reply By: rumpig - Monday, Apr 18, 2022 at 17:14

Monday, Apr 18, 2022 at 17:14
Stayed at Tobermory a few years ago, was in Alice by mid afternoon. We fuelled up and lunched at Boulia before that, was set up camp at Tobermory before sunset
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