Weipa/Mappoon to Bramwell/OTT via Stones Crossing

Submitted: Saturday, Jun 04, 2022 at 13:51
ThreadID: 143800 Views:7353 Replies:8 FollowUps:7
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This track is now open to the public through the Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve. Has anyone recorded a trek log for it or know its exact alignment?
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Reply By: Frank P (NSW) - Saturday, Jun 04, 2022 at 14:26

Saturday, Jun 04, 2022 at 14:26
EOTopo 2021 doesn't show a continuous driveable route and won't create that Trek, but if you choose walking or cycling it produces this. You'd need to drive it to get a track log to confirm the real alignment. Would be interesting to see how they compare.

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Reply By: Bandicoot - Saturday, Jun 04, 2022 at 15:19

Saturday, Jun 04, 2022 at 15:19
Thanks Frank. I'll see how that goes in practice. I was hoping someone might have actually driven it since it was opened about 12 months ago, but I appreciate the input.
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Reply By: Member - Dick L - Saturday, Jun 04, 2022 at 15:30

Saturday, Jun 04, 2022 at 15:30
See the link from Ron & Viv Moons facebook site

https://www.facebook.com/MoonAdvPub

There has been a bit of discussion on the various Facebook Cape York sites. One of the first through on Quads marked the track. If the marks are still there I don't know because the property managers are doing everything possible to discourage users.

Also contact Cook Shire Council to see if they have they roar alignments.

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Reply By: Member - McLaren3030 - Sunday, Jun 05, 2022 at 09:06

Sunday, Jun 05, 2022 at 09:06
Hi Bandicoot,

There is another “shortcut” between the Peninsular Development Road heading to Weipa, and the Bamaga (Southern By-Pass Road) that does not traverse through the Steve Irwin Conservation Reserve. It runs through Batavia Downs. We used this shortcut when we were coming back from our trip to the “Tip”. The road was in pretty good condition at the time, (2018), not sure what it would be like now. Given all the recent rain, and the fact that it crosses a pastoral lease it might not see a grader very often. I have looked on Exploroz Traveller, and cannot find it, but it is on Hema Maps.

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Follow Up By: Member - John - Monday, Jun 06, 2022 at 09:18

Monday, Jun 06, 2022 at 09:18
We planned to use that shortcut when on the Cape a few years ago, was advised that the station was mustering and no access, which is fair enough.
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Reply By: Member - Dick L - Sunday, Jun 05, 2022 at 09:49

Sunday, Jun 05, 2022 at 09:49
It is called Baravia Downs Rd and is on my EOTopo 2021 maps.
It runs from Sudley to Batavia Downs.
It also has a Exploroz Trek Cape York - Weipa using it.
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Follow Up By: Frank P (NSW) - Sunday, Jun 05, 2022 at 12:01

Sunday, Jun 05, 2022 at 12:01
Dick, are you replying to the OP, Bandicoot, or to Macca?

If to Bandicoot, your route doesn't go through Stone Crossing so doesn't address his question.

If to Macca it would be better as a Follow-up to Macca's reply so we'd know you're replying to him and not the OP.

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Follow Up By: Member - McLaren3030 - Monday, Jun 06, 2022 at 09:31

Monday, Jun 06, 2022 at 09:31
Hi Dick,

Thanks for the update, I couldn’t find it when I opened “Traveller”, although I did not search for treks, just opened the Traveller App and looked at the general area.

Hi Frank,

I offered the Batavia Shortcut as an alternative to the Stones Crossing route as I know there is some controversy with regard to the general public accessing this route.

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Reply By: Member - Cuppa - Sunday, Jun 05, 2022 at 21:23

Sunday, Jun 05, 2022 at 21:23
The Stones crossing track remains controversial, but whatever the facts, it remains a difficult track, (certainly not suitable for towing anything, nor indeed for a vehicle like that shown at in the OP's signature) . It has been 'promoted' by a small group of self interested folk who have been keen for others to use it to 'open it up'. Recently Cook Shire council have indicated they see the track as as 'legal', but don't expect that the council (or anyone else) will have done any maintenance on it.

Be aware that the Wenlock at Stones Crossing is tidal, & the crossing itself is quite treacherous for folk unaware of the route which needs to be followed across the water to avoid metre+ deep car swallowing holes. Walking it is not without risk, there are large salties in that stretch of river, bull sharks too. I'm not sure if true, but I have also been told , by the person who originally pushed the track through years ago that the rocky base of the river at the crossing is 'hollow' ie. water caves underneath, which could collapse if too much weight were driven across them.

The track goes through Bertiehaugh Station, much of which is now the Steve Irwin Reserve, but not all of it, part of Bertiehaugh is still used to run cattle by the folk who had the Station before the Irwins. Neither they nor the Irwins are happy about the track being used.

My suggestion is that whilst folk will make their own decisions about whether to use this track or not , that perhaps they may want to consider whether, at this time, they want to do other's dirty work for them. The buggies, when they pushed through took, I believe, 12 hours from Stones Crossing to Bramwell Junction. A couple of wet seasons have been & gone since then, so all the track clearing they did will likely need re-doing.
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Reply By: Matthew G3 - Monday, Jun 06, 2022 at 09:53

Monday, Jun 06, 2022 at 09:53
Hi Bandicoot

If your on Facebook Messenger give Weipa Auto & Marine a message and they will give you a GPX file called Bertiehaugh.gpx of the exact route. Or you could ring them. Sorry don`t know how to share it.

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Follow Up By: Member - Cuppa - Monday, Jun 06, 2022 at 17:01

Monday, Jun 06, 2022 at 17:01
If it is all above board & gazetted why wouldn't Cook Shire Council provide it?
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Follow Up By: Matthew G3 - Monday, Jun 06, 2022 at 17:21

Monday, Jun 06, 2022 at 17:21
Cuppa

It is a gazetted road that was supposed to have been put in by the Irwins as part of the sale but they never did. So the the Weipa locals did the right thing and went through the Cook Shire Council for the coordinates and put it in them selves, that is why it is still open. You are not supposed to go off track by more than 30m, this is what the Irwins are claiming is happening to justify shutting it down.

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Follow Up By: Member - Cuppa - Monday, Jun 06, 2022 at 17:43

Monday, Jun 06, 2022 at 17:43
Yes I've read all that in the Cape York weekly times, written by Matt Nichols the editor, who also just happens to be the secretary for the Chamber of Commerce. I have also spoken with the current Irwin rangers & the lessees of the the pastoral section of Bertiehaugh & to put it plainly there are two sides to the story.

If as you say it's all cut & dried, & Cook Shire Council have formally gazetted the road AND have all the coordinates, then why do the coordinates need to come from a local Weipa business which is allied to the Weipa 'buggy brigade', rather than from the the Cook Shire Council themselves? And what will the response be from Cook Shire Council when someone injures themselves on this Gazetted Road & is held responsible?
I have seen the evidence that Cook Shire staff are supportive & see no reason why the track should not be gazetted, but I am yet to see any announcement that the process is complete & that the track has been formally gazetted.

The entire process followed to get this track 'up & running' has been dogged by the premature statements & actions by a noisy few, who at times have certainly been loose with the truth to suit themselves.
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Reply By: Member - Dick L - Tuesday, Jun 07, 2022 at 13:17

Tuesday, Jun 07, 2022 at 13:17
Interesting article on the Bertiehaugh Rd in this weeks 6/6/22 Cape York Times by the editor.

https://www.capeyorkweekly.com.au/latest-news/comment-why-cape-york-needs-to-keep-loop-road-open?fbclid=IwAR1oiRU4Ffe9_pbzWmEb2CAwNVz_QtEmqqdrG2aeI5EG9EwKPHy5PbCq25E

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Follow Up By: ModSquad - Tuesday, Jun 07, 2022 at 16:53

Tuesday, Jun 07, 2022 at 16:53
G'day Dick L

Long web addresses like the one you posted don't work in the form presented. It's much better to use the Link button. This hides the complete address in an underlined word or words of your choice. EG:

Cape York Weekly Article

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