Monday, May 01, 2023 at 15:18
Can't find Howitt or Howlett. Assume Hughes
Campground is Hughes crossing a bit east from Drumduff crossing?
Have only driven
Chillagoe to Dunbar (turned off to Kowanyama). Most of the road was good gravel, no doubt it'd be corrugated at times, but last time we went across there (2021) it was in good shape.
Except for a section several kms long of deep bulldust between Drumduff & Dunbar. When talking to someone a day or two later they said "that section has always been bad for that" so I'd say you should expect it.
I don't know the
camp spot at Hughes crossing, but if anything like the one at Drumduff, it'll be very pleasant , but possibly not easy to get in & out of with a 23' van. There is a spot at Drumduff which might suit, but it's up the
hill before the crossing & a few minutes walk to the water. The good sites are smaller & on the water's edge. You could probably fit in at the Dunbar crossing too, & be entertained by folk crossing the 'rubber mat causeway'.
Actually I think Hughes Crossing may be the
Mitchell crossing commonly referred to as the Drumduff Crossing. If so suggest you park a couple of hundred metres up the
hill before the river (on the left) & go for a walk across the crossing before committing yourself with the van, The crossing (causeway) is no problem, but you are then crossing the dry river bed which is sand, usually with some material laid over it to prevent bogging.
Camp sites off to the right might be tight to get into among the trees . We towed our Tvan in & only just got under some low branches & bogged ourselves . Not badly, but needed to drop tyre pressures all round to get out. There is camping on the far side of the river bed too, but we didn't go up there.
Best spot is just before the river on the right, but you should
check it out before committing yourself with the van. If no-one is there you might get in if you significantly better at reversing a van than I am! :)
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