Palmer Goldfields

G'day kev.h

Just came back from there in june, we took the good road in from maitland downs and intended to take the route you mention out. From Maytown it took us over an hour to travel the first 4km, low range 1st and 2nd all the way, I used every bit of my 3" of lift and travel, some parts quite steep, (depends on your experience on whether you call it steep and rough aswell) had to walk 2-300 mtrs 2 or 3 times trying to find the track, that was with the assistance of a explorist 500 GPS with the uploaded map showing the track and my position on the screen.
When we got to the existing miners camps I spoke to on bloke there who informed us that the remaining 70 od k's doesn't get any better, they only ever use that route when they are blocked in by flooded rivers on the maitland track. Though I was having the time of my life and would have continued regardless, SWMBO was hanging on to our 7 month old in the back seat and was doing it bloody hard so I relented and returned on the graded mines track back to maitland.
Be warned, the whole area up there is shale therefore cuts and chunks tyres quite badly, especially on hills where there is a scramble to get to the top, if your on good mud tyres and pressure around 20-25psi you may escape a lot of damage, but anything alse will hurt, don't even think about it on highway terrain tyres, (this is also the view of the locals).
If you are set up adequately ie. good self recovery equipment, and enjoy some good (read 'fairly tough') 4wding and have a spare 6-7hrs then go for it.
Have a look at my rig pics and the set up, personally I would hesitate in doing that track in anything less. (Easy fellas, I'm talking about the mods only, not the brand of vehicle! ) Any brand will do as long as it is similarly set up, I'm not saying it can't be done, just that your chances of damage will be quite high.
If you decide to do it then have fun, if not then go in via maitland dwns along the graded track as there is some spectacular views this way and the goldfields is well worth the visit, may I recomend reading "Rivers of gold" by Hector Holthouse, as it will give a whole different perspective of the area when your standing there.
Also, if you go in via maitland dwns the turnoff for the goldfields is an unsigned, large graded track about 1/2-1km south of the maitland dwns station turn off.

Avagoodn
Pezza

Thanks Pezza
You confirm what i suspected, we attempted the trip down from Laura back in 2002 but only went a short way when we realised some of the cars in our group were not up to it( we also had two not so experienced drivers) so we turned around and followed the main track to Chillicoe but never got back to Maytown pity
this time we hoped to go north through that way but may be best to follow the better track
Thanks for your reply
Kev