Cape York trip

Terry,

Thanks for your feedback. I apprecoiate it and will keep in mind what you've said.

regards
Tom

Sorry that is crap I had to shrink it heaps to get it under the size limit.

If you click on my member profile I have loaded the photo in and you can actually see it .

Glenn

Glenn,
Thanks for taking the trouble to post the photo. Based on what Eric and other have posted and also on your photo, I don't think the track is a wise place to take my van. I'm no hero and tend to err on the side of caution.

regards

tom

Leroy,
You're right and that's why I asked the questions. No good finding out I can't make it when I'm already there is it.

regards
Tom

Eric,
Yes it is the one in the picture. It is a Regent Extreme which is an off road caravan, meaning its really an off the "sealed" road van with Simplicity independant coil spring suspension. What concerns me is the distance from the caravan wheels to the tow ball means it wont be good around tight corners or down steep gullies. The ground clearance at the back (departure angle) is quite reasonable.

thanks
Toolman

Eric,
Thanks for the reply and the advice which I will be heading.

Based on what you say I won't be taking the van across that track . My plan was to head up to the Cape and then on the return leg head for Weipa across the track from Batavia Downs rather than go all the way around. What I might do is see if I can leave the van at Batavia Downs, if not then I'll just give Weipa a miss this time. My friends who are traveling with me have a time restriction on their vehicle hire so we may not be able to afford the time to go down to the Weipa Road turnoff and head back up to Wiepa then back again.
I don't expect to be breaking any land speed records and have anticipated averaging about 170Km a day after leaving Laura. Is that being realistic? The road conditions I hope will be ok at that time of the year but I'm not sure when they grade the Bamaga Road after the wet.

I've done rough roads before, having driven across the Nullabor several times before they sealed the bit between Ceduna and the WA border so I have some idea of what to expect.

The Van is new and has Goodyear Wrangler A/T tyres which I hope will be good enough.

Again thanks for the info and if you think of anything else you reckon I should know, I'm always open to advice from those who know. Who knows. if your hernia is mended I might see you on the road up there somehwere.

regards

Tom

Tom the hernia is fine thanks back at work now.
You can go around the bottom and back to wepia in time it will be similar. That is a good question about the grading.
There has been a fair bit of road works around Laura.
All the best
Eric