Questions about Cape York

current road status

Try here for the latest road conditions, we went in July and there was a huge difference in road conditions in the three weeks we were there!

Sandy

Hi Terry

We went in July and the river levels where all down on the way back, but that won,t be your problem, because they have been busy fixing the roads that washed away they haven't got rid of the sand build-ups.

We only came across one 2wd and I had to pull him out of it. If their was no one else on the road I would say fine, but their is a lot of traffic going back down that road, so at some time you will have to pull to one side and that will be that.

You can make it in a 2wd but you won't make many friends, it called a 4wd road for a reason.

Sorry if I sound negative but we had so many close calls on that section of road and the only accidents we heard of where on that section.

Have fun
Craig

Terry, I was up that way last year in Sept. and from what I saw of the southern and northern bypass the only thing that will stress a 2wd is the corrogations. In saying that, the conditions do change quite a lot from year to year. This year in particular as I've been told.
Anyway, we'll be up that way in Sept. again too, so if we see you in trouble we certainly will try to help, 2wd or 4wd.

Have a good trip.

Phill

P.S I just remembered we saw a circus group of trucks and cars (most 2wd) along one of the bypasses on their way south. They made it. Cheers.

Was speaking to a local Lass in Weipa that drove her new Hyundia Excell there when she bought it.
2wd is not impossible but in places it will struggle.
Most creeks were below the metre mark with the odd one approaching that.
Coming out of some of them might be a drama as some were quite loose.
It is very sandy around the Captain Billy landing turn off and you could get stuck with not enough ground clearance and drive. The Plado that was with us in late June early July this year was leveling the top off for everybody else.
The roads were excellent but i wouldn't rely on them being like that when you get there.
Hope you have fun

Cheers Col

Went September last year. Corrugations crook on the Northern Bypass but I wouldn't go the Telegraph route in 2WD.
Also went June/July this year. Corrugations almost nil but I'm sure traffic has changed that since. Some of the dips had a fair bit of water but that won't be a problem in September.
The locals often drive family sedans up as a way of getting them there. You should be right in a 2WD ute.
I'll probably be going late September. Look out for a Rodeo 4 door ute. Can't miss the metallic blue.

4WD is not really neccesary on the bypass road, just a little extra ground clearance, sturdy suspension & decent tyres. Terry what type of vehicle are you hoping to drive up in as not many 2WD's are built solid enough to avoid damage on those roads?
Cheers Craig...........

Hi all,

Thanks very much to the people who have responded to my questions it has been very helpful and feeling bit more confident about the road conditions.

We are all travelling in Mokes, or Mini Mokes if you like, which are front wheel drive and we have built, or in my case rebuilt, the vehicles specifically for this trip and they are modified in various ways to handle what we expect.

We are not too worried about the negative reactions we get from some, and I stress some, 4wd'ers and we are actually used too it as it goes back nearly 20-30years and even made it to a popular 4wd magazine some years ago when some Mokes were meet on the Canning Stock Route. However I do appreaciate the honesty of the person who warned us of it and to those who can see past how many wheels provide the drive and offer to help us if we get stuck. :-)

In fact tonight I was talking with some people around when a group of Mokes did Cape York in 1986 and they said what happened back then was the reaction was negative at first, but after a few days the 4wd's would set up on the other side of a river crossing, waiting to watch how the Mokes got across before heading off to set up and wait at the next one. So we could be providing the entertain for some along the way :-)

Another question, what would be the lastest date one would want to be off the Cape to avoid the onset of the wet season or a significant big rain? The books all say November, but from living in Darwin I know October can bring a big downpour to start the build up.

Thanks,
Terry