Ivanhoe to Menindee Road

Warrie

We traveled that way last year towing a off road van, the road is good large dirt road.

Just take it easy and you will be right, and if it rains you just have to sit it out

Regards

Richard

Warrie, that road varies a lot due to weather conditions and maintainence.
If it has rained along there and there has been traffic on it at the time, well, it's going to be cut up. (has been raining along there tonight AFIK)
Not too sure how often the graders get along there to clean it up, so before you commit yourself to that road, I would ring and see what the road is like.
Maybe they can help at this number.
Tourist Information Ivanhoe Post Office Columbus St Ivanhoe NSW 2878
Telephone: (02) 6995 1140.

Dave

We did a return trip (B/H to Home) a few years ago:
B/H- Menindee- Ivanhoe- Hillston (great bread shop)- o/nite Lake Cargelligo- Condobolin- Parkes (& The Dish)- Orange- Bathurst (few laps of Mt Panorama) then Home. No great problems, and an enjoyable trip.

Slave, drop me an email if you like, might be able to help a bit more with suggestions.

bharrie a t ozemail d o t com d o t au

Dave

Went that way at Xmas 2006 and followed the railway line from Parkes to Broken Hill. As others have noted, stay clear if it's rained, Worst section is around 80km east of Menindee just south of the lakes & swamp areas - just north of Kaleentha Loop. In one place, rain had cut a 500mm deep channel across the road and had to go bush bashing to get around it. Also some very slippery patches between Menindee and Darnick where it was best to hug the crown of the road. Towing a van would have been scarey. Seek local advice; interesting and pleasant road if it's dry, take the bitumen if wet.

Thanks to all. We plan to do this section on Easter Saturday if its dry enough. Have already had one nasty experience with mud on the Wicannia to Menindee Rd and never made it to the Lakes.See pix in Places. This will be our second attempt. Cheers,Warrie

If it's dry - no problem.

If it's wet... worst area in the world I have driven.

Mike Harding

Drove a rent-a-car Commodore this way years ago, also at Easter. Camped at Willandra NP (great place) then drove to Kinchega NP next day via Ivanhoe and Darnick. Quite rough and rocky, thought the car would shake apart at places, but no real dramas. The Menindee-Wilcannia rd the next day was rougher still but heaps of fun (heard the road on eastern side of the river is in better nick due to less traffic). Great country out there, can't wait to re-visit it..

As others say, would be a quagmire in the wet...

Cheers and beers
Rich

We went that way maybe a few months ago with the Cruizer and Camper.

The Menindee lake system was dry as a bone - lakes, what lakes? Heaps of wildlife to see (kangaroos, emus, lizards). The Darling river had a reasonable amount of water and some good camping in the national park (Kinchega) right next to the river (out of Menindee a bit).

We travelled from Menindee back to Cobar (home) via Ivanhoe & the road was pretty reasonable. Like others have said it would be dependent on rain, there has been a little in the region lately (few puddles still around in places here in Cobar) but the area tends to dry out pretty quickly anyway so as long as you're not travelling just after a big bout of rain you should be right.