Palmer River Roadhouse to Maytown and return

Submitted: Friday, Apr 13, 2007 at 17:38
ThreadID: 44272 Views:5889 Replies:6 FollowUps:4
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Wondering if anyone has a rough estimate from experience - re the travelling time it would take to travel from Palmer River Roadhouse out to Maytown and return. Just trying to finalise some of our planning for trip in June, and looking at feasibility of length of each day. !MPG:5!
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Reply By: Member - Duncs - Friday, Apr 13, 2007 at 19:51

Friday, Apr 13, 2007 at 19:51
From memory it took us a long half day. The track was not difficult but it was slow. I think we had lunch at Laura then came down to the roadhouse and headed west. We camped in Dogleg Creek and went on to Maytown next morning but we were there pretty early.

That was late April 1999. Some time ago now but it might give you a guide.

Duncs
AnswerID: 233190

Follow Up By: Member - Wayne & Cheryl (QLD) - Sunday, Apr 15, 2007 at 08:35

Sunday, Apr 15, 2007 at 08:35
Thanks Duncs

Still trying to decide whether we have the time to go in to Maytown and back both via White's in the same day and still leave a little time to move on to Lakeland or Laura.

Wayne
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Reply By: obee - Friday, Apr 13, 2007 at 20:46

Friday, Apr 13, 2007 at 20:46
We went from cairns early but light and it took us most of the day. The track is slow but easy with at least one water crossing. We camped at Maytown and went for Laura the next day. That track was washed badly by the cyclone last year and it took us a day and a half with a couple of difficult hold ups. Badly rutted. We took one wrong fork and had a real time of it getting up a spur onto the track proper on account of the trailer. Nearly tipped the car over once. Eye opener for me with little experience but I would do it again with the hindsight I earned.

Maytown is worth the visit for sure.

Owen
AnswerID: 233203

Follow Up By: Member - Wayne & Cheryl (QLD) - Sunday, Apr 15, 2007 at 08:33

Sunday, Apr 15, 2007 at 08:33
Thanks Owen

Trying to decide whether we will have time to leave early from the Roadhouse and travel out to Maytown via White's Ck Rd and back to the Roadhouse then hopefully on to Lakeland or Laura in the same day.

Sounding like it might be too long a day, but hard to judge. We have a limited time frame for whole trip and don't want to include things which might mess up the rest of the plans.

Wayne
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Reply By: Rob from Cairns Offroad Training & Tours - Sunday, Apr 15, 2007 at 10:28

Sunday, Apr 15, 2007 at 10:28
Palmer River Road House to Maytown along Whies Creek Rd aprox 3 hours. Maytown to Laura allow 8 hours trailer not recommended. Cheers Rob
AnswerID: 233508

Follow Up By: Member - Wayne & Cheryl (QLD) - Sunday, Apr 15, 2007 at 13:24

Sunday, Apr 15, 2007 at 13:24
Thanks Rob
Much appreciated for this bit of info. Sounds like we will have time to do the White's Ck Rd as planned. Not planning to do the track to Laura as we know it is a difficult run and we have three trailers in the group. Should be Ok to leave early morning and do the run out and back.
Wayne & Cheryl
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Reply By: Member - Duncs - Sunday, Apr 15, 2007 at 14:39

Sunday, Apr 15, 2007 at 14:39
Wayne,

Your other option is to continue on past Maytown to Palmerville Stn. From there you can cross the Palmer river and go north to join the road to the cape just south of Hahn River Roadhouse. This option is described in Ron Moon's book.

The run from Palmerville Stn to Hahn River was an easy day. We had the Trak Shak with us and had no problems.

If it is wet when you are there you will need to watch a seemingly inconsequential creek crossing about 5 to 15 km east of Palmerville. It has a spring under it and was very boggy when we were there. In fact we only managed to get across with the use of a winch. Apparently the spring dries up once the water table drops, about a month to six weeks after the rain stops. It only presents problems early in the season.

Duncs
AnswerID: 233536

Follow Up By: Member - Wayne & Cheryl (QLD) - Sunday, Apr 15, 2007 at 17:29

Sunday, Apr 15, 2007 at 17:29
Duncs

Isn't the Maytown to Palmerville Stn road closed with locked gates now?

Wayne
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FollowupID: 494420

Reply By: Member - Duncs - Tuesday, Apr 17, 2007 at 09:55

Tuesday, Apr 17, 2007 at 09:55
It was open with no sign of gates in late April 1999. Last time I was there.

Didn't mean to be misleading, I just thought it was something to consider. Obviously if the landowner has decided to restrict access that also needs to be taken into account.

Is this another example of the poor behaviour of a few spoiling things for the majority of well behaved travellers?

Duncs
AnswerID: 233949

Reply By: obee - Tuesday, Apr 17, 2007 at 09:58

Tuesday, Apr 17, 2007 at 09:58
having got to maytown you will want to see all the mines and junk laying around and the graveyard otherwise its not worth all the hard work of getting there. That will put at least two hours on the timeframe and possibly more.

Owen
AnswerID: 233952

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