The plenty Hwy- Boulia to Alice

Done August Last year - allow a night around Georgina River and maybe if your in luck there will be some liquid o have a wash, fill up and have an ice cream the next day at Tobermorey Cattle Station - have eftpos now, a night at Jervois Station and then make your way into Altunga Ruins using Cattle Water Pass - its the first of 2 tracks to the ruins and its not marked with a sign but about 7km in there is a sign!! A night at the ruins and then make the easy trip into Alice and go to KFC ! ! !

Road is usually crap and very bulldusty - can go for km's ! ! ! Rough as gutts on QLD side....but be prepared for punctures as usual....

Laura

We have just come back from Alice via the Sand Over hwy NT road is in excellent condition and Qld side not graded but in fair condition.In my opinion a lot nicer drive good black soil country. took us 2 days Alice to Boulia.

Hi Mary,

Spend a night at Wirriyerna Station west of Boulia. Left turn off Donahue Hwy 34kms west of Boulia and on to the homestead. Ask to stay out at the river (Georgina) and they will direct you to a permanent 7 km long waterhole on the river. Showers at the backpacker accom at the homestead. Then on to Tobermory for an icecream etc. Camping area is good. We kept going and camped on the banks of the Arthur river (dry river bed) excellent spot, then on to Gemtree the next day. Cattlewater Pass track was not really okay for towing when we went through in July this year, could be done with a lot of care but may cause you grief. Plenty Hwy means plenty of tyres so watch your speed and tyre pressures. They were grading sections of it and the Donahue, so some parts are really good, and then some are not. Have a good trip.

Road is usually good to average.
Sit on 80km/hr most of the time.
Rougher Qld side, and more grey bull dust around the Diamantina.
Final condition depends on whether they have been moving a lot of cattle in/out of the area and the cattle trucks have chewed it up or not.
AND, there is another wet season before you use it, so it will be different next year to what it is now for final condition.

Best run I have had is 1 1/2 days Boulia to Alice, left Boulia in the morning after camping next to the river, and into Alice about 2 in the afternoon next day.
But worthwhile adding another day or two, or turning off and coming into Alice from the south east.

July07

Average/Good dirt road. Let your tyre pressures down to <30psi hot will make it easier on you and the vehicle. Speed <80kph.

Took 2 days Boulia (10am - good meat at the bucher in Boulia opp the motel), stopped in the middle beside a dry river and camped in the tent. note heaps of cathead's so if tenting....

Make sure you pickup your drinks in the afternoon at Alice the bottle shops are open 2pm (or 3pm?) onwards.

Mary W

Towed my van from Alice to Boulia in late June this year. Spent 2 nights doing the trip. Camped in a gravel scrape the first night and the Georgina river the 2nd. Tyres all run at 30 psi. At the time the road around Jervois was being graded and the Queensland side wasn't to bad either.

Regards
RnR

Something tells me tha Tobermorey Cattle Station on Plenty Hwy might now be closed to tourists?? Seem to recall seeing/hearing about that in the last few months.

Drove the road in March 2007 just prior to its opening after significant wet. Good condition. Good easy camp at Burke River crossing about 5km west of Boulia. If coming from Longreach etc, then Darrs Crossing about 50km west of Longreach is an excellent camp. The one outside Longreach was the pits in march 2007 - too many campers and no bush - just bare clear area.

Cheers

Chris

Thanks for all the replies -very helpful.Will probably decide this is the way to go.As considering july08 will check again colser to then,Mary