creb track
Submitted: Tuesday, Feb 05, 2008 at 22:07
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54284
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pamm
We are planning a trip up the Cape in August and have recently heard that thf
creb track is officially closed!!! Can some one inform me if this is just a seasonal closure or is it permanent?
Reply By: Member - lyndon K (SA) - Tuesday, Feb 05, 2008 at 22:15
Tuesday, Feb 05, 2008 at 22:15
Hi
Can't comment on the Creb,but if it's closed and you are heading up from
Cairns to
Cooktown the coast road is a must. Allow a full day or even better two!
It is still 4wd but not real serious stuff(unless wet).
On your way stay at
wonga beach or the lions den, see the "black mountain"
The coast dive is one of the highlights of our travel.
We have property in C'town and will drive it either up or down each time we go there.
Cheers Lyndon & Bernadette
AnswerID:
285872
Follow Up By: Member - joc45 (WA) - Tuesday, Feb 05, 2008 at 22:46
Tuesday, Feb 05, 2008 at 22:46
4wd??!!
The last time I drove thru the
Bloomfield Track, I was constantly being passed by 2wd hired campervans!! And they were motoring!
Oh, and a Hilux driver who had to prove that he could pass a Patrol uphill.
Could have made a fortune dobbing in those campervans to the hire companies!
Anyway, it's a fantastic drive.
Gerry
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Footloose - Wednesday, Feb 06, 2008 at 06:58
Wednesday, Feb 06, 2008 at 06:58
Yes 4wd !! Like any track a bit of traffic and wet weather can make it so. And when it is, it's slippery, greasy and bloody bumpy in the mud holes and boggy in the creeks, all of which don't exist in the dry.
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Member - joc45 (WA) - Wednesday, Feb 06, 2008 at 14:29
Wednesday, Feb 06, 2008 at 14:29
Hi Footloose,
Perhaps I overstated my tongue-in-cheek comment!
Of course it's a 4wd track, but it amazed me the number of tourists in 2wd rental cars who were traversing it, in complete contravention to the rental agreements which apply in the area; forbidden to cross north of the
Daintree. And at such speed to boot.
Cheers,
Gerry
FollowupID:
550951
Follow Up By: Footloose - Wednesday, Feb 06, 2008 at 14:38
Wednesday, Feb 06, 2008 at 14:38
Hi Gerry, yes in retrospect I forgot to put a smilie in my reply, sorry.
I warned my bro about that track, and he didn't have any worries with it at all. But that was in the dry.........
AND he did the crossing at dead low tide. I couldn't believe the lack of water. I've seen drivers swimming for their lives.
Must admit last time I was there, there were plenty of 'Bill Bogan's on the track." :))))))))))
FollowupID:
550952
Reply By: Member - Kevin R (QLD) - Wednesday, Feb 06, 2008 at 10:11
Wednesday, Feb 06, 2008 at 10:11
Refer thread 54250 yesterday
Cheers
kevin
AnswerID:
285928
Reply By: ozwasp - Thursday, Feb 07, 2008 at 13:36
Thursday, Feb 07, 2008 at 13:36
Hi
I think you need to live there to get a chance to do it.
I went up there in late November when the track was open, but all the locals and rangers were telling me not to do it.
Any rain there (and it rains there most of the time) turns the track into soup.
I'd recommend doing the
Bloomfield track first as to get an idea of the conditions before doing the
CREB track, else you could get stuck out there, or worse slide down an
embankment and roll.
In the end I did the
Bloomfield track and the northern (drier) side of the
CREB track up to
Roaring Meg Falls. Surprisingly the
Bloomfield track was more challenging than the north side of the
CREB track. In fact the
Bloomfield track itself would be impassible if it weren't for the concrete slabs laid down on the slopes and the blue metal over the mud, as the mud is like grease - we got into plenty of 4 wheel slides.
For the record, we pulled a backpackers van out of the first
creek crossing up from
Cape Tribulation. The water was only ankle/knee deep but they managed to get stuck. I wouldn't recommend doing the bloomfield in anything without high clearance due to the water crossings.
As I mentioned, you'll be lucky to go there and find the
CREB track open. This year it was open from about mid October till early January, but was not nessarily able to be done safely. From what I understand, plenty of people roll there 4wds on the track due to the track conditons - on the slopes if you touch your brakes you're gone.
Good luck, Will.
AnswerID:
286141
Reply By: David from David and Justine Olsen's 4WD Tag-Along - Thursday, Feb 07, 2008 at 17:00
Thursday, Feb 07, 2008 at 17:00
OLD RUMORS NEVER DIE
The
Creb track is closed every year, for as long as WTMA want it to be closed. They open it up when they are certain it is dry enough. By August you may just be OK :-)
AnswerID:
286161