Outback Qld Trek

Dave,
the copper at Hungerford said the landowner was sick of pulling travellers out of bogs..I don't know whether the closure was unofficial, but I wasn't going to find out. I thought if the road was a gasetted public road, it would take more authority than the landowner to close it.
Cya
Greg

Thanks for that Greg, I was going to give the bloke a ring before I go there anyway.

Best to get his OK first to go on his land.

Dave

John,

Depends on what you call free camping..We stayed in national parks, not free but the same conditions, no power/water. We had a couple of nights by the side of the road, very isolated spots, no traffic at all.

Water..We have 3 tanks 2+1,and had 4 jerry cans, 2 on the van & 2 behind drivers seat.. you can fill up at most towns, some not treated, but nearly always filtered. Keep your drinking water for drinking, how long would it take to drink 80 litres, a couple of years!!! We filled up at Hungerford/ Innaminka/ Birdsville beautiful water, same with Boulia..Remember, you don't have to have a full shower every day..

We saw all types of vans out there from Bushtrackers to Jayco off road models, quite a few Trackmasters and Evernews, didn't see them on some of the tracks we were on but they got there somehow. I made one mistake..I should have had 2 spares for the van, I had 2 spares for the car, so when I got a flat on the van I didn't have a spare for about 130klm, a bit nerve racking..Make sure your rear bumper is strong and reinforced, I added a couple of extra U bolts..Tape up external hatches for dust

continued..

Overall, we were very pleased with everything and often wondered what all the fuss is about..Mind you we had perfect weather conditions, it would be a different matter after a bit of rain..you probably wouldn't go.

Re speed, there is no rush, there were times when we travelled at 80k/hr and other times at walking pace..If you don't get to where you want by the end of the day, just pull up, there is plenty of spots and there is no traffic. The Cordillo Downs track was the stoniest, but not a lot of corrugations, most of the other tracks were sandy or as up the bore track smooth clay pans in between the dunes, and then a bit of sand as you go over the dunes, not big dunes like the Simpson

I will try and post some photos, havn't done it before

Have fun
Greg

I suppose I mean not camping in caravan parks with a heap of other vans. I have no problem supporting local businesses on a trip but I enjoy a bit of peace and quiet and a some room to move.

regards

John

Greg, there were two separate groups of Trakmasters going from Cape Byron (eastern most point on the mainland) to Steep Point (westernmost point on the mainland).

Our friends were in the second group and got to Steep Point on the weekend.

Mike

My wife is a bit of a chicken, when she looks at a map and the roads are marked with dots, not a continuous red line she gets worried!! She wasn't real keen on going up the bore track but afterwards she said it was one of the highlights of the trip..Not much to see except vastness/ huge claypans as smooth as the beach on Fraser Island/ and a little bit of rough stuff thrown in for good measure ...a really nice drive and we had our daughter with us in her2007 Rav 4, stock standard..

Once again, we had perfect weather

Cya
Greg

You won't have any trouble with the Royal Flair Mike, we did it last year on the way to the gathering in our modified 32 year old Viscount, which has a strengthened chassis with eye to eye leaf springs and shocks with a solid 2 inch axle. Image Could Not Be Found

Mikee5,

I agree with Bruce, you won't have a problem.

Here we are on Bollards Lagoon.

Image Could Not Be Found

Photo courtesy of Dave B in Broken Hill.

Great photo Mike, it's not all that smooth, but a great track

Greg

Thanks for the tip Mr Bush, I am a bit of a novice at these things..

Greg

Big Col,

I didn't think much of Diamantina Nat Park, we had a look at Gum Hole Camp ground, half a dozen sites by the water, not easy access, flies were horrific, worst we had come across..Hunters Gorge was a bit sparse, better river acess, but just didn't grab me..We had a nice night at a spot just behind Old Cork Homestead, not a bad spot and about 90 mins to Lark Quarry if you want to go there as there is no camping at LQ.. Overall a nice drive on fairly good roads through the Nat Park.
Lawn Hill..We stayed there in 2003, I think there were more spots for vans then, and the rangers were a bit more active then also, they had a slide night and watered the grass etc, now..we didn't see any rangers, the camp ground was dry, there was a pontoon bridge that had some damage in the floods in January and it was lying around in a heap, not replaced or fixed..We were a bit disappointed in some of the Nat Parks we visited, it doesn't seem like they spend any money or do anything any more except take your money..I think the authorities think that Nat Parks should be kept " natural " and I even think they discourage visitors.. I think you would get your van in there no worries ..
Cya..Greg

Ev,
they were our thoughts exactly when we decided on this van.We previously had a Davidson Phoenix, 19 ft but only beam Axles..I think the independant suspension on this van is far better and I think that is the most important thing in buying an "off road "van..
The only problem we had with size was getting under some trees, you have to have you wits about you and on one occasion I just touched a branch and broke the hatch over the toilet..no big drama (a $38 fix)..the length didn't give us any hassles at all...It is so nice to have a lovely hot shower on demand..

Cya
Greg