Has anyone drove across the Mighty Jardine river ?

Crossed it back in the mid 80's but the ford was bulldozed long ago. The original crossing was basically inline with the Telegraph track. The bottom was soft moving sand getting quite deep on the North side where a corderoy track (Timber planks) was laid to avoid getting bogged. Unfortunately it was breaking up & you had to drive around. It's about 80 metres accross & the year I went was chest deep in the big hole, a bit daunting to wade accross to check the route particually as Crocs are often seen that far up in the wet season.
By the sounds of it a few adventurous lads have unofficially reopened the crossing but don't under estimate it. One of the most daunting rivers I've done :-)
Cheers Craig...........................
PS: You've never really been bogged until a bloke in a boat offers you a tow :-)) .........(True)

I remember reading an article in a 4WD magazine, Overlander I think, about 30 or so years ago about a bloke named Norm Needham. Apparently he had a 4WD repair shop somewhere in Sydney. Anyway he and a mate took a couple of FJ40's
to the top and wanted to be the first to the Cape after the wet. They had a home made pontoon setup and floated their Cruisers across any rivers that could not be driven. The pontoons travelled on the roof racks in between river crossings. I can't remember if they used an outboard or pulled them across with ropes attached to the opposite bank. I don't think there were as many crocs around back then.

Cheers Pop

I drove accross in 1989 in a shorty 40 don't recomend it unless your with a local as we were if you stop you'll probably loose your vehicle

Did it when there was no ferry, before the OTL bypass roads. The road crossing was upstream from the actual telegraph line crossing. The linesman used to have another vehicle permanently stationed across the river and a punt at his Jardine camp. He maintained the line and cleared the scrub down to the Skardon River.
The entries and exits were the tricky part, I heard they had been destroyed to discourage crossing after the ferry was in service. Can't vouch for that.
A mate did it in a brand new Toyota diesel skippy wagon around 1980 also pre ferry, sucked water into an engine breather resulting in an expensive rebuild.
Point is, although it is nice to say you drove all the way to the top, why risk very expensive machinery if you don't have to.
After the ferry started some people would drive up crossing the river but use the ferry coming back. May be why the entries and exits were destroyed.
I travel up at least once a year, and am not tempted to look for the road crossing for old times' sake.

I have crossed it in the late 70's in a 45 series toyota, we used a cable that was on the river bed to pull the vehicle across useing a block on the north bank. Used my FJ40 to pull it by driving south.

Camped at the crossing a few years ago, no way would I try it now.

These boy's do have some fun, here the Kedron boy's crossing the Jardine with a V8 Cruiser and Kedron van.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wk6KJXeOM0k

Hi all,
Drove across in a Shorty Landrover in 1968. Helped two blokes out who wanted to cross in a Cortina. Towed them across with a long rope. They were not under power at the time. The Cortina had a long bash plate underneath to avoid damage from deep wheel ruts and they used a Tirfor to winch through as required. Was this the first two wheel drive to the Top?
Guy

Yep crossed it in Nov 94.
It was a continuation of the old telegraph line.Walked it first as there were sticks stuck in the river to indicate the holes etc.Trouble was Until I walked it I didn't know which side to go on.Had the 375 H&H with me though.My wife was the look out .Did these things in those days ,and we were on our own as well.
When I was nearly on the other side I saw 12 crocks,(they were your old sleeper crossing laying all over the place Craig). Any way went back to the patrol put a blind on, stuck to 2nd low and no problems. Came back via the ferry for free as they didn't check tickets on the way back.Word was if you could cross the Jardine it was a free ride back.

Well I crossed it in 1989 when on a trip with my 4wd club and it was a long way across but I walked it with a mate. We camped on the southern bank as we wanted to check it out and even though we all pretty much said "nope" I talked my mate into walking across just to check the depth anyway - hey we were much younger and stupid.

This was the crossing:
http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/iLrxH7dK7Dp0Wn_Jy5P8SA?feat=directlink

And this was us walking back after reaching the other side. Was just below chest on the far side. Thats me on the right.
http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/-FZnrhX6iiVNK7oG66kb8w?feat=directlink

I do remember saying to my mate when we got to the other side "you do realise we are going to have to walk back don't you? They aint driving over to get us."

As I said "young and stupid"

Well I crossed it in 1989 when on a trip with my 4wd club and it was a long way across but I walked it with a mate. We camped on the southern bank as we wanted to check it out and even though we all pretty much said "nope" I talked my mate into walking across just to check the depth anyway - hey we were much younger and stupid.

This was the crossing:
http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/iLrxH7dK7Dp0Wn_Jy5P8SA?feat=directlink

And this was us walking back after reaching the other side. Was just below chest on the far side. Thats me on the right.
http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lh/photo/-FZnrhX6iiVNK7oG66kb8w?feat=directlink
Copy & paste the above link for it to work properly.

I do remember saying to my mate when we got to the other side "you do realise we are going to have to walk back don't you? They aint driving over to get us."

As I said "young and stupid"

Thanks very much for all of your great replies....

Check out this link, it should give you an idea...


Looks easy for these boys