Hughenden to Cairns

if coming from WA, why "Hughendon to Cairns" may i ask........

Hi Toby

I, like you am from WA and did that trip in June this year. I went from Hughenden to Cairns via the Kennedy Development Road and then back via Townsville.

The KDR is a gravel road for most of it and when I did it there was a heap of roadworks on it. I am talking lots of little sections of roadworks, not one big lot.
Shaves off quite a few kms from the other way, but is a lot slower, more twisty and turny. There was also a couple of creek crossings, nothing major.

The road via Townsville is longer, less twisty and can get up more speed. However, it is extremely busy and there isn't much opportunity to overtake. There was also a heap of roadworks.

Personally, I found both roads took about as much time as each other. The KDR is very scenic, less traffic for much of it and definitely worth the drive.

One hint, if you do take the KDR make sure when you get to Atherton, you take the slightly longer road into Cairns via Mareeba and not the shorter route. It is much quicker.

Unfortunately I had to rush there and back, otherwise I would have liked to have spent a few days looking around Hughenden, Richmond, Cloncurry and a couple of the other towns on the way.

My 2.2 (inc GST) cents worth.

Cheers

Chook

If you do go up to The Lynd from Hughenden be sure to check out Porcupine Gorge as you go by. This road currently has road works along it in patches as stated above. Going this way also gives you the Atherton Tableland which has lots of points of interest.

I also vote for for going one way and coming back an alternative route.

Alan

Toby,

Google Maps shows 729K and 8 hrs 39 minutes via Townsville and 593K and 9hr 27 minutes via the KDR

Cheers,

Cruiser

The Kennedy Dev. Road is unsealed, with a few roadworks happening when we traversed it in july. It can be a good run, we were at highway speeds most of the way.

It is being sealed slowly, but they have started in the middle and are working towards each end. It would pay to check again closer to the date you will be travelling.

HTH