Far North Qld Road Conditions Feedback

Trevor , you are being rather biased against the Jeep , I'd be prepared to put the wifes stock standard [except for bullbar/driving lights/uhf] against a stock 80 series on any track ,, at any time , see who goes further ,,, the 2.8 diesel has the auto g/box and 4x4 system that tojo wish they could build.

Tell me when you do Alloy and I will bring the GU to pull you both out ;-))

As always I am only taking the mickey and no-one should take these words to heart.

Keep smiling,
Trevor.

Hi mate, welcome to ozz ,the way i see it at the moment with your experience and short time i would be looking at a trip up the Bloomfield track or if it is closed go round the black top to Cooktown or if you want to camp out go to the Lions Den . From one of these you can travel out each day to Battlecamp road or Old Laura . BUT BE WARNED THERE ARE BIG CROCODILES IN ALL THE WATERWAYS ALL AROUND THESE AREAS.

oh dear.... now it is a bit clearer ...... sorry if i sounded rude but it did not make sence, hey you live smack bang in gods country with awsome spots waiting to be explored within a few hours away, i would probally find a nat park close and drive up some tracks and do some camping to get used to the climate, it is very possible it will be very stormy and hot and also possible to be very wet but you just cant pick it at this time of the year ...
I guess the main this is NOT to go to far away from main towns or cross any big creeks/rivers as these are now on the rise and can flood up to 10M deep from bone dry within a few days (or even hours) and stay that way for weeks, just make certain where you go you can get out or some town is still accessible in another direction for help, if you get stuck you can and most probally will lose your car and possible to lose your life, it already has happened this week alone to a few people and is common at the start of the wet ...
On the Crocs, this time of the year will see very muddy water for the first few months of the wet, Crocs will hide in water 18 inches deep (full grown) and can be miles away from where they "normally" are so PLEASE be very careful as Matt has already said ...
Also DONT camp in any dry creek beds or ANY low lying areas, when it rains it POURS and flash flooding is the "norm" ....
Cheers, Joe

Thanks guys. I am going down to Townsville instead to do a diving course on Magnetic Island and was thinking of doing the following on the way back (will probably just drive down the coast on the way).

30th: Townsville - White Mountain NP (A6)
31st-2nd: White Mountain to Blackbraes via Porcupine Gorge NP (Flinders [A6] to Hughendan and then Hann [62])
3rd: Undara NP and Forty Mile Scrup to Atherton

See http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF&msa=0&msid=
110578363350612799069.000496d0a096d7b8fa007

Does any one know of a cool place to spend 31st night on this route and which area should I plan to hang out in for a while and explore.

Also is there an online mapping system which shows 4WD trails -I can't do much as I only have a unmodified Jeep Cherokee.

Thanks for any assistance - BTW if anyone (max 2 ppl) want to join in I am happy to drop in Cairns (or within reasonable distance of Atherton) on 2nd/3rd Jan and can share costs.

best,

we went to Maggie island for the first time a few months ago, love it and even some tracks still, go west end for them ...